The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-05-07

HEADQ'S 6IL,Y DIV OF ThEG0LES
NEW ORLEANS, La, March 81, '66.
To he Honorable George II. Williams,
Chairman Of, tte Committee for the In
Vestlddtion Of A.0dirs in Lgoutstdnd,
azsTerds. and Florida, : Senate Chamber,
Washington, d. c. u
DEAR SIR: Your communications of
formation as TO affairs in Louisiana,
Texas and EIorida; meiduly TO hand,
but owing to my absence in Florida
have been prevented from responding
atian earlier day. In compliance with
your request, 1 have the honor to sub
init herewith my opipions on the sub
jects herein particularized.
of those who took part in the rebellion
and sympathiZed- with 1t, toward the
General Government? s.olats.
Answer. believe they accept the
situation, and have an earnest desire
for the restoration OF a. perfect Union,
but exhibit, at the same time, an un-
mistakahle desire to {glorify rebellion.
sIf q. Q.iWhat has been the effect OF the
unstinted exercise of the pardonlng
power uponisuch persons has It made
Them more friendly or otherwise to-
ward the Federal Government?
A. 1 have noticed no particular
change in sentiment on account of the
clemency OF the Executive.
@. What would be the effect, In your
opinion, upon the State organizations,
If the people were left without control
to act for themselves2,
A L believe they would quarrel
among themselves, and that the sensl-
Bile and substantial people would regret
the absence, of the military force n
"a. Are the nffairs- o. the State now in
the hands of loyal or disloyal men?
larr M IN "a Offices
of the State are In the hands of return
ed Confederate soldiers and other &c
tive participants of the rebellion; am
4unti Bile to say what their actual Sentl-
ments are in reference to the General
Government, but think their outSpoken
sentiments depend to some extent on
what is their best policy in order TO
hold the Office; have seen those high
in authority inn transition state for
the same reason.
o. What are regarded as the chief
recommendations for office; and what
sort of persons would be selected with
out any outside influence?
A. The inclination to glorify rebellion
gives those who were active particl=
pants in it the preference tor election
by the people and appointment by those
o. What would be the condition OF
the loyal men if they were left without
any protection by the Federal Govern
4 Nv impression is that for the pres
ent they would feel unsafe, and many
of them leave the country.
@. Stale your opinion as to the ne
cessity for the continuance of a militia
ryyforce In, ourI Department., and your
reason for this opinion.
A. consider it necessary to MAIN
tain military force in my division for
CPfU
to Northern capital ands Union people,
and to give an actual and moral sup
mort to the freedman until he has time
TO work out his social status. L also
believe its presence necessary TO pre-
vent quarreling among the Southern
people themselves. ,s.--.
@. What is your opinion as 70 tne ne
ceSsity and eXped1ency Oh tne creeu'
mems Bureau?
A. The Freedmenis Bureau gives that
security to the freedmen which arises
from having some one to look after ano
advocate his interests. a change might
be Sinade bby appointing an inspector
general of freedmen, with the necessa-
Tv number of assistant inspectors, UNI
der the charge iofT the Department COM
mander, which would be much more
economical; but it would be imposing
duties on the military which DO MOI
recommend, as T. thinkit should have
as little as possible to do with CIVIL ar
fairs.
q. What would be the. condition and
fate of the freedmen If left without pro,
lection and under the exclusive controi
of the. white people there? srrr
Az ii fear there would 5be great deal
of trouble: large number of the peo-
nile would act in good faith toward them
but there would be many who would
not, and of races TO some extenl
- lTETT ZI.gaIL f1fafI
3if 70. State fully your opinion as, 70 the
capacity of the colored people. Whal
do they know and to what extent car
they exercise the rights of freemeni
| Are they willing or unwilling T., work
without physical lcompulsion, with KIND
treatment and fair wages2 Ana state
what, dna your Judgment, IS the pesl
course for Congress to pursue in 'reIer'
ence to these peopleH
s Al The ,colored race,4 like all other
races, have different degrees of t1telll'
0ence and capacity. In New OrleAnS
Where colored people are better treated
than in any other city In the Uniteo
states, there is an excellent colored so
.cfety: and a very high degree of retne'
y, e3t EXISTS inTit.tI Starting from this
Won Gun go into the State-of Louisiana
kanCiAfind the colored manabontastgno'
N nj "a it is posi- BILE for any human be-
ing to be. The freedmen, SO far as an
| i,infdFmsd, have q great desire to learn
| 4 cannot say whether they learn rapid
| ly or not; 1 believe they are willing tC
| worlabecause their necessities compe
| them TO do SO; IN this they are like al
other races; Inever;have known a white
| N, a black zman W no was performing
manual labor for the love of 1t; be
| Iiieyes that the best thing that Congress;
| or State can! do is to llegislate as little al
4 possiblein referencet to the colored man
beyond giving him security IN .pess9r
/ and property; his social statuslwtll bt
4 worked out by the logic of theanecessi
lty for labor; It is the only la boz, tha
\ can be. obtained in the Southern state:
4 for some time to come; a.
4 q. Please make such suggestions a
i ccnEtn5your mind as TO the most 1nu1
/ eiotis and efficient remedies for thi
/ evils that exist in your department
/ growing ont tof the late rebel lion.
/ - A. The telling and sentiment of thosi
i within the limit of my command IS a
4 GOOD perhaps, MS could be expected
istill not satisfactory. The people o
ItIoufsfai a ara poor, andrto theGbest Q
nv knowledge heavy mortgages exist
lupon, perhaps, the majority OF planta
i b4fore the war. In many instance
4 fhose plantations will fall into tn
4 hands Of Northern people, who, non
4, nresent appearances, will, at no yerI
4 distant period, control Louisiana, ever
4 in sentiment. Having this prqspec
4 I'hefofe them, It Is not surprising that |
snirft of bitterness and disconten
/ should exist. i believe that majority
4 of the people are not opposed 70 tn
.ES3enerai Government, and, IN fact ear
S,sstiy desire TO be restored -te. q perfec
union with the other States. Still, suf
ficient time has nottelHpsed to- eftacl
ltha collection of their having beer
4 ss.iI ssS5y,ced SlfroIn affinenee to elimitel
4 mean, mean the chagrin of. being e9 ttqneEed