, 1866-03-07
THE CONDITION OF THE
SOUTH.

THE CONDITION OF TIL
| SOUTH.
Important Testimony Of Major Genera
| Thonlaa-~tatuS Of Loyalty In f;evr.
| sta, Alabama and MIss1s.&ppl-Trcat
! ment Of Freetamcn-Secrct Orxantza.
| lions Hostlle to the Government.
Especial Despatch 10 the Chicago 1ttbupe.1
| WASHINGTON. March &. 1866
Inc preliminary report Of the Reconstruction
sno-com1aitee On Georgia, A1asAma and Aiest.
t'ppi "as made TO the f1n committee this morning,
Which laid the evidence Of about thirty pcssoua h
foac the House without any comment.
LIE following Is the complete, important and In.
tefesttuE evidence Of Major General Thomxs with
respect to these three States:
WAsH1Sozos, Jan. 50, 1s8d.-Ma}or Cen. Ceoree
II: Thomas sworn and examined.
By Ac Boatioea- What States are included In
A; The States of Kentucky, Tennessee, Geo.r;,
Alabama ind Mlssissippt.
=: WI you state to The committee the results Of
condition Of the people Of Alabama With re,efrnce
tb 70 t1s1f io5sy OF slosasy to the Government Of
), \. The people Of A,abama arc extremely .n.,onz
to Pc nnder the Conetltu1iun Of the United states
And 10 nave thak State In Its nur position in the
n'on oe1 'hS s1e no, sst personally friendly
Government Of the Un1ted States. ind Iaye A.
tempted to pass laws as iudIdou. Is they cpnIa at
the time TO reculxo The afain of The freedmen. one
OF ho-e bills WIS not consldezvd coue,ituions1 hT
NE Governor and vas vetoed By him. He thinfs
now thst the Legislature will pass inst and fair II
Q: In the &bscnte Of p.rsonaI GOOD viii tows,d
the Union and Cniou nru, On what ia founded the
assue Of he people qf Alabaana 70 l1re under he
4. They have had i ta1r tr1aI m then attempt to
gafa andep+ ndcnee, and have tailed completely In
that ATTEMPT. IheJ now profess themselves as de-
ment Of The United Statee.
9: What proPoltiog q The people OF Alabsu,.
l. Thai i Tr3 eni. auest9oo ,oh 10 snsrc, ,or
Ibis reneon: Originally and before SECESSION, and
during the discussion OF that measure. a majority
when The entjeet "a. rst submitted to thc pconie.
iorned that The S.s,c Of .Alahsrna ws. e1cata.iiy
cry % the par OF prominent Leading and deter
mined seccse1onista IN tue State Then, the ptople
hrdtn. themselves in that condition., md being
in .he Fexnit, Ind IL man; "t9 tnstsSer3
seemed 70 e1sc up the1r Union scn1lmeo,s and i'd
thefe original Union people have remained rebels.
3! e Goys4ansat. os6ess have ssp;csted ct @s 1aes
and proess 10 deelre to hare the STATE back in the
tneh bod NOON them At this time that ii i 1rfJ
11rnts nY snr nan tha.a eAp'eS4oa u LIZ senu-
8. So IN ~ rnn are sh,e tn ,nao. ,.h,, ,,n,,
mr. nsnr "a an ar4c = ,1e Present ms
The rebellion and sntcrtain1nr es,,- IL f,e ntae;
thr national roxesnm.rt r1 T. !, ~. " au9s
for fhr1n To rtfshfish ~ s.nnSsd..,n ae posfioe
a. We'll. sIr@ IN fs,r,,red to ,5tn,- tho,
email proportion Of them would be niIiIne ia Il
taeFiee n u prepe1ty and 1n.ete:.s IN .hs oqih
forc. il l. hi 10 thst ihry ann,d ri, ~
bc1r to tbc adTanmcnt Of thcsr Own nsxs,e IN intt1.
cs;s in prccscncc 10 he ntcre.ts Of fhe Saiinn.1
EnycTnmcnf. " A"A' A'AooAs4
q Whsf IL +br st.,e aY 3aal,ro ev,.t7,,x ho,.,.,.
.hose who have been svowed Unlonists through t6e
nrhc1nnn1 ".'~ "seA' '"'u'41eo "'ta C1c
In snrnt rr-.3crs ~ nm e,,.. ,t,.. l..
hitter feeling. In other n,r1ions nj ~ st,ss ths
q. in what palt Of he @ Sac il t,rrc I'm ,o,,
condition oI feeling among the peon1c IN re3srcnce
A. In stne nnrs1nns n Eo,th A,.h.,,. ~. ~.
nc Sentiment il dectaediy IN fasoe ~ abe tGs gs p10-
mcnt. In Other portions Of lie State II thinI ab.
uay-Ifthey thouaht they tnn1d cstahiJsh snnihe 1s
ri conlsaGaey .bsy weald prets1 ii but ~ fbele
Cons,iuton Of ihe ntie stssrs hs, ne 9nqef nc ne
he Tnion .en,Imrnf nrrdnnnir.Iss '130ogn 30 t6nk
tons Of ibe state. r ~1'''~ - ''''D' po''
easurce iaIen ~ II to cn9 saa or any
Enitcd Sane ns1ment for ssses ~ r0m ,ae
h,re mi heard ~ enr epp,o1;n..ia' '1e F.s
~ a'e 1o' 111u VI aas eo"e1nauon iof taat
~ a Ssa,o ,r~ ,o,s,,.,. .
,.,S,-s ~ rIs osta saAeA y tne Legs
tsfn rho smnunt ~ anc X -! 'nese 10 ascef-
+ a. ri th,ui. snn+n ~ ~: . ,-
measures bare been taken, 1t h.s been done very
20 as noi 70 nave oesn oh*efEed BY the Of
iase. ,h ~, stai3oucd In that state-
q In he eiertinns thst atu haSa ~ H. 10 ne
"a i 1r 1as l. n9t been common for cand
usrtcfa ed mors Or *. ae,,se3r 9o 1hs ..aaS
to % one e1 %!e " ~ SI;ia thiag ios
n Snrth- .i,h,nas ~ ~sT r.. s"G a..unet parles
10, Cnnpress ere defe, % hE, m,mI ,1
cnndg5sIcs r., he state sa.,,t- 80 . W Ea!on
est1r ;no g. az t6s ~sss either 81
q. How was Il In CentraI snd ,n sn1ibc,H H.
hamai =" "47 ~ - o'1N-a' "ao ~ soaeoe1" .asa'
M san,bsR 1s toe suecee1n candfdates II Central
rsbrI nrnr ~ nc,ire .n3 ,raI. ~ tas
~ f..n5s l. ~ ~ oa.a ~ scaeis. fepoft
atoiaia n e. 10 nc toIee! row which
snd spnnnse s asv Un s1a @ o1 "sloea 70
the AaiS'sni Gsac1als I % Once. 's e "'' Oh n'e III
~ ~ "M My9 yo9 tLste eae1aus Hnat WIS the n1turc
- 4. ~ Th.i lmpTener as' pes,onr u4re np-,,..d ~
vote Int % Nas 1hs chasee, md ~ .nSataa,a 10
e. Ana thnsc ,oc1s",. ,so.a m, ,.,,.,u,
[or what reasonr, "sAs "o' sa''oeo " 'ose
A. On account of their particapa,ion In the re-
al. }fAR ffH fnt.a
Dath Of allegiance, Or were 10 swesr 1hsf fhev had
boil faIen mn in 1he rebe MIN netthet ~ ,JJha
conditions was enforced in zone distre1s. ~ "A"en
O. What is the condition Of 1ba SIsfe renern}tF
Nth reference 10 pertunaI eaIety:
4. Up to thie pmf Union men md the FREEDMEN
nave mol beeu 10 very great extent In daacrr Of
heir lives. But few INSTANCES Of personai no !
cnce have been repor,d d 10 me. Generally speaS- |
nc. thc nrcscnce tf ihe United SfoteS froons onJ
he ofhcefs Of the Freedmen's Burcar hi hren |
Inftient to put down any demon.tratious Of hos. |
lilly.
@. What II your ouIuIop Of the expt.f1tepcv N rp
moving the troops Of the United States from Ala. |
,4nat
A. do not think II would be expedient tn r. |
more the noope unul the people chow that they arc
willing and determtned 10 execpfe fhe |
In with inaparfiai instice 10 MI nsrfies.
Q, DO you know Of any combination auour auy
- Ia e. t,s r. 49, ~ tS ~ ue maJS is -
hrF eh.1t h. cnSn1nvcd y" "1'N"
= hrre hc.fn ~ rorob,r.t;or. br+ NM ;nfo,- |
,st;cr has hee1 nf sn INDEFINITE n.trcs h.rs
nasx-r On III sncb Tsrc..i"1. ,r,t1sd IS. 11eee.
+ha Esssn,n.n,: M 1nrsan ~ 49, 49,. - ,as.e.f
- r e aS[.s,.ma ha;rs t1A .ea .tTps II ~
L nv hn.o.s ner onnier a-d ~, N
e.tn, tne ~ t S a.d ~ 1 .ac ~ e
w ,snn,iUsn1 esen \ + hed snr sTa1sS
y - ~ ~ 1,,t,a ,a1a+s - +aa :, ~ T
oao - ~ ~. aas ~ w - =. soAn"''
T. y ssa Sse FL ;.nsitnn X sTas, ~
en 70 become itevaoloe. os 70 p,Hxcnt tnem nom
'.. ceu!HE -. y. .1,,.,, a ,nt;"ntt %' >'o"'o
no"t tsne so nns sss;n.cnt h d,r7aca IN tim,