The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-07

explanation to OFFER The French Secretary Of
State for Foreign Affairs, in bis late converse
ton with our Minister at Paris, Mr.. Bigelow,
on Mexican matters, as officially published, said
that France had nothing to do with the govern
ment Of Mexico; that we must 60 to Juarez or
Macmillan II we had any wrongs to be re-
dressed in that quarter. Upon this hint is 1t
not probable that Mr.. Seward has gone upon
special mission to Maximilians Who knowss
The Right Spirit in the Fresdmsn's Bu-
reau-The Reorganisstion OF seuthern
General Howard has evidently made the
most sensible use Of the structures on certain
defects in the Freedmen's Bureau that appeared
in General Grants report, read in Congress
last month. General Grant recognized in that
report that sin some form the Freedmen's
Bureau IL an absolute necessity until civil law
is established and enforced;;" but he pointed
out the evil Of separating it in any degree at
present from the army, and spoke particularly
Of the harm that some Of is agents had done
by filling the heads Of the freedmen with mis-
chievous notions as to the rights Of property
and labor. General Howard, as noted at the
time, sent Instructions to his subordinates as
to the points referred to by General Grant, and
has in all ways in his power done what was
possible to bring the operation of his bureau
up to the proper practical point We are glad
to hear that the disposition, to which we al
luded some time ago, to make the bureau
vast radical machine, that should operate ON
the country through the negro, has been effect
ually done away with. Every assistant COM
missioner in the bureau is an officer in the
army; the majority of the sub-agents are the
same, and do military duty as well as their
duty In the bureau; and we are sure that the
exertions of all to regulate the lives of the ne
groes and ft them to stand alone In their new
conditions meet the approval Of the depart
ment commanders General Grant is, it is said,
satisfied with the way the work goes on, and
believes that the agents will "save thousands
Of lives, regulate labor and restore harmony"
There are great many good men in the bu-
reau, who have done the country excellent SER
vice; and, working with them, and sloughing
away the political material, the accomplished
superintendent has it in his power to do great
practical good; and we believe that to do good
in his sphere is his only desire. The Freed
mems Bu:eau as now organized is composed
in the main OF men of first rate quality--sol-
diers of distinction and who have gained fame
in the front of battle. There il, we believe,
but one exception to this--that exception is
Major General Saxton, who has never been in a
! fight. fs taifaf
| The practical common sense that now gov
ems in the views and operations of the Freed
mems Bureau is excellent. Originally this in
stitution was very radical; the negro seemed at
one tImc to be the first consideration and the
I Whfteman arcoo e"''S~
a~sace. But now it has cut loose from the
! negrophobists and recognizes the rights of
| both races in the South. The adoption of a
form OF contract between the planters and
| freedmen is an important step in the right
direction. The contract adopted is fair to
both sides, protecting the freedmen and Sc
curing them the reward for their labor, while 1t
| gives the employer proper control over the
laborer while In his service. The manner in
which this contract was accepted by both shows
it was viewed as just and adapted to their cir
/
published letter from General Pillow at the
same time, showing how well he was succeeding
| with the negroes under the new order Of things.
He has made contract with about four hun
dred, and says he conld have engaged thou
sand II he had needed them, with full confidence
OF succeeding. From other persons and other
parts of the south we hear the same story. We
have no doubt that the mass Of the intelligent
Southern people will show their practical good
sense under the existing state Of things and
adapt themselves 10 it, Such stupendous rev.
oluiion in the industrial and social condition o
the South will he surrounded with difficulties
a, first but they will vanish in q short time be-
There are grumblers aud sorcheads in every
community. We cannot expect the South "a
be without them, especially when We look al
what the people there have passed through and
are now suffering; hut these are small par; o.
the whole. The indications OF harmony be
tween the planters and their late slaves are no
tonsbing when we look at the circumstances
and are very promising for the future. The true
course TO pursue IL 10 interfere as little a. pos
sible with the question Of labor and capital
This matter sho,id be len 10 regulate itself By
natural laws in the south the same AZ at tn
North. -,
| We print In another column q communica
don on the hopeful condition Of labor IN Tsxs
al the present time I. was written IN answe'
TO q statement, published on she sushodty o
the Freedmsn's Buresn, in respect 70 he mum
Der Of negroes now h that State. TIE nunbe
Of these nsgrsss was vastly overs>atsd, 81
such srress certainly tend 70 arrsat s1israties
This net gees 70 show that the Frssdnsus b.
, rsau ~ Slill In Il some few not vssy s0cien
agents, Who uay be more eager v rake cen