The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-12
fREEDMEN'S BUREAU.

General SteedmaR's RepOrt for the States
Of virginia and North CRrOliuR--The
Removal of the Freedmen's Bureau
RecOmmendeG-The Military AuthOrt-
ties 10 Undertake the Protection and
Relief of the Fr@edmen-CuIt of
Farms by the Bureau Officers.
Generals Stecdman and Fullerton, the Commits.
sOners appointed by the President to investigate the
operations OF the Freedmen's Bureau in the Southern
States, have presenIed the following report-ad-
dressed to the Hon +. Nj. Stanton Secretary OF War
under date of May g. 1866
Gsa~~ VIRGINIA.
There are on duty in VIRGINIA The following mum,
per OF OInCeIs IN the military service, and OF other
persons empiovea py or attached 10 the Bureau:-
On S.,auel, two observation-disclosures three majors,
0ne captain and commissary OF subsistence, nine
captains aud assistant quartermasters nineteen cap
fans of the line twenty.three first lieutenants
twenty second lieutenants, two hundred and thirty
three CIVILIAN employees, classified and paid Jas fol.
lOws:-
So clerks and sup perintendents of farms paid ave.
l2 assistant superiniendents, paid average monthly
1sS isborcrs, paid average monthly wages lis
In addition to the foregoing enlisted men in the
military service employed as Orderies,
guards, etc, but were unable to procure the
number of those so employed. Nine thousand freed
of December last, 10 26O IN the month OF January,
and 99S8 IN February. The provision returns on
which the rauons we're issued show;-
Men. Women, Children. Total
January ,.,.",,.." ll2l5 8G8l 596i 10 ESQ
February. 1924 3lH 5467 993S
WHY THE NEGROES NEED ASSISTANCE.
majority OF the freedmen to whom this subsist-
ence has been furnished are undoubtedly able to
living if theV removed to localities where
labor cOu be procured. The necessity for issuing
ratOns to this class OF persons results from thar ac
emulation in large numbers certain paces
where the land is unproductiye and the demand for
labor is United AS long as these Oeople remain in
the present localities the CIVIL authorities refuse TO
provide or the aDle bodied, and unable to care
ior the helpless and destitute among them, owing TO
their great numOer and the 1act that very few are
residents OF the cOunues in winch they have congre
rated dunng the war, me necaSsity Tor the relief
less, bv the Government Will continue as long as
they remain IN their present condition; and while
rat'ons are issued to the abe-bodied they will not
vOlutanly change their localities to seek places where
they can procure labor.
KvERYTHING DEPENDS UPON rae AGENTS.
In those districts of virginia where the affairs of
the Bureau have been faithfully and lmpartalY ad.
minlstered by men OF sound judgment and discre-
ton, there has been no conflict between the agents OF
the Bur an and the citizens In all such districts the
OF the State and assisted and supported in the
performance OF their duties by the citizens But IN
many places whore the agents are not men of cana.
city and integrity a unsatisfactory condition of
things exists. This originates IN the arbitrary
unnecessary and offensive in erference of the
agents of the Bureau with the relations between the
planters and their hired freedmen, causing Vexatious
delays in the prosecution OF laoor, ana imposing G
expense and costs in suits before themselves about
trivial matters that could readily be adjusted by the
friendly advice of sensible man. The effect pro-
duced by the action of tins class Of agents is bitter.
ness and antagonism between the whites and freed.
men, growing prejudice against the Government
the freedmen that can never be realized Where
there has been such interference or bad advice
gwen TO the freedmen by the agents Of the Bureau,
there IS growing feeling Of kindness between the
races, and good order and harmony prevail.
PAST SERVICES OF THE BUREAU.
At the close Of the war in the chaotic condition in
which society Was left in the entire absence OF al