The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-12-12
South Carolina.

South Carolina.
TRUTH FROM A RELUCTANT WITNESS
FREEDMEN AFFAIRS.
Major r-General Howard is in receipt
OF report from Brevet Major Gene-
raj r. X. Scott, Assistant Commits
sloner of the Freedmen's Bureau for
the State Of South Carolina, in rela-
tion to the condition of the freedmen
and the operations of the Bureau in
that State during the month of Octo-
Der. In the District of Anderson,
including Abbeville, Edgeield, Barn
we'll and Anderson Districts, the
freedmen are generally treated with
kindness; labor is plentiful, and no
destitution is known to exist. No
schools are now open, and though
they might be in operation without
interference Of any kind, lack of
funds compel them to remain closed.
In Barnwell District, the magistrates
are generally disposed to treat cases
of injustice promptly, and to compel
the citizens to act justly. Complaints
are sometimes made of planters run
ming employees away from the planta-
tions for the purpose of depriving
them of their share of the crops;
though, IN some instances, the freed
men are to blame for non attendance
to their work.
The above extract is from n letter
of the special correspondent of the
Philadelphia Press, (radical, written
from Washington. The statements
of General Scott as to the character
of the people of South Carolina, and
their good conduct toward their late
slaves, is just such q report as the
facts of the case warrant and demand
The people of the Districts mentioned
have been most villainously traduced
and slandered by some of the petty
officials Of the Freedmen's Bureau,
and especially while that institution
was under the control and direction
of the canting, ferocious and COW
ardly General Saxton. All the charges
that have ever been made against the
people of those Districts of NAL
treatment of the freedmen have been
instigated by the malice or cupidity
of the dirty wretches who were ap-
pointed to and retained in power on
account of their known subserviency
to the blood thirsty and vindictive
policy of the radical Saxton.
4 We are at loss to account for the
publication in the Press Of this en-
phatic denial of General Scott of the
slanders that have been heaped upon
the people of the Palmetto State,
when we consider the malignant and
mendacious course of that paper to-
wards the South for the past fifteen
months. We, however, accept it as
sign of conscious regret for its past
infamy, and desire to atone, in some
measure, for the grievous wrongs
which it has committed upon the
South, by its advocacy and support
of the most ultra radical measures of
punishment and degradation of the
white race in the Southern States.
While there is nothing in the para
graph which we have que % which
would arrest the attention or excite
remarks among those Of us who know
the true state of public sentiment in
the South towards the freedmen, it is
too painfully true that the Northern
mind has been studiously kept in
ignorance of our conduct and posi-
ton. The radical press has been filed
with ibellous and untruthful state
ments of cruel treatment on the part
of the Southern people towards the
blacks, until the whole Northern mind
has received and accepted the impress
sion that the safety of the negro is
entirely dependent upon the presence
and constant watchfulness of the Bu-
reau agents amongst us. We believe
that this fair, frank and truthful state
ment of General Scott will produce
good effect tupon the Northern masses,
and we congratulate our people that
we have amongst us those in official
position who are capable of rising
above the prejudices of birth and
education in giving to fallen, though
honorable foe, the full benefits of q
just, reliable and discriminating re-
port.-Augusta Chronicle.
"CUrE. "A party in Colorado
1on't wont t1,n Darrito or1y 70 oor,a ~,