The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-01-12
Gen. Schurz's Report.

Some rny warm friends of President
Johnson criticise the report of this ''Dutch-
man." because it is not quite as favorable
to their friends, the "chivalry," as they
could wish. 1t is we'll for all to remem-
Der that Gen. Schurz was tile President s
chosen commissioner and SO far as is
known the President finds no fault with
him or his report. So it is fair to believe
that he thinks his agent sincere and truth
full We give on first page the summary
of this report, Ghe whole is very lengthy
but we here copy couple of paragraphs
from the main document relative to the
freedmen:
ABUSE OF THE BLACKS.
Cases in which negroes were kept on the
plantations either by ruse or violence were
frequent enough in South Carolina and
Georgia to call forth from Gen Saxton a
circular, threatening planters who persist
cd in this practice with loss of their prop
crty, and from Major Gen. Steedman,
commander of the department of Georgia,
an order bearing upon the same subject.
At Atlanta, Georgia, had an opportuni-
ty to examine some cases of the nature
above described myself. While | was
there-9th and 10th of Ausust-several
negroes came into town with bullet and
buckshot wounds in their bodies; from
their statements, which, however, were
only corroborating information previously
received, it appeared that the reckless and
restless characters of that region had COM
bined to keep the negroes ''where they be-
lOnged;' several freedmen We're shot in
the attempt to escape, others succeeded i'll
Guiding the vigilance of their prosecutors.
and large numbers, terrified by what they
saw and heard, quietly remained under the
restraint imposed upon them, waiting for
better opportunities. The commander of
the sub-di>trict and post informed me that
squads of guerlllas Were prowling about
within Il few miles of the city. making ii
dangerous for soldiers and freedmen TO
show themselves outside of the immediate
reach of the garrison, and that but few
days previous to my arrival, 4 small squad
of men he had sent out 10 serve IN order
upon planter concerning the treatment
of freedmen had been driven back by an
armed band of over twenty men, headed
bv an individual in the uniform of Il rebel
officer.
In Mississippi. Ireceived information of
4 similar character.
MURDERS AND ASSAULTS.
The number of murders and assaults
perpetrated upon negroes is VERY GREAT !:
we can form only an approximate estimate
OF what is gong Oh in those parts of the
South which are not closely garri>oned.
and from which no regular reports are re-
ceived, by what occurs under the very
eyes of our military authorities. As to
my personal experience, will only men,
ton, that, during my two days >ojourn AT
Atlanta, one negro was stabbed with fatal
effect on the street, and three were poison
ed, one of whom died While | was at
Montgomery, one negro was cut across the
throat, evidently with intent to kill. and
another was shot but both escaped with
their lives. Several papers attached to
this report give an account of the number
of capital cases that occurred at certain
places during certain period of time. 1t
is sud fact that the preparation of those
acts is not confined to that class of people
that might be called the rabble. Several
gentlemen of standing" have been tried
for such offences.