New-York tribune., 1866-04-23
yORF CLK.
ceu.saeamam,. Tour-The FreedncD's Brsea.

Gen. ssedman's Tour-The FreednncD's BEseas
from oui Special Correspondent
Noarols Va. April q, 1866
On the 10Th ult., Gen. James b. steedman and Gen.
John H. Fullerton accompanied by Col. ucCloskey and
Others left Washington for journey through the South
ern States their purpose being ascertain the exact feel
ing of the different classes toward the Freedmens Bu-
reau with the view of reporting the 10 tho War De-
parmeDt The party landed Aqua Creek and proceeded
by rail to Richmond where number oj gentlemen repre-
septing the different sentiments OF the community called
npon Gen. Stecdman and gave him Their views on divers
subjects, having reference TO the Freencns Bureau.
There seems to be no doubt but what the Bureau has
been great advantage in the bringing about OF the state
OF affairs that now exists. lie freedmen are
TO have employment than they did few
months since. They complain that theiI wages ore
not sufficient and that notwithstanding the ENLARGED
mice of everything are not SO mach as their masters
ceved for their hire before the war The more Intelligent
sangune however, that wher the oPs are harvested
money will be more plenty and times better Iutehsens
farmers with whom have conveEed ay that they can
accomplish more than so per cent more Work with nee
labor than they did with slave They also say that
they lind that the education The freedman receives,
the more useful and industrious he becomes In many
places the citizens are using every eldeayor 10 insruct
The freedmen, and encourage every effort on the
uar of the more intelligent freedmen 10 teach the rodi
men,s 10 the juvenile portions OF their ftmilies
With reference TO the Bureau. There sceems TO be
feeling that il is the last remnant OF military power and
as such regarded BY many as calculated 70 give rse 10
some unpleasant feeling That il has been OF great adj
vantage the testimony OF many 6a are now 70
feetly competent aid and lsoeet tho freedmen
from those that might be Disposed ~ annoy Them" The
better are and have been The friends OF the
negro" while he slave !. was to our peeu-
mary advantage TO protect him. Now That ne iiee,
ard tho more kindly he is made toward the bet
ter he win work for our interest. "Ibo Bureau seems
sonsFtap is between ana be gees % y when
r,esanees. The Burcsu has the effect 70 make him drrbf
hat we are disposed to be friendly 70 him. land . Keep
9gen II not wden gap that we would eGse los is
reey worth, account OF the great secretly oi monty
but are willing have work done OIL shares and to Idnth
the material 70 do this work with.
The freedmen their part say that they never can
repay the Government for what It Lat already done of
the but they fear If the shield that ;he Bufeau throws
around them Is taken away that the good people Will nos
be able 10 protect them For they say Gentlemen ere
no, going TO up all night TO look after our aoa and
the agents OF the Bureau nave On osi ~ nroeet NJ
Martin warrock, colored man Of Lynobburg, Va in
telling his views the subject said that be was torn IN
9l and had been for % years slave and then PAD
slOO for his freedom. He thinks that the white
people becoming more kindly daily and ie sIe
that there is no part Of the country where the whites
so well disposed toward the freedmen in and around
Lynchburg He is one OF the most intelligent negroes
that we met and Radical Of the most pertnacous
"Look General at the ied.hands some Of the plan.
tatons On the west coast of Africa yoa viii not fnd
more uncivlzed, ignorant people Why, some Of them
have never been TO place Of religious worship You
know General that the House OF Bondage not the best
College OF Literature What we want now is schools.
Educate some of our younger people ard use them as
be worthy of the great kindness that the Government has
done for them. For want to be strength 70 that
Government, and not an expense, TO clog it,
Other coloed men thought that the people have bat
little idea of the valuable service that the FTeedpens Bu
had rendered and was sure that many peons must
have pesbed had it not been for The Bureau Then with
considerable pride they add Now are on cur feet and
are able take Of ourselves and those that the Bu
has been caring for too The only thing We fear Is
~ will and fhen q
we do now, the strong protection OF the Government"
THE better classes WILL know, do all that may be
in their power to keep from harm. But there great
satisfaction in knowing that we have something 70 depend
on and the Government has been very kind TO u.s. Some
subjects brought to the Generals notice that are
amusing but entirely foreign to the style Of information
sought. The gastronomc powers OF one freedman was
considered by coorcd man TO be bad for the soup
houses of the Bureau aud suggestion advanced that
the able. bodied feeder should be limited But the Gen.
dscamed any power to prevent any man, eoored or
white, from eating all that he chose, always PROVIDED he
could obtain the food. Other freedmen were greatly ex-
eresed because the officers Of the Bureau had srdeod
them not TO give entertainments where dancing was m
dulgcd in. "vey select too the parties is that we gye
written invitations and only the most respectable people
is invited too. And the Frcedmens Bureau says hatts
not right, and shuts us up
The freedmen seem think that General SteedmaD is
the party that can remedy all their little grievances and
so come him with all manner Of cases 10 be arranged,
and go OF with extremely doubtful countenanee when
he tells them that he has no authority IN tie premises
There seems be prevailing idea among The farner
that the crops will be short this year particularly tobacco
the tobacco concerned II ~ very
the grain fields certainly show very promIsiney more So
think than could have been expected when the very d
spell Of weather that Spring has opened with consdered
Business in Lynchburg Charlottesville and Norfolk 10
very dull In Petersburgh there is considerably more &C
tivy; but the general hope the trade that 10 be oea
stoned by the harvesting Of the crops which IT Is anne
pated will make money plenty. ard dc great dea
10 MACE things on far better footing and restore soe
thing Of the old order Of things
curious statement made TO me n lnVae CONVEX.
saon few days since by an ex-Rehe ofceI OF scIewhi
acksoa's command Speaking OF Jackson he sald that
Jackson had been in command OF the Rebel army alter the
hattie of Anetam the would have been hTought tos
close. This statement was anxious 10 know TIE iea
son Of. ,,.,.
jackson proposed TO Lee and other offeos that Me-
Clellan should be decately approached with fepyseu
10 place him Mcclellan in command OF botn ne oboh
and Rebel armies and then dictate "a the Admlhueu,n
satisfactory for peace, which at tlat uue wvoo
have been the deposing OF Mr. Lincoln; bnu Jeb DAVIS
got wind of the plan and fell through we 'Lenght
that the United States Government bad become aware oI
such plan and that was the way that we
the fact of Mcclellan being relieved from Tie eonmsbo Z"
the army" e.. .,.r.a, fnr.
This seemed so curious an arrangement tla nlaee ,
thor inoniries and discovered that such paI>"s ""
tainy proposed and thought 70 be feasible one. ,,
MANY Northern mea sre coming TO Virginia 70 Sn so."
nurchaspe fne estates at very low pnce ana ns
On freedmen for their labor. General Pstless%n - " IN.
sn,at;nS ~ fne estate of nearly tbousanu "i, R
nnronerty of Mr. stevenson. The imPfose~'.r r; ~,
estate are of the best description. Tie lonss y ~ @
he plan Of Lord Br9Gghans -. sstI'st,
| Al excellent ousrirg II ahoTs"" "a -