New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-23

norte,s tn.sav from the Committee on Reconstruc-
ton, embraces the examination OF aozen NV NV
nesses relating to the condition OF Arkansas' hi's
sissippi, Alabama and Georgia. s 5sr
ARKANsAs-TEsTMoNY OF MAJOR GEN. BLUNT
Major General James G. Blunt was in western
Arkansas in the fall OF 1870. nmosu and those
,ybo svmnathized with and aided in the rebellion
were acting in good faith according 70 tne conol
tinns on which they surrendered Inc relauohs
htwsan INA freedmen and the resident people, in
csndinu great many returned rebels, seemed to
H satssfactory There was disposition on their
nart Ia seek employment, and there seemed to be
no apprehension that they would be detrauded or
iIl.treated.
department Of Arkansas, General Rector, who was
the Governor at the time of the passage of the
ordinance of secession, General Flanagan, who
succeeded him. Mr.. Garland, Confederate Sena-
tor from Arkansas, and others prominent in the
rebellion, are now giving a hearty support to the
government There is a disposition in the Union
party to receive in good faith the adhesion Of these
men !; but there is no disposition to- confer Office
upon those who have been in the rebel service /;
churches converts, but are disposed TO let them
occupy back seats for some years to come.
TESTIMONY OF MAJOR GENERAL ANDREWS.
Major General G. G. Andrews was in command
Of the post of Little Rock eight months, up TO july
1864. There was good loyal element IN Arkan-
sas, better than in any State witness had been IN
in March, 1866, there were one thousand we
hundred bona Jide votes given for the free osase
Constitution.
TESTIMONY OF CAPTAIN MATHEWS.
Captain j. H. Mathews, on duty In southern
Mississippi since Jnly last as provost maIshai, VI
sole commissioner of the freedmens bureau Iesti
es that the condition Of the freedmen IN tnat State
was very bad indeed in ninety nine cases out OF
one hundred after Lees surrender, when contracts
we're made with negroes for their labor, at the end
Of the year they we're driven off without payment
or division of the crop. find the people gene.
rallv very bitter, so much so that consider it
yery dangerous for any Federal officer to pass I'M
escorted through that country, particularly be-
tween New Orleans and Vickshurg, or between
New Orleans and jackson,
| mss1ssIrrI-rEsTIMoNY OF VIM. L. sHARKEy. z
Gov. VIM. Il sharkey, examined by Mr.. Bout.
WE'LL will state, in general terms, that when
went out to Mississippi as provisional governor,
very large majority of the people, do not know
but fifty TO one-were perfectly reconciled to the
condition of things, and very anxious to be re-
stored to their former position in the Union
think they were sincerely and honestly so; that
was the current sentiment, beyond all doubt, at
that time: the rebel military leaders were per
fectly satisfied and do not know but as gen
eral rule they were the most loyal part Of the com
munity they gave up honorably, and all said they
were disposed to accept things as they found
them: but there were a few men within my OWL
knowledge who had done but little during ths
war, who were dissatisfied; but very large ma
jority of our people were as loyal to use the tern
in its proper sense, as any people in the United
States-that is to say they were willing to obey
the government and its laws, and to support ant
to sustain it, and think they are SO yet.
Il should make this remark, however: the people
came up freely and voluntarily and did, as they
| supposed, all that was required of them; they
/ met all the demands of the President and witt
/ great cheerfulness; what changes may have oc
CURED since left there cannot tell; but DO no
ntane still
| yoa know when men do all that is required of then
and all that they think is right, pressure does moi
| in any degree contribute TO their loyalty, and
have been very much afraid that the condition d
| things here would shake their confidence in the
| government: was SO well satisfied with tht
temper disposition and wishes of the people tina
/ did not think it necessary to submit the amended
constitution to them at all. was perfectly SURF
that the people were fully aud fairly represented
the members of the convention were elected o.
the general proposition Of reforming the Constitu
ton, and have no doubt that they represented
| truly the sentiments Of a large majority Of tn
people of the State. $aE a AZ sIfs y.
at What is the general condition Of the freed
men in Mississippi; are they disposed to labor
| and are they laberng and receiving fair wages
| a. They have gone to work with 9 great deal Q
good will, and in most parts of our State they ar
hiring freely and cheerfully; the freedmen, as
hear from all parts of the State, are doing remark
\ ably well !; have heard from one Of the north
eastern counties Of the State, in which it is state
1 there is not an idle freedman however, there
II no Disgusting the fact that the freedmen's burea
n and the colored troops there have done more mis-
i chief than anything else; the great amount Q
complaints originate from the localities where tn
NEGRO soldiers are do not say that the negroe
II do not make good soldiers, but they encourag
4 from the freedmen come crime and depredations
/! in some parts of the State the freedmen are re
ceving exceedingly high wages; MI. Acorn; M
colleague in the Senate, authorizes me to stat
La. ha man
Il in particular, if labor could be had, thousan
\ freedmen could be employed at twenty-five dollar
per month. %
4 d. Ii addition to their board? 1sr
IA. Yes, sir; board them and furnish them wit
4 sugar and coffee and give them twenty-five dollar
i q month over and above their board; he told m
Il that thousand freedmen could find employmer
in TINT one county If they could be had, and
think that on the Mississippi generally they al
getting almost any wages they are pleased to ask
i do not believe that there are now in the Stat
\ very little over more than half the number
freedmen that there were formerly Of slaves; ce
Itainly not more than two-thirds; they have die
of; there is no telliag the mortality that has pr
vailed among them; they have died off in immens
i numbers should say that very little more tina
half the amount Of land that was under cultivate
before the war will be under cultivation this veal
Ne are disposed to think that the majority of Il
lpecpla Of Mississippi would rather take the
4 chances in the Union than take them in the Go
stfSderacy, even if it were possible to establish
4 now 4 always believed II would be their ruin II
Il was established, and believe think !! can 81
4 III Mississippt expect one dollar Of the rebelI
il debt IL Be paid there is one class Of debt which
not properly revolutionary debt, what we call 9
cotton debt. u. q time Of great scarcity the sta
! undertook to relieve the community by issui
bondsIon cotton, which were loaned TO the pla
ters-th that II was not revolutionary debt at g
Il L wastintsnded merely % odation to- Z
people but even that was. void, for the reas