New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-14
RECONSTRUCTION.
South Carolina, Georgia, and fiortd"-
Testimony OF Brighten. Charles IL.
Howard.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81. 1866.

o. You in the m'HthI. hel'iVo vi t"e |"4'0u
o. What is Your rank A. Brevet BrgadierGencral
Of Volunteers. ., ~ ~, u.
,pector in The Freedmens Bureau.
yes Yes SIR ST4 az
O. State whether you have been on service in the
States of Virginia North Carolina and Sonth Carolina
A have been on service in South Carolina Georgia
ard Florida for about three months past. - ,
o Where have yOu resided principally Y MY
tesdguarters were az Charleston, SOnth Carolina.
O. Where are they \. am now ordered mere
fol duty in this District.
South Carolina-the prevalent state OF feeling among
the Rebes-in regard 10 the Government Oh the United
States A. Yes Sir; think i am have had good
opportunity TO bC convcTsaut with II.
o. state, in general terms what have been your
opportunities 10 observe tho state OF feeling in South
Caroiua A. From NV residence in Charleston since
carry IN September last aud from my residence IN South
Carolina since the beginning OF April last. and from
several inspection toGrs which have made through
different counties Of South Carolina; these are the
means of my knowledge OF the sentiment OF the people
there. -
these tours Of inspection 4. Yes, Sir. have often
spent day or two, three days at "a place and IN
@ bid you visit many towns and cities in the State
A. Yes, Sir. visited ali The principal cities IN South
o Aud the prrcipaE villages a. Yes, Sir; was
in pretty much every county IN South Carolina with
one or two exceptions. and al different times
d Did YOU m9gie freely in conversation Win the
Rebel portion of the community A. Yes, Sir; IN my
travels in the and IN stages and on visiting Az
ferent plantations and in stopping at hotels ana IN my
official intercourse was necessarily brought in con
tact with them
purpose 10 converse fIeciF because Vas inspecting
officer and nv duty as interpreted II, was 10 get at
the condition of,hing eete 1eiaciS rather than any
thing else.
what oppears 10 be .n- among the people
Of South Carolina toval. Government OF the United
States Is il friendly or Is II ua!iendy A. l Ihns
that tie feeling Of majority OF TIE people o. South
Carolina is not kindly ana ean hardly be called friendly
toward the Government Of the United States did meet
with old gentlemen who seemed toexress an undOnoted
disposition 10 faithful IN their duties citizens here
after bot met with great many who exhibited i-ec
ing ana disposition 10 GET around. IN any way they
could the requirements OF the Government; GlSp1s
ton TO oppose j! they could the purposes OF tie Gov
eminent especially IN reference 10 the NEGRO; us
found very large extent their feelings as eXlll1eG
toward men who bad been Union men ana loya. Nom
the beginning. was Unmis;akabe.
o. Was il Dit;ert a. Yes. Sir; u was bitter. found
that that class Of men felt II deeply nno complained o.
H. and complained also that the Government hac a. thcy
thought allowed their enemies they called thein ana
the enemies Of the United States bearing ana hdu
given to them any opportunity Of expressing tteti
views and feelings. and they complained tlit the result
was that they were actually otracsed in Tie matter OF
oil Government Offices and agencies. ana influence
that same feeling found very marked IN reference TO
Northern immigrants those who had come there with
adisposion settle; found also. IN conversation WITH
these Northern residents that they agreed 10 the same;
that there disposition tofos'er mmlrTaii9n anG
ey EXPRESSED 70 the opinion that Gnitss the United
States agencies aDc Authorities were continued there IL
would be almost impOss for them to remain there.
In some counties they thought they would BE- forced
away; still, there was some difference III mat respect;
communities were not SO O9d as DINERS;
O. What is the military force IN south C2lollnaf y.
The force has been diminishing constantly during these
three months there comparatively few troops there
Iow although there are some in nearly every county
o. Suppose the Union military force should be with
drawn row from South Carolina, what would he the
a Il hHnE - n VITN
be source OF great INJURY to the eeGnch tAlouGuGl
The State: think they would suffer nom II IN the:
persons and property and in all their business relations
and affairs; IN fact they would be prevented IN the
present state Of public sentiment from carry inc on any
legitimate business in the State b. those who are felt 10
be naturally opposed TO them. former holders as
whole; another efect that would doubtless follow TIE
githdrawal Of the troops would he tie complete osIac
sm Of the old Union and third li-eiieci would
be the injury Northern residents ana the prevention
GNOrthern immgTation consider THESE lungs new
able.
Carolina and the Northern immigrant 10 remain III tue
State after tile withdrawal of the forces a. In some
portions O: the State convinced that 10 Northern
resident could remain unless they curred favor ~ some
Eay with the Rebels; the JniOn men who 1--we there
and have lived there very few III South tGi0lha
ruch fewer than in Georgia or Florida; those WHO
lave been there might remain there undistuTbed but
thew would never have any political privileges what
ver can say great deal more with reference 10 TIE
n results that would come TO the negroes iron with.
1 trawal OF the United States forces.
O. State your opinion freely as 10 those results t@t
one important branch OF on. inquiry a. IL addition
what have said in reference 10 the negro the pub
lie sentiment in regard 10 the education Of the negro Is
clearly defined there are very few exceptions among
tie ex Rebels Of South Carolina who are Lo positively
opposed to the education Of the negro
| q. Why A. Some on the ground that II IS labor
bst entirely that would be useless TO undertake such
swork and others on the ground that II would be
positive injury 10 labor that the negro would not worE
we'll fact upon the general grounds that the eco
son Of the labOrer il injurious TO Interests oil aDori
hey take that ground IN argument.
1 Q. AS principle Of political economy. suppose
A. Yes Sir; and chiefly. as believe iroID Their old
lreudiees against the negro; they would not ne aDe
state what you would consider valid argument VII!
The negro should not be educated except the folly OF II
aud uselesness Oft they would ali agree upon giving
hat aireasOn; but their feelings are very strong on
hat point. against educating the negro ana against
s'ery one who has any thing to 40 WIN ~ tbey
would never receive on any social equality the
I'd! teachers who 60 down there, Whatever hifht
have been their social position az the North;
,sey never receive them into social equhh'y, ana
,ssy try 10 make il uncomfortable for them; ~ fact
] have had great difficulty 20 contend with ~
beating female teachers, particularly III towns 1t
1 been almost impossible to procure boarding places
! i0 them; people who need the pecuniary advantage
akeepiRg boafdors would refuse to receive teach
esno their families because they were nero teachers;
q, feeling existed in each Of tie three States,
sosth Carolina, Georgia, and Florida; II was shown,
To- in refusing to allow US public buildings; it part
Gny duty TO locate schools. and this disposition
against the education Of the negro appeared IN their
fng 20 give up buildings that were not USED Tor any
purpose whatever. and which might a. well have been
iOted 10 that purpose not; for instance found
eorpsratiyely small village where there was two
sdemic buildings which had not been used during the
Var; proposed that should lie allowed to take the
budding that was most oat Of repar in order to use
tHa school flor co0red children the coIored people
te promising that they would repair 1t and put IL in
god order and Offering to II only for such time
ialdinp could be erected by thcm they were willing
beo that work but IL would take some time, and they
tned to locate their school at once; the prominent