The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1866-08-22

The Bureau Rotten Throughout, ana Curse 70
Both Whites and Negroes. t8sa
The Commissioners, Maj. General Stead
man and Brigadier General Fullerton, ap-
pointed by the War Department TO inves-
,igate the condition and working Of the
Freedmen's Bureau. made, on Thursday.
the final report.of their labors. The report
is long and very interesting. giving a full
account Of the inspections made in the
States Of Georgia. Alsbama. MississippI.
Louisiana and Texas. We givelsome con-
densed extracts from the report: =
GEORGIA.
The Bureau in Georgia, under the man
sgeinent Of the present able and efhcient
assistant commissioner, Brevet Major Ge-
neral rilson, has been honestly administer
ed. and has accomplished all the good Of
which the system is capable. ], has been
assisted BY the Governor. by the Judges of
the Supreme curt, by the civil authori.
iles. and 10 some extent By the citizens.
rhe amended laws Of Georgia are fully as
liberal as those Of any Northern State, and
plase the negro in all respects on perfect
equality with the white man as 10 his civil
rights. M
ALABAMA.
In this State Major General Wager
Swayne, the assistant commissioner. has
pursued discreet and enlightened policy
10 administering the affairs Of the Bureau.
laburing on all occasions 10 secure the CO.
operation OF the civil authorities and 10 OBJ
tain lr,m The judicial machinery Of the
stale recognition pi the rights essential
10 the security aud well being OF the freed
people. This: policy Of General Swayne
las produced much more kindly feeling
towards the bureau than exists where its
agents have assumed 10 exercise judicial
powers.
Though the administration al headquar
irrs has been satisfactory. subordinate
agents have been guilty Of considerable ir-
rcguIArities. The names ol several engag.
I'd IN planting are given.
alssIssiPPi--AEAvy STEALING.
The control Of the ifeedmen's affairs in
this State is ia the hands of Major General
Wood. With the exception Of some local.
ities. the negroes are working Industrious.
Iy. aud as rule are kindly treated aud do
ing we'll. In thIs. rs 10 uthers We have vi
sited. the officers Of the bureau formerly
lmpossd and collected fines. aud many kept
ho records. We found marked instance
II this kind AZ Grenada. where a iurmer
agent Ut the bureau. Chaplain Lisermnre.
did . thriving business in the way OF col
Ircting hnes. selling rations and Govern.
ment hursss and mules. This officer
seems nU only To have collected fines rang.
Ing from h.ty cents to five dollars. from The
freedmen Tor marrying them, but also at
tempted 10 exact fees lrnm resident white
ministers for giving them permission to
marry freedmen.
In cases where the negroes were unable
20 pay the sum demanded Of them for ap
proving their contracts or marrying them,
the chaplain levied on their pcrs nal pro.
perty, ~ one case seizing negroes emp
" wallet and jack knife for a balance Of
h.iy cents. This close driving is prnba.
bly, 10 be accounted Tor by the TACT that
Chaplain Li,ern0re openly expressed hl.
Intention 70 return 10 Illinois with Ten
thousand dollars 10 his pocket. Alter he
had been removed from his pos, he offered
military officer iifiy dollars for his iuflu
rnce TO retain him IN his position. Chap.
lam LIsrrmore left no olRcial papers be.
lind to show the disposition he had made
- the funds received. A large amount oi
money was also COLLECTED by the first iwo
rgents al Columbus in the shape uf fees
ahd lines, aud so far as we could learn no
sccount vas ever rendered Of il. This
lass OF officers have lately been mustered
nat. or have disappeared. Under the pres
90 administration the agents exercise no
judicial powers.
LoufsiASA-wHoLgsALg pLuSpgRISs.
The bureau in this department is more
70 need OF retrencfment and reform than