Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1866-07-04

Justice, have escaped punishment, and
are still at large number OF intelll-
gent and influential citizens in Edge
field, in conversation strongly con
dcmned the conduct of the villains who
had murdered unoffendng freedmen.
These citizens stated that the murders
were committed by band of men
from the States Of Texas, Kentucky,
and Tennessee, who had been in the
rebel army, and were prevented by
their enemies from returning TO their
respective homes, and who had taken
to the road for livelihood, and were
stealing horses from white people and
robbingand mudering coored men be-
cause they were defenceless We ask
ed the citizens why the murdersrs
} were not arrested and punished by
the civil authorities. The reply was,
that they were in doubt as their au-
, thority to act that the Freedmen's S
: Bureau, with the military support,
} was the superior power, claiming ex-
! elusive authority TO arrest and punish
} persons committing outrages upon
} freedmen, and that as long as this
state of things existed they were pow
} erless to punish crimes of this charac-
, ter They evinced much Indignation
, at what they termed the injustice of
portion of the press in holding them
/ accountable for crimes and barbarities
which they said were as revolving TO
5 them as to any other portion of the
: American people, while the power 10
5 punish the perpetrators was withheld
S from them. They also assured us
c with unanimty that hereafter, al
c though theircivil government was still
t patially paralyzed, every effort would
g be made to punish all who were guilty
c of committing outrages on freedmen.
), We learn that six or seven freedmen
0 had been murdered by band of ont
o laws, referred TO during the months OF
d March and April, and although a
l. month has elapsed since the last OF
l. these crimes was committed, more
s than month ago no action bad been
d taken in the matter by Gen. Sickles
!, The investigation by the Bureau
n agency was commenced only few
Al days since, and was now progressing
J. at Hamburg, thirty miles from the
n scene of the murders. We earnestly
g hope that these murderers may be
e brought to justice.
G, SEA ISLAND.
&c On the 18th of May we left Charles
,e ton by steamer, aud visited, first, the
n Sea Islands, on the coast of Georgia
% which have been, and are till, togcth
c er with the island on the coast, under
" the exclusive control of the Freed
le mems Bureau. On these islands there
,c are one hundred and forty possess
N ing titles held by the freedmen, undei
Is the order of General Sherman, anC
m decided to be valid. They encumbel
le those two plantations situated on
III James, John, Wadmelaw, and Edist'
ir Islands. The number of freedmcn,nov
ID on all the South Carolina islands j
n about thirty thousand. They form
d. however, out proportion Of the ag
lc grcgatc number who have occupied
lc the islands since General Sherman
is order was issued Many Of those VIII
first came here remained on the is
/. lands but short time, and then re
d. turned to their homes on the mainland
u. others, who made small crops, gather
s. ed them in, and left to seek other en-
&c ployment.
N, A large majority of the freedme
IN, who still remain on the islands are j
IA destitute circumstances. On WadmC
N law and Edisto Islands many who ar
he cultivating land for themselves woul
he be compelled TO abandon their crop
ey were it not for the provisions furnisl
nd cd them by the planters. Last seaso
ms. government rations and clothing wer
lat issued TO most of the negroes who WEI
RS. working lands on their own accoun
: with the understanding that the
,or should afterwards pay for tho suppli'
en- furnished, out of the crop. But nor
We of the outlay thus incurred has bee
he repaid. We found on inquiry th'
some few of the freedmen raised goo
of crops, and could easily have reimburse
ra. the government for the supplies provi'
ch, cd for them, but most of them wei
his swindled out ofall they made by gar
csc ofwhite sharpers who,pretending to
their friends, set up little stores pr
raj vidcd with swcetmeats, cheap jewelr
len and worthless articles of dress, Wi
lch which they plundered these poor ere
ich lures of their hard earnings. III
~ sop,o claea of noreone who Tins d
ra- frauded the freedmen last year ha'
ost made extensive preparations TO secu
md this seasons crop by the same mea,
We found a number OF these stores
SO. Edisto and Wadmelaw Islands, al
ich mention one case as an example.
nas This is on farm rented and cutiy
arc ted by Mr.. Underwood, Of Bosto
er, Massachusetts,.
ria. Accompanied by General Scott, '