Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-09
Letter from Brevef Maier-GeneraI G. Ii
EIs4 tHfal Fisk.

nASnlNOlONt ~. w a cSs =, AOoo.
Hon. j. M. A,mstroag. Fnuakfort, Ky.:
DEAR SIR: have the honor to acknowl-
edge the receipt Of your telegram Of this
date. giving me notice of meeting of your
legislative committee at Lexington, KY on
the Sd inst. have responded, asking that
the investigation be delayed until my return
TO Kentucky. Ny duties will detain me in
Washington for several days. / hope to be
at Frankfort by the 10th or 18th inst, and
will then be pleased to meet your committee
and aid you in investigating not only the
cases TO which referred in my Cincinnati
speech, but many others OF similar character
Of which complaints are made IN different
sections of the State.
1 trust that great good viii result from
this investigation. Let US go down TO the
.hard pen, and ascertain the erdct condition
Of the freedmen Of Kentucky, and the dispo-
sition Of your people toward them.
Reports of 0utrages upon returned colored
soldiers especially are continually reaching
me from the bluegrass" and tobacco
producing sections of your State. 1t is
charged that in some localities the civil
authorities utterly neglect to protect the
freedmen, that in other sections they refuse
to do 30, and in a few places that they are
powerless in the presence of outlaws who
pursue with wrath and vengeance our
mustered-out soldiers, without distinction OF
color.
| know from my own observation that
there is some truth in these reports. was
at Lexington on the 18th and 10th ult. l
had been expected there for many days, and
a number of freedmen from the surrounding
counties had congregated at that point to
meet me and make known their complaints.
/ saw thirteen (13) colored men who had
been soldiers in the army, all Of whom stated
that they had been maltreated by their
former owners when they had returned
10 their old homes to ask for their wives and
children. Some of them, from Garrard
county, think with their bruised heads and
swollen ewes. gave evidence of severe treat
ment. Others stated that they had been
cruelty beaten and threatened with shooting
Bourbon, Woodford, Madison, Montgomery
and Garrard counties were represented al
Lexington. These men were intelligent
They appeared honest and bore the evidence
Of maltreatment upon their persons. ! as.
sure You I thought, from their statements and
appearance that they had been bTutallytreated
/ referred them to the proper parties, that
their complaints might be duly investigated
and their wrongs redressed.
| / was informed by gentlemen in whom
had greaI confidence, that the civil author
| tiles gave no attention TO these outrages
and / left Lexington with the conviction
that the freedmen Of the Bluegrass section
ought to have more protection than the
| civil authorities could or would afford.
Communications from reliable citizens o
| Kentucky, through the War Department a
Washington, had been referred to mysel
for action, in which similar complaints wer'
made, and the Government projection in
voked. i made strong statements at Cincin
natl. was speaking at the anniversary o
the Western Freedmen's Aid Commission
an organization which has expended man,
thousand dollars contributed by benevolent
people in both Europe and America for tn
personal relief and education of the freed
men. / desired to represent the true con
dition Of the people over whom L hal
supervision. had met persons in Gin
cinnati who charged that all Ken
lucky was in resistance to freedom
and Justice. denied the charge
and stated that by far the create
portion of your people-while they proteste
that the abolition of slavery was a grea
wrong-accepted the fact that slavery wa
abolished, and were treating the freedme
with Justice and generosity. l stated tha
cases of brutal treatment were exceptions
also stated that the Kentucky law-naker
would be reluctant to enact laws that wonl
secure impartial Justice to her freedmen, an
| certainly reached that conclusion when
was at Frankfort. / hope | was mistake
in that particular. spoke in most compl
mentary terms of the action of your Stat
Agricultural Convention which convened I
Frankfort on the 18th ulty l assure 20
that | did not intend anything TO extenuai
or aught set down in malice and if upon il
vestigafion---strict and thorough-it sha
appear that have in the least misrepr
scented your people, will make honorab
! amends by retraction before the world. "a
If on the other hand, present to vol
, committee proof as strong as holy wr
! that did not mirepresent you, trust Il
! gentlemen who have denounced me as f'li;
/ and slanderer" will permit me 10 forgi'
them their trespasses against me. God 70
} bid that any words of mine should misrepr
) sent the people Of any State, or that shoul
: be instrumental in producing discord {
D strife 1t is my desire to devote myself
: the promotion of tranquility, TO aid in re
: toring confidence and goodly fellowship a
4 over the land, and to follow the things, tn
l. make for peace permanently established
. justice and truth. LtlEftt ttNBAs .
l am sir, with great respect,
n Your obedient servant
e CLINTON B. FISK,
s Brev. Mai. Gen. and Asst Com'r