The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-01-03


! than at forts upon the seacoast, no force Is
necessarily should all be white troops. The
reasons for this are obvious without mention
| ing many of them. The presence OF black
troops, lately slaves, demoralizes labor, both
| by their advice and by furnishing In the
camps a resort for the freedmen for long dis
tances around White troops generally ex. =
cite no opposition, and therefore a small
number of them can maintain order in a
given district, Colored troops must be kept
| in bodies sufficient to defend Themselves
1t is not the thinking men who would use
| violence toward any class of troops sent
, among them by the General Government, but
the ignorant in some places might, and the
late slave seems to be imbued with the idea
| that the property of his late master should
by right belong to him, at least should have
| no protection from the colored soldier
There is danger of collision being brought
on by such cases.
Nv observations lead me to the conclusion
that the citizens of the Southern States are
anxious to return to selfgovernment within
the Union as soon as possible; that whilst
reconstructing, they want and require pro-
lection from the Government; that they are
earnest in wishing to do what they think is
required by the Government not humiliating
to them as citizens, and that if such course
was pointed out they would pursue it in good
faith 1t is to be regretted that there can
not be greater commingling at this time
between the citizens of the two sections, and
particularly of those entrusted with the law
making power.
did not give the operations of the Freed
mems Bureau that attention l would have
done if more time had been at my disposal.
Conversations ON the subject, however, with
officers connected with the bureau, lead me
to think that in some of the States its affairs
have not been conducted with good judg
ment or economy, and that the belief, widely
spread among the freedmen of the Southern
States, that the lands of their former owners
will at least in part be divided among them,
has come from the agents of this bureau
This belief is seriously interfering with the
willingness of the freedmen to make contracts
for the coming year. In some form the
Freedmen's Bureau is an absolute necessity
until civil law is established and enforced,
securing to the freedmen their rights and
full protection At present, however, it is
independent of the military establishment OF
the country, and seems to be operated by the
different agents Vi lHo DuIGil dCCoioiIS w
their individual notions. Everywhere Cen
eral Howard, the able head of the bureau,
made friends by the just and fair instructions
and advice he gave; but the complaint In
South Carolina was that when he left things
went on as before.
Many, perhaps the majority, of the agents
of the Freedmen's Bureau advise the freed
men that by their own industry they must
expect to live. To this end they endeavor to
secure employment for them, and see that
both contracting parties comply with their
engagements. In some instances, am sorry
to say, the freedmen's mind does not seem to
be disabused of the idea that the freedman
has the right to live without care or provi-
sion for the future The effect of the belief
in division OF lands is idleness and accumu-
lation in camps, towns and cities. In such
cases think it will be found that vice and
disease will end to the determination or
great reduction of the colored race. 1t can
not be expected that the opinions held by
men at the South for years can be changed
in day, and therefore the freedmen require
for few years not only laws to protect them,
but the fostering care of those who will give
them good counsel and in whom they can
rely.
me Freedmen's Bureau, being separated
from the military establishment of the caun-
try, requires all the expense of a separate Or
ganization. One does not necessarily know
what the other is doing, or what orders they
are acting under. 1t seems to me this could
be corrected by regarding every officer on
duty with troops in the Southern States as
agents of the Freedmen's Bureau, and then
have all orders from the head of the bureau
sent through department commanders. This
would create a responsibility that would
secure uniformity of action throughout the
South would insure the orders and instruc-
lions from the head of the bureau being car
ried out, and would relieve from duty and
pay a large number of employees of the Cow
ernmept.
have the honor to be- very respectfully,
your obedient servant.
q. S. GRANT,
Lieutenant General.