New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-03-14

witness in the State Courts, l believer A. Except
under the new Negotiations which have not gone into
fOrcc.
q. Tho new regulations only include cases where a
negro is party to the suit, either party plaintiff or
defendant A. Yes, Sir.
O. But he IL not allowed 70 testify in case when the
parties both whitef A. No, Sir.
q What is your idea 10 the ground Of such exclu.
sion Of blacks as witnesses in eases where tho parties
are whitesf A. They assert that the colored man
would favor his own race and that ne be trusted
when one of his own race s involved; why he should
be employed as witness when Of his own race is
involved, tho only reason any one would attempt to
give Is his untrustworhiness witness; but they
would be unable to sustain that position because they
rely upon him as q truthful man in other respects.
z. Is not the negro Of South Carolina az much a
truthteer as white Of South Carolina, both being in
the same condition as to education and position a.
Yes Sir, think so when find an intelligent negro.
find that he tells me the truth and the whole truth
the same as an intelligent white man.
q. You know of no difference between the two races
in that respecti A. No. Sir; found it soldier
at all times when wanted to get information Of roads
or anything that was OF importance.
q. How do the whites there feel toward the negro
race for the part which they took in the war; A. I
have not often heard any aDtipahy expressed against
them that ground the whites do not often accord to
them Importance enough to acknowledge any antpathy
on that ground.
@ Do you regard the negro as the great occasion
Of the war; A. Yes Sir but the int ocent and uncon-
scious occasion of it.
.. If the whites then had the power would they not
again reduce the black race to complete Slavery A.
|
.. Would they be likely to wait long time before
accomplishing that ohiectf A. l think not.
O. DO think Of any other fact that is OF interest
in regard to South CarOinai A The matter OF violent
treatment to negroes, and in cases to soldiers
has not been brought out in my tour OF inspection In
the western and interior portion OF south Carolina
found a great many complaints Of ilitreament toward
the negroes that had TO he adudcacd by military
authorities and by the Bureau, which were identical in
South Carolina; we had military agencies in every
county throughout the State; found IN sections
Of South Carolina the utmost bitterness toward tie
United States soldiers. toward the flag toward the Uu.
form manifested in their faces and IN their X,
violence even toward soldiers three soldiers
killed IN AndersOnyie County while vas there. |
helped TO investigate the case; 1t is now on tal there
were respectable citizens committed for trial on
| the examination at which | was present.
Q So far as You have been informed, did tie, Q
soldiers give provocition for the yioleEcei a. No p-
vocation; am positive that they had given no proI
cation: IL not claimed thar they had gwen provo
tion
Q. Were they under your orders A. No, Sir they
had 10 connection with the FTeedmens Bureau, whch
IL obnoxious than any other form Of the United
States agency but they mad no connection with 10 IN
sections the returned Rebel officers were wec.
their uniforms, ana seemed rather disposed 10 mah
display Of them than otherwise In sections ~ 81
had been required TO take Oh heir buttons ana ns MA
Of rank In other sections they were not required I'd
did do II: The railroad cars that were made
during the st bear tie Rebel haes ~ decorations
painted upon them, with pictures Of battles j. which
Confederate soldiers dressed In grey arc seen ilng
Yankee soldiers. these things were somewhat interest
ing and must confess a little ANNOYING 20 nc; tAlnk
i: worth while perhaps 10 mention them as biting the
state Of things there's every sectioulof South car0na IL
not equally embitt.red IN this respect sti my feelings
were very much worked up by these causes while
travelling as United states official although generally
going fgc0gpi0: fcr instance. m the ears: sometimes
little children would be set 10 sing tie Il, bel songs
songs that would be very obnoxious 10 United States
soldiers songs containing repro aches upon the ag and
upon evervthinC hold sacred 20 see little innocent
children now that the over taught 20 sing these
songs and imbbc these sentiments seemed 10 ne one
Of worst features OF the coantry he feeling Is
very intense among the female portion OF the cOmmun.
ity without exception against the United States uoy
eminent and all Northern minds.
/ q The women appeared 20 be more bitter and pro-
scrlpiiye thnn the mem A. Yes, espeC ally more 50
than the who expect e. have any business contact
with The people q the North.
q How were Won treated bv educated aad rcspecta-
Die gentlemen of Sonth Carolina \ was generally
wei treated 10y sach men ior instance no' 'rr ana
GOV. Perry. on whom I called a, their residences; /
took tea with GOV. orr such men as seemed - be cok
ing forward positions in connection WIZ the National
Government, found to have more enli rht"led view
Of their duties citizens and they were better disposed
/ 70 the negro thaE other men.
q. how - TIE social intercourse between TIE com
mercial classes N South Carolina and Northern men.
whether Northern soldiers citiycnsf 4. Those who
are In actual contact IA commercial relations arc DIS.
posed to Ignore ne question ~ mlcA a. possible; yet
there arc many OF their residents IN thiTeston who
have the intensest bitterness sl against tie United
States Government. and who IN part, believe, never
did regard tAe United States with any friendship: they
consider II hostile to the interest OF south tafona
| O. There has b"cn Of men there tor the last
20 years VINO so.cgarded IL "a Ihose men are not al
% WIa, do yol know Oh the abstract legal question
Of secession among tbs whites OF South Carolina NhO
are caplbe of understanding and discussing u \.
Ihev have not a. far as have observed changed their
opinion tie Legality n secession but they con
slider II a que ton settled forever
q Settled in what way a. Settled ny tle power O'
! the nitel States Government.
/ q. BY tie arms Of the Government \. Yes. sir.
q Did 700 notice any disposition 10 revive that qGes
! ton among them \. No Sir. never LNei nave
] Iod, he uas,ip
aied AID conservative men, but disposed toward
the Government somewhat in this way-that there had
been n msteke in former times about the question o'
State Sovereignty will South tarOlinians-that really
Sonth Carolna was not altogether absolute sovereign
tba, they were mistaken IN tnat, but stu Sic had q
degree Of sovereignty, and that there was mistake
North and south the North saving that State was
not sovereign all and the South saying that State
was the sovereign power. now th.y hold that 10 GER
tain extent South Caroline is sovereign but not abso'
lutte sovereign.
/ o Do YOU think Of ANYTHING else that you wish 10
mention In regard to South Carolina A.. No. Sir.
| q How In reference 70 Georgia and Florida A.
went through the State Of Florida in October and spent
nearly month In inspecting thoroughly 6eorgia and
Florids last December; have made my report here.
O. In general terms. was the condition Of those two
States much the same that OF south Carolina which
Won have reatedf A. Yes Sir. very much tho same;
certain sections Of Georgia are In no material respect
different from South Caroline; they are certainly no
better DISPOSED toward the negro than the old Union
men are toward late immigrants from the North.
but there certain portions OF Georgia where there
has aways been element OF Unionisn, and in those
eections found somewhat better state OF things ard
mnch the same NAV DO said as 10 Florida; thero are
some reunion men who have always been so, but the
prevailing sentiment, i mean hy that The sentiment
which is bound to control Is similar to Sonth Carolina
O. Hsye YOU copy VI the report which you have
made to the Bureau A. Yes; slr.
! o. Will you furnish 1t 10 the Cofnmitteef A. Yes.
Sir II gives In the first place. simple statement Of
whore went and what mot with aOd saw; there are
observations at the close IL "as uaue 10 tue neao
OF my Bureau. ..,.