New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-21
GEN, S7ENNAN IN NORTH CAROLINA,
interview with the Freedmen Of VIII
mington.
THE BUREAU INDICATED.

The following Is a literally accurate report q a
public he'd in Wilmington n C.. On he on rst il
Vas called by Gop steadr confer with ne Freedmen
Con STEADMAN Iloiaced tie exercises with he fol-
towing T,na.ks.
"ltisuot nv purI0se 20 make speech an soldier,
tDd have been engaged Do in making spccoh's Drt IN
dong ny duty II but jns'ce 20 myself ano those VINO
sre with me that feel the wamest sympathy with
those who are here tonight led cooIed Ien n battle
thousand black heroes fought UL.oI 81 Nashville
and bore the "Stgrs and Stripes 70 victory on that
bloody ted Lave been cent here TO invest gaze me
B1aIs Of the Feedueus Bureau ana 20 learn what can
shout Tie IeoIc connected Wtn ti 20 ascertain "A,'hri
IFS otcels 1--we performed thor duty wh,-l Ltl hoe
JCnc their duty In Protecting Won We lave been st 20
yet the Truth and seeking Tor It, We tak W'L
bind 81 reorlo We get Tie freedmen together AID thk
&C. thcln We talk with ne Rebels when W. meet with
thcn ZOO AID think fnat DID tins way we siau aFt %.
She truth Therefore. have resolved % pursue ne
ZANE ccuIse have proposed AZ other places. We "'E
70 "a select tve llen % whom yoa have coD-le"' oC
III thcm make their statements in your presence fe"'o
select such .s have been slaves among you
WIN. N...aaI.L ald g. F. Roork, were chosen as uo
spohosuen and took Their places IN iron: 81 tie a-
nonCe.
mr. HAIsrY srcke substantially as follows;
Only FIrr5Ds AND FfLI0w- CITIzLNs: lf.el liei yera
fed tal Us ~ pIy lego 20 say something ~ We an
stand leie GIT does feel myself privilege To- speak
On tho STATE and standing Of condition. look back
10 tt. tcs We ls- Passed through hard pushed, OF
rIcsstG and ese o. every bad and sde-tne> when we
,otd f.f ox.lo, or r i1g f,oev-and Low feel crate
fGaf Tioct a.oni me. AMI ilds those who has been
cnea- IL battle 20 ny Weliaro and las conquered our
.nea',5 'rd we are IeSeu 10 see ti"s .ioI.ss gay.
Hos Sir. we rIt pleased 10 see TINS el'ii"is Ga!
loy.,g tat God WI smile upon Us, and that We
may have the right knowledge TO chose ne Heht
way % maze us men AMI women, SO uat Vhen we
have "a ed avGy ard gone. car example nay
preach 20 thc rising eCnDatoL left Leland A. Ear as
avn able go CxiIess about lie FTecdmaLs Burial believe
tho cooled race coks up IL for protection. A. far as
All concerned. remove tho Freedman Burial aIG these
nc VII he ike tao slip in the raging stream witho
ruNT ~ fQvc q roll "a
exposed 20 danger night ard day. care not now man
conducts himself, If Re IS eooTed man, ne exposed
10 Danger such TTeudcos have grown up that LEI man
carry himself he may. be IS exposed to da4ger lOHes
fIon all PATS Of lie LoCse, That's SOL 80 Iohe a. We
1cvs L, move this Icfce and you viii sec that we have
los our Ifoiecon We III cht Just as well be III the open
field AID La beating down as big az hen eggs on our
hcets The friedman BCgal Is our protection; ana the
Froca's schools le end on them also fol our TO
icotan 10 say that tle using generation hopes for
blessings of which we lave been deprived There is pro
mise beoIe u.s. the coored race walk m tie way OF
ruth ,y VIII be aule 10 speak and hear Freely always
III, gentleman turning 20 General SleednaI sa!s ne -
here 70 ind out how getting along. say We are
jret s0asng along under this protection. Mauy Of u
io aios crfstttg dong can venture TO say that we
rave the times when the FTeedman BuTa ets ood
hardly protect u.s. But Wan tns lIo'eeuOh we wiz uos
along til at length, We hope 70 be able to stand up
Nh. DUNCAN hoLsIs Iext spoke:
Gas for myself an proud to stand before you ID
reference Tie Bureau. You know they have Ueen down
loio fol tie last twelve months and what would nave
been circumstances 4 II Lad Lot been FOR TIE ietd-
mons Bgreau and or the schools Ihese thngs nave
Teen cqtCa;ion 10 Would we not be ulcrateinl peo-
lie C saw Take away The Freedmens Bureau and these
blessed schools from our children These Things nave
leen orr eat and N drink Tley have not been editCa-
lion 10 those who lave opposed us. Fellow-ciuzens
have little 20 say now, and much to say too LEI US sing
aloud Give Us the Freedme1's Bureau niue WINE
lonce feel that these people in little while wlll con-
tdo ont these things and be ready 10 see usnee done
yet oieye taese people are turning about and some
of them are turning 1s fast as they can see many
goCJ-hcarted white people here, who wish to see every
man i've On the other hand there ere scores who seem
10 wish 20 crash all OF tie people INTO d spar say 'ha1
pbe scale for those WHO willing TO do night IL nslpg
bless this day and feel GLAD that the scale has turned
believe that tie tine VII When eyey man VIII be
stlc % live in America
M JoEN Nixon rext spoke.
my alignment has been great blessing to both parties
whites a4d blacks believe t8at without 1t we would
rave loeu unable 10 get along in quietness When the
Teop6 the State Of North Carolina VIII give up 10 allow
Justice, that is. 70 give equality O. nights 70 pro-
teC; IT, We cen get along without he BuIean Tut unless
1hs done cannot get along il qucIess without H.
know p rs expensive 90 Government and We are WING
10 Gierfree with that expense when have nights.
feel thef Ouchf 10 maintain II until pOhca nghs
arc given us ~ the Legislature Of North Carolina Our
yclcCr &C cannot get along without them. They a1e
b.Ioft o. GovelImel could not have done better
illr u 10 give W these schools know our late mas
iols .ol little az being cuangled. Yet they must
give uI 20 l ana do night aud unless they 90 we must
petition and pray Congress ioi lie secuIy Of the bu-
Ger. SIADMAy hero in,erposes at is about tie Off
eeIs O. tie Bureau wish 10 learn
NIxOy-" \ have never had any contention with the
Bureau occrs have heard some complaints, but could
never ec any definite information that the Bureau was IN
fault When these men Rave turned on any one, teIe
Las always been more or less complaint
sTEAuNIN-" What is TIE general opinion among the
1olCei Icople about these men
NIxoS-d Major WickeIsham has been judged by some
ST our people little unfaifU Col Beadle was patn-
arch, good nan and true
STEADMAS-" What has been the nature OF the CON-
Ilai.iS against the officer tTst mentioned n
NIXON That lie failed 10 give the black man what
was LIS own Justice and gave The white man his own ana
sTrSnw1y-. f. has been named that some Of the Bu-
reau Gers have been in plantations and have
somueled black men labor for them. have been tod
that if the cooTed men would Lot woTk for them tney
forced them into ca-ganes and set them 10 work on the
streets Cries Of" Not So No, no., from all paris Oh
he house.
NEON" acrer heard Of one instance Of the kind"
Nil McLAUKN was tie next speaker and made the fol-
loving remarks
Mr. President all that have 10 say in regard to or
proocOn l. that il would be impossiby without the
Bureau Even though justice may not IN every case Do
done bv the Bureau il would be impossible for us 70 get
along without II hard cOored man lodge
complaint and not get justice from the Bureau authon-
ties has sometimes been done Yet notwitlstahdlng
lie Bureau las been the protection Of the cOlOeu au
and the whito man too. Remove the Freedmen Bureau
tomorrow, and in less than two weeks you VIII nave
70 alay no; in Wilmington There Is such prejudice
N the hearts Of the white citizens that they
would pick a fuss for reason at all. The
white man would abuse the black man, and the
black would say something against II ana tneIe
would be general riot We are IN danger No win
lie Freedmens Bureau and the troops here TO protect u.s.
II would be better if had been le IN slavery ana never
brought out than 20 be left ID The hands OF our enemies
II makes difference how cOoIed man may carry MN
self; are ell liable 20 insult. Cries Of Ihat So.
If say word in reply are imprisoned ana have go
10 nav for release be in Jail till the white man be willing
a. tet rs ont lfthe Freedmans Bureau removed
roord man would have better than to speak word
~ teAaf the coofed mans rights for fear OF hs me-
STrADNAN-" Do you think that the iecing toward VIC
ro,olod ,eople is improving
McIAUEIS-"NOt fast Laughter