Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-06-15
NUMBER 300

fertile lands on which they were located
placed at their disposal free OF rent or tax
es. The failure Of Gen. Saxtons admins
.tration resulted from a variety of causes,
among which may be enumerated ,E~9
I The unnecessary continuance of Govern
,ment support to the freedmen, which tend
ed to increase their natural inlproydence
and to encourage habits of idleness.
. Keeping them under such guardianship
and tutelage that they We're disinclined TO
make proper exeTtions for their own sup
port or improvement. Lt q.
Teaching them to distrust all white men,
but those who had INN ediate authority
over them, or who came amOngithem with
passes from the Bureau, thus preparing
them to fall an easy prey to the sharpers
who afterwards obtained access to them un-
der the guise OF friendship, took advantage
of their crednlity and fraudulently appro-
priated their crops. .
Their ineXperience in providing for their
own support and in managing business for
themselves. 4..e.. T. ~
CoUNTERACTING INFLUENCES.
1t is not in the power of Gems. Tilson and
Scott, until crop has been raised under
their respective administrations, TO ma
terially improve the condition of the freed
men on the sea islands. Although these
officers have effected sautary reforms in
the habits of the blacks and in their dispO-
sition to labor, and have been instrumental ll
in removing from their minds many of the
absurd ideas which had been instilled
among them, idleness, discOrd and bitter
preJudices against the white people still ex-
iSt.
ADVICE VERSUS ASSISTANCE.
/ An impartial comparison of the relative
condition of the freedmen on the South
('urOlinu isau6u apn thnca in, Elorilo nd
Southwest Georgia clearly demonstrates
that the freed people who have remained
on the plantations and have been aided by
the advice of sensible and practical military
and Bureau officers, are infinitely better
of than those who have been assisted with
rdtions and clothing by the Government.
..rr TIE RECOMMENDATION. "a
In our opinion the most equitable sOlu-
ton of the question of the occupation of
the sea islands aud the coast under the or
der OfGeneral Sherman, will be to surrender
the lands 10 the former owners on the lst
day of January next, requiring the land
owners to pay to the freedmen the value in
money of all improvements made by them
while occupying the lands, this to be de-
termined by a commission appointed by
the Government. OF course we do not %
mean by this to suggest an interference
with any of the freedmen who may desire Z
to surrender the lands they are now occu-
pying at any time prior to that period, by
arrangement between themselves and the
owner of the land. Generals TilsOn and
Scott both concur with us that this ar
rangement will give general satisfaction to
both the freedmen and the land OWNERS
Should this recommendation be adopted by
the Government we respectfully suggest
that the order be issued OtfOre the lSt of
September next, so as to give both parties
ample time to make their arrangements tor
the next seasons planting. ..a.
FLORIDA.
After completing our investigation OF the
Sea Islands we went to Fernaudina, Fiori-
da. Here we found Captain Leddy, of the
Veteran Reserve Corps, on duty as agent of
the Bureau, having charge OF district en-
bracing two counties, and containing about
one thousand freedmen. These are gener-
ally at work numbering, and get from twen-
ty to twenty-siX dollars per month as
wages. Captain Leddy is assisted by Ma
jor Scharer, formerly an officer of the Sew
rnth Ohio infantry, who acts as agent with
ont pay, but is partially compensated by
receiving five dollars fee for each contract
drawn up and approved. Captain Leddy .
is good, iudicious man, who, by friendly
interference and good advice, has settled
most of the difficulties which have arisen in .-
his district between tho freedmen them
selves, and between whites and freedmen,
without litigation.
JACKSONVILLE.
We next visited Jacksonville, the head
quarters of Captain Webster, who has
charge of several counties, in which the
| freed people are genera ly al work, and are
| literally compensated. .- ..- . a.r
There had been at this place few days
before our visit, much bad feeling between
the white and colored people, produced by
| irritating false reports circulated by vi
cious persons; but through the efforts of
| the Governor of the State, the Department
| Commander and the officers of the Bureau,
harmony and mutual confidence had been
restored.
ALL PROSPEROUS, .a sEa
Brevet Colonel T. w. Osborne, the As 81
sistant Commissioner of the Bureau tor
Florida, is an intelligent and Just man, an
energetic, competent and impartial officer.
The most favorable accounts were given us
by citizens, by the military and Bureau Of
ticeTs, and by the freed people, of the good
condition of the freedmen in this depart
nent, as well as of the encouraging pros
poets of the crops which they are cultiva-
ting. 5000 ...". .'...
Alter leaving Tallahassee the next point
at which we stopped to make inquiry was
Monticello, where there are several planta-
tions on which large number of freedmen
are employed working for one-third of the
crops. Both planters and freedmen are sat
isfied, and all bear testimony to the wis %
dom and justice of the administration of
the affairs OF the Bureau by Colonel Os-
bourne. III" ..Ht GUY .. arcH '-a- aHI
Throughout the entire State the military
the Bureau and the civil authorities are n,
generally acting in harmony, which, in our
opinion, is the main reason why the freed
men are more quiet, orderly and thrifty
here than they are in localities in which
there is antagoDism between these powers.
The only exception to this state OF things
in Florada is at Jacksonville, the cause OF 20
which has been already stated. .-...
Very respectfully yours,
"o' J. B. STEEDMAN, Major Gen'l, q N.
40 j. S. FULLERTON, Brgadter Gen'L % yd
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