Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-12-06
Report OF the Commissioner of
the Freedmen's Bureau.

General Towards report will show that there is
no special change in the organization of the Freed
mems Bureau, but that the business has been
greatly facilitated by the law of 1866 The districts
assigned to Assistant Commissioners comedies
with the military departments and district COM
mands. The new law embraces Kentucky and
Maryland, and these States require the aid of the
Bureau in promoting the interests of justice and
education. In the Northern cities, employment
ofrces OF little expense to the Government, and
not source of revenue have been established,
with q view to obtain work and homes for depend
ent freed people and to relieve crowded localities
The importance of self-suppOrt has been urged by
proper means upon the laboring classes. Wages
have been determined, not by the orders of the
Bureau oihcers but by the circumstances ordinarily
affecting the price of labor in different localities
The education of freedmen and refugees has been
carried on vigorously under the immediate patron
age of benevolent societies. A Superintendent of
Education, devoting his whole time to his work, is
stationed at the Bureau Headquarters in each State
and all Bureau offices cooperate with him. 1t is
estimated that 150 900 freedmen and their children
are now attending school in the Southern States
schools for refugees-white children-are also
established. Their formation is everywhere en-
couraged by the Bureau. There has been but
little uniformity of action in the different States in
respect to the administration of Justice Assistant
commissioners have been instructed to transfer
military jurisdiction as rapidly as possible to State
tribunals This has been done completely in some
States, while In Virginia Louisiana and Texas,
Bureau courts still IN existence. claim
division, instituted in March last and aided by
oncers and agents throughout the States, has
sought to prevent the frauds upon coored soldiers
in their efforts to collect unpaid claims One hun
bred and ninety-fye claims were paid through the
office OF the commissioner; 723 rejected at his
office ,532 are in process of adjustment The
aggregate amount collected and paid is $10.539
detailed reports. are given of the operations
OF the Bureau in each State, and the District
OF Columbia Transportation is. reported as
furnished to $3.50 destitute freed people
and 3S refugees IL, 4122 73 rations were issued be-
tween June 1st, 1862, and September 1, 1866 The
average number per month to refugees and freed
men was o94 800: the average number per day, 80,
8l9 The issue to whites increased until June 80
1866 when issues to freedmen and refugees were
about equal From June go 1866, until September
l, the number supported of both classes has di1nin
lshed Rigid scrutiny has been exercised to pre-
vent issues to any but the absolutely destitute and
part of the rations not actually needed were cut
off Officers were directed to hold each plantation,
county parish and town, responsible for the of
Its own poor, to very little purpose for, with few
exceptions the State authorities have failed to
tribute to the relief of the class OF persons support
ed by the Government
Owing to the failure of crops the requirements
OF the circular Of the 10th of August 1862, could