New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-30
THE ANSWER pRom THE BUREAU.

The fair aud clear statement which Gen. Howard
has transmitted to Congress regarding the conduct Of
his assistants aud their subordinaes in the admins
tration of the Freedmen's Bureau dsposes at once
and efectually of the report which the military
political firm of Steadman and Fullerton sent North
for circulation. 1t appears that in hardly instance
have either of these gentlemen paused to Investigate
fully the charges which figure in their report. That
report is mainly Of rumor, upon which they
built up an argument against the Freedmens Bureau,
consistent, we suppose with the purpose OF their
Journey This was go evident on reading their report
that the public quite prepared for the mass OF test
mony in confuaton which Gen. Howard has to offer.
No counter-charge is attempted by Gen. Howard,
and yet we think, it is made evident that the inyest
eating Commissioners have been journeying from the
truth ever since they travelled South. In the Of
the Rev. Mr.. Fitz, who had charge of the Trent
Settlement near Newbern the public had every right
to know its full complexion, if the Commissioners
were worth hearing at all. II guilty Mr.. Fits
duet should have been fully set forth, and not
upon any partial testimony, and if Innocent Messrs.
Steadman and Fullerton have done this gentle
man grave wrong Before the combined Generals,
travelling in the interests of the President had seized
upon such lucky argument as the case of Mr. Fitz,
it seems that il already the subject Of investiga
ton by court-martial and by the proper authorities.
From their Judgment, and not from any hearsay,
Mcssrs. Fullerton and Steadman We're bound to OBJ
tain their proof in order TO sustain charge made to
the General Government. Looking on this feature of
their mission, the report of these gentlemen reads
more pausbly as private letter to the President or
to The " Y Heraid than as a document intended for
the eyes of the nation.
The worst charge of Messrs. Steadman and Fuller
ton was made, unfortunately, we think, for them,
against the best officer AS nsnuated and Swallowed
in their report this charge was, in effect that Col.
whittesey. the Assistant. Commissioner for North
Carolina approved the killing of delinquent freed
man by an officer of the Bureau. But the proof is
that no essential feature Of this occurrence, except
the fact that the freedman was killed, has been re-
ported truly by the travelling Generals 1t is untrue
that the person who killed him was "a officer of the
Bureaus it is untrue that the case was refused an in
vesgation; of course il is untrue that the killing
was approved.
The accusation that officers were engaged in private
business managing plantations on their own account,
is fairly met by Col whittleseys dispassonate state
ment Nopersonal speculation on the part of Bureau
officers exists, nor any such msfeasance as alleged in
the report of Steadman and Fullerton; but we think
those WHO have lately resided in the South arc ready
to agree with Gen. Fullerton that the invest
ment Of money in plantations, lat time when
dstrust ruled, and no contracts could be made
between planters and freedmen, had the effect of a
good example" The evils Of the system" are the
evils Of all systems. That the Bureau has suffered
r. H.. r.
doubt. We are astonished however that Messrs,
steadman and Fullerton ventured to make attack,
open or covert, upon an officer whose modest and
Christian character in the army and in private life is
80 we'll known as Gen. Whittlesey's. Gen. Stead