The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-03-09

W.sHreror. March 6.

TelegrEphc Correspondents Cin'nsti Commercial
WAsHBGToS, March g.
The following is General George II,
Thomas evidence, in full, before the
Reconstruction Committee, on the con-
dition Of the States of his command,
excepting Tennessee, submitted TO the
Committee to-day:
Major General George Il. Thomas ex-
amined by Mr.. Boutwell,. The General
said
Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Ala
bama, and Mississippi are included in
my command. The people of Alabama
are extremely anxious TO be under the
control of the United States, and to
have that State in its regular position
in the Union, but they are not yet per-
sonally friendly TO Union men. They
are desirous to be under the Govern
ment Of the United States, and have
attempted to pass laws as iudicious as
they could, at the time, TO regulate the
affairs of the freedmen Oae Of their
bills was not considered constitutional
by the Governor, and was vetoed by
him.
He thinks now that the Legislature
will pass just and fair bill to regulate
the affairs of the freedmen of the State
The people there have had fair trial
in their attempt to gain their indepen
dence and have failed completely
They now profess to have given up the
contest, and express themselves desir-
Gus Of resuming their rela tions with the
Government
"lt is difficult to say VIII at portion of
the people are reliable Union men.
Before the secession of the State the mar
jority of the people of Alabama were
for the Union, and when the subject
was first submitted to the people a
msjority voted against secession. am
informed that the State was eventually
taken out of the Union by the trickeTy
of determined secessionists.
1.-THE people acquiesced in the result,
and many of them seemed to give up
the Union sentiments, and some of the
original Union men have remained
rebels, and are now strongly in sym
pathy with the enemies of the Govern
ment. Others have expressed their
gladness that the rebellion has been
crushed, and profess desire to have
the State back in the Union; but their
interests and sympathies have such
hold upon them at this time that it is
very difficult TO obtain clear expressions
of sentiment of any man there. am
inclined to think that 8 very small
proportion of them would be willing to
sacrifice their property and interest in
the South for the sake of the Union;
they did not 10 it before, and it is
fair TO presume that they would still
adhere to the advancement of their
! own private interests and prefer
ence to the interests of the National
Government. In some portions of the
State there is a very bitter feeling be-
tween these who have been Unionists
! during the war, and those who have
been identified with the rebellion. In
b other portions, the people all seem TO
desire to be friendly to one another,
, and to adhere to the Government. In
! some portions of Western Alabama the
2 sentiment is decidedly in favor Of the
g. Governments in other portions Of the
State think the sentiment of the peo-
pie may be expressed in this way: If
T they thought they could establish q
I Southern Confederacy they would pre-
fer il, but, seeing no hope of that, they
= desire to live under the Constitution Of
the United States There is in Ala
2 bama a strong, decided disloyal senti-
meut. though | think the Union senti-
p ment predominates in many portions
' of the State. In elections that have
taken place in that State don't know
that il has been 8 universal thing for
candidates to put themselves before the
people as having participated, more or
less, actually in rebellion, but there
s were two distinct parties in Northern
Alabama, and the Union candidates
, were defeated, but think the Union
> candidates there for the Legislature
were all, or a majority OF them, elected,
l think in Central and Southern Alar
y bsna the successful candidates were
Y either officers of the rebel army or active
q and working rebels. "Reports OF
q frauds in certain districts in
: elections was forwarded to me,
and I suppose are now on file
9 in the Adiutant Generals office. The
charge was that improper persons were
permitted 10 vote. 1t was substantially
as understood in that State up TO thia
time. Union men and freedmen have
not to sny great extent, been In dan
ger of their lives. But few instances
Of personal violence have been report
ed 10 me. Generally speaking, the
], presence of United States troops, and
officers of the Freedmen's Bureau, has
been sufficient to put down any demon
strations of hostility. l do not thlnB
it would be expedient to remove the
troops until the people show that they
are themselves willing and determined
to execute civil law with impartial JUS
tice to all parties. think public sen
timeut is divided on the subject OF al
lowing freedmen TO become freehol
ders. | have beard of no legislation OF
that subject either TO empower them Il
become freeholders or to prohibit then
from becoming such. If the nations
troons and FreedmeR's Bureau we're K
he witbdrawn from the State at thl
time I don't believe the Union men o.
u the freedmen could nave justice done
them. Injustice toward them would
commence in suits in courts Tor petty
n otfenses. and neighbcThoOd comolna
II tiops TO annoy them go much that the!
could not reside among them. an
satisfied, until better state OF ieellnl
shall srise; that if all restraint snooi'
be removed, the freedmen would D.
thrown bsck into q condition OF ylrtua
err slsvery; that is, they would be com
Sst PEELED by legislative enaotments 10 Ia
bor for little or no wages, and leglsia
lR. tion would assume such form that the.
. ,vonld not dare to leave their employer
Cor fear of punishment; and unles
\ men who had been Union mel
q Ihrourh the war, had very stron
q personal friends, they could not liv
in the State; they would be an
moved 80 much in various ways tina
they could not live there in any peac
or comfort / think em!grants Iron
abroad would be kindly received ou
IS, I think emigrants from the North, G
Union men, would be coldly receives
and treated with indifference. l don
know whether any effort has been mao
or not, 10 ascertain whether the n'
eroes would be willing 10 remove
1ns sny territory assigned 20 them, Il tina
,ts was to be done, but from my knowledg &
:. of negro character, l think they wOul
. obiect TO it ] think the mass of thel
desire yery much to continue to live j
their old neighbofhoodsi and with the
- ola masters-inyariably, where the
have been treated well as slaves.
was born in Southern state an
IA reared. to the age of nineteen, in thi
lS country. Since have been in th
army my service has been mostly
tbe Southern States, and on the 'front.',
bordering on Southern States. The
Y; Is no danger of trouble from the a
groes remaining where they are, unle
fhe whites treat them so badly th
! thev are compelled. in self defense
rise up against them. There is one ss
,;on of Alabama where the peopI
red under the direction Of philanthropy
shis gentleman Of that State, have gene
We SSro-t- Themselves TO establish 8 Free