Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1866-06-06
Visit of Gems. steedman and Fullerton.


These two gentlemen, who are now attracting
so large share of public attention, arrived in
our village on Friday afternoon last and stoI ped
at Mr.. RrAx's Hotel. Their snj1urn in Edge
field wns short. They departed, to Augusta whence
they came, early on ;he,ollowing morning. Gems.
srEEpNAN & FuLLERTos, a. suniversaly known
by this time, are sent out by President JOHNSON
to investigate the character, the workings, tho
administration, the practical effect, of the Freed
mel's Bureau in the Snuth. ThOy are practical,
intelligent, und very courteous gentlemen. Al
must ove-y one has read their Report upon the
Freedmru's Burc.u in Virginia and Nurth Caro-
lima. The radical tnction and the radical press
are making huge outcry sgainst them; but un-
fortunately for tie radicals, the abuses which
Gems. SrkEpMAN and FULLERTON have brought
to light urs too garing and too well established to
be successfully denied.
For so,nc weeks past these two Commissioners
have been following up their Investigations in
Georgia and Sou.h Carolina. Their Report upon
the workings and administration OF the Bureau
10 these States has however, not yet been pub
| l,h+d.
Gems. SrEEpXAyand FULLERTON came to Edge
field. we suppose, to hear from our citizens the
opinion of the latter concerning the ethcaey OF
1 tho Freedmen's Bureau. As there ia no branch
of the Bureau ut EdgcGeld, nor any agent sta
tionel here, Of course there was nothing for Gcns
S. and F. actually to inspect. Many OF our Wor-
tbiest ard most Intelligent citizens conversed with
Gems SrEEDmAx and FULLEEroS for several hours
upop tho piazz. Of the hotel. All were well
plcasei with their intelligence, their courtesy;
and their unbiased and frankly expressed opin-
ions. Gsn. SrzEDMAN believes, from all be has
lately sern, tlut free lnbor-free negro labor
undiroc,ed by white intelligence and cnOrgy, has
proved, and will continue to prove, most Gs-
cidod failure. IIo seems to be convinced .aHr no
agency of the Government betwces the whites
and blacks of the South will be productive oil
good to either party. Ho found the condition o
the negroes on the Georgia and South Carolins
Islu.ds, as o general thing, bad; and promising
under the prosont stae of affairf, to be uOrae IL
future.
with Gems. SrEEDMAN and FULLERTON, the voice
Of tho former was unanimously adverse to th'
Freedmen's Bureau.
As regards any very special outrages or abuses
we Ind mono to relate that is, none since tn
fearful DAYS of Metcalf and Hooper; who, "
believe did not belong to the Bureau proper
Since the establishment of the Bureau in Ham
burc, under 1t. Col. DEvEREUx, we have heard
or felt very little of its workings. Being in
remote corner of our immense District, 1t ha
been, in o great measure, out of reach OF bot
whites md blacks. Indeed, We consider it due t
Lieut.. Col. DEvEREux, to say that as far as VI
know or have heard, his administration in Edge
field District has been wise, and conducive
peace between tho whites and blacks.
Our citizens endeavored also, and succe'sinil
we think, to impress upon the minds Of Gen!
SryEpMAs and FULLERTON that certain high
handed acts which come three months ago, wer
, uerpetrated here and there in Edgefeld Distric
wore not perpetrated by Edgefsld people, no
encouraged by Edgeheld people; and that thi
!, section and its inhabitants had been groasi
: wrongeo and misrepresented.
Gems. SrEEDNAY and FULLERTON LETT Edge
field for Augusta. Wo believe they have not "
visited the interior or middle sections of eiths
Georgia or South Carolina.