Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-05-18

The Freedmen BUREAU-Presdent John
son, 1t seems. appointed Major General Steed-
man of Ohio, and Brigadier General Fuller
ton of Missouri, commissioners to iuye tgate
the operations Of the Freedmen's Bureau.
They accordingly went and spent month
in Virginia and North Carolina, and have
made their report thereon. Whether these
officers were sent expressly 20 find fault with
the Bureau, we do not know but they seem
to have fallen very readily into the dislike Of
1t which appears to be universal among the
late Shareholders. They say the freedmen
are perfectly secure if left to the care Of
the law, and the protection Of the troops,
and they strongly recommend the transfer Of
the duties Of the officers of the Bureau 70
the officers of the troops stationed in those
departments They attribute much Of the
feeling of dislike towards the Bureau to "the
misconduct of many of the officers Of the
bureau, such as working plantations. run
ming sawmills, manufacturing turpcntinc and
tar, &c.-operatiOns which bring them, arm
ed with authority of their official positions,
into competition with the citizens who are
employing freedmen"
We give the following extracts from their
report on the conduct of the Agents
We have investigated some Of the charges
made against agents Of the Bureau, and in pur-
with the Assistant Commissioner Of the State.
Colonel E. Whittlesey, to whom we addressed
the interrogatory :-'' Do you know Of any per-
son in the military service now on duty with the
Freedmen's Bureau in this department who IS or
has been since entering upon the duties Of his
office. engaged or interested, either directly or
Indirectly, in the cultivation Of any lands with
in the department ~ He answered, No
Subsequently be addressed Us a note, hereto ap-
pended, in which he stated that, in order 10 as
sist the planters in hiring freedmen and trying
fairly the experiment OF free labor, he and some
other officers of the Bureau had loaned money,
and thus indirectly had an interest in cultivat-
inc farms. On receiving this note We addressed
Colonel Whittlssey further inierro cations, a
copy of which is hereto annexed, 10 which he
replied in communication. also hereto append
ed disclosing the fact that he is interested as an
eonaI partner with the Rev. Horace James, Of
Massachusetts, formerly captain and acting
ouartermaster Freedmen's Bureau, and with Mr.
Winthrop Tappan of Maine, IN the cultivation
of a large farm in Pitt county, y. C.
While at Newbern investigating the conduct
of the officers of the Bureau, and the reported
expressions of the freedmen by this class Of
persons. our attention was called TO the alleged
killing of a freedmen by a white employee Of /
Colonel Whittlesey, Assistant Commissioner OF
the Bureau for North Carolina, and the Rev.
Horace James. formerly assistant Quartermas-
ter on their plantation in Pitt county. Mr.. |
James. while in the United States service, was |
Superintendent Of the Bureau for the district |
now under charge of Captain Seeiey, and IS now |
an agent Of the Bureau, without pay, Tor the /
county in which he Is planting. The eircum-
stances under which this freedman was killed, /
as stated by Mr.. james himself, were as follows: /
The freedman was accused of stealing provisions 1
from the store Of Colonel Whittlesey and Mr.. |
james. was arrested, tried and convicted by Mr.. /
James as agent of the Bureau, and was SEN
fenced to dig bitches on the plantation While
working out this sentence he ran away, and was
nursued by james and his clerk, Boyden, who
arrived at the bank Of a river while the freed
man was attempting to cross IN canoe Boy
den ordered him TO return, telling him that II
he did not he would shoot, and the freedman
disrerarding this order, Boyden fired. Boyden
states himself that be thinks he hith him. and
as nothing has ever been heard Of the freedman
since. it Is generally believed in the neighbor-
hood that he was killed and fell from the cauoe
into the river.
Without attempting to discuss the propriety
of officers Of the Bureau in the military service
of the United States, who are paid by the gov
eminent for the performance Of their duties,
engaging in private business, and employing
freedmen for such purposes while controlling
through their official positions that class Of Ia
Dor. we deem il our duty 10 state some Of the
effects produced, both upon the officers them
selves and upon the planters with whom they
come in competition, by such conduct
Colonel " hittelsey, or any other otilcer OF less
rank and influence in the Bureau, who are en-
gagged in working plantations rented for cash or
on shares, become interested in securing low
rate of wages. and in making the most stringent
labor regulations, to the great detriment Of the
freedmen.
Colonel Whittlesey. who is thus tcli up
to censure, stands very high in the conf
dense of General Howard, and j. regarded
by his friends as gentleman Of perfect IL
tegrity and christian worth. What reply
will be made by him to these charges Of
- remains to b. seen.
P.s.-Since the above was written we
find, in last nights N. Y. Tribune, letter
from Ger. Howard on the subject. He says: |
Rev. Horace james is the same who vas Capt. ,
Jame,. A. O. NJ, Il man who has ever lived
lbove reproach in all matters As to these gen
Ilemen owning plantations, 10 not doubt IT. !,
There is no speculation in the matter. II IS
rue that many officers, all through the South
md not confined to the Freedmen's Bureau, q
ave invested what little money they could IN Z
his way. never have found any cases Of the .
PROSTITUTION Of official position for private gain b