The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-08-25
Gen. Howard.

that General HOWARD'S admlnIstra-
ton of the affairs of the Fredmen's
Bureau was unsatisfactory to the
President, and there was a strong
probability ola change il that Depart
ment of the Government. But the
matter assumes rather an unexpected
shape in the dispatches this morning.
We have feared that the course pur-
sued by the President In throw
ing all possible obstacles in the
way Of a. proper. execution Of
the Civil Rights and Freedmen's
Bills, and his sympathy withrebels in
all conflicts witho the officers of the
Department, would result in General
HowARD's resignation, disheartened
and disguised. But the indications
now are that the President has made
up his mind TO dismiss the gallant and
faithful officer from this most re-
sponsible position, and fill. the ivacan-.
cy with one of his own supple tools.
When we remember who General
Howard is, and what are hemotives
which cause his removal it will have
the effect the deeper to- imbitter the
present contest, and to more fully
estrange the President and the great
party that elected him. ID Gen. + How
ARD, during the war, was one of our
most able and successful officers. He
followed the varying fortunes of the
army of the Potomac through more
than two years Of its hard fought bat
ties, having given his right arm to his
country in the most glorious of its
battles, Gettysburg, where he bore,
CONSPICUOUS part Transferred to the
army of General SHERMAN, he led
one of his corps through the Chatta-
nooga and Atlanta campaigns, and
9 down to the Sea- While no officer
has a higher record as a fighting man,
one of the qualities which endeared
him to the hearts of his followers and
the nation was his steadfast and devot-
ed Christian character. He was pre-
eminently the Havelock of our army.
When the management of the af-
fairs of the Freedmen was raised
to theimportance of aiBureau De-
partment of the Government, Presi-
dent LINGoLN was at ne loss to find
the man to fill the responsible posi-
ton. The unwavering voice, of the
country pointed to the oneman, above
all others, pre-eminently fitted by ed
ucation, experience and principle for
the position. The work of caring for
and educating the four millions of hu-
man beings thrown up from the foun-
adtions Of society to the level of free
men, by the great convulsions of civil
war, was one of no ordinary char
acter1 And none better than true
christian and gallant soldier could
do it. Called to the Office, Gen. How
ARD has rlabored with conscientious
faithfulness to attain the one great
end, the lettering of the condition of
these unfortunate beings and protect
ing them from wrong During the
administration of the lamented LIN
COLIN he had the. sympathy and as
sistance of the central power of the
Government, and his work was much /,
lightened thereby But for the past
twelve months the chief work of Gen.
HOWARD has been to stand between
the freedmen and the officers of the
country, and protect them from those
who should be their friends. la
These people have been placed In
their present position of dependence,
not by their own act, but by the
Government, and it is clearly its
bounden duty to protect them from
the rapacity and hate of their late
masters, and to provide them with
schools and other moral influences
which will make them intelligent free
men, and not dissolute and degraded |
beings, more miserable than the |
veriest slaves. Tens of thousands of |
these people have been soldiers in the
loyal ranks of the army. Many of |
them are the widows and orphans of
those who have given their lives to
their country. All of them are
thoroughly loyal. The nation has
no clearer duty than to protect and |
properly provide for them. There is
no more faithful or Conscientious off
Ger than General HOWARD to manage
the affairs of the Denartment created |