The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-02-13
oar Mobile CorreaponS....
MOBILE. Ala Feh IL

VAN 'H0 NAeouulen bureau Is q matter OF
growing interest to the South and. indi.
: rectiy' to the whole country, / propose to
devote portion of this letter to some topics
incidentally connected with it.
lhls Bureau was, at the start, an indis-
pensabIe provision for the protection, man
agement and support of large population
suddenly released from the condition of
slavery and ushered into new and un+r;ad
freedom Tor which they were wholly nm
PAep@leo It's continued fundamentally is
becoming matter objectionable policy for
ali concerned The spirit of kindness and
conclhation on the part of planters towards
ther former slaves, and the readiness with
winch the former enter into liberal contrac+s
Ior labor with the latter, point to the .or-
Hest possible discontinuanee of its crro
"iouS auo expensive machinery, consistent
with the actual status of those for xbosa
dement, 1t was designed, leaving the fn+nro
care, provision and regulation of that sto+,,s
70 the municipal laws of the States them.
selves 1t confidently believed this NAV
oe safely entrusted to the honor, the hon
eS'y and the philanthropy of the gallant
people who have so sincerely returned to
their loyalty to our Government Tho oo-
tual condition of our States in relation n
the white man and the freedman is con-
| S1ahtly mlsrepresented at the North. which |
mas tendency to ignite the lucifer disno- /
sltlon OF the ultra-radical party. It is not
TO be questioned that in the beginnipo tho
freedmens Bureau did much GOOD in
AooPihg 1he suddenly emancipated negroes
from being dangerous class of peonIe
AnlS danger has now passed away. Col 7
IL. Robson, head of Freedmen's Bureau of
this district, has labored earnestly from his
nrst visit among us to amicably restora
peace ana order among the freedmen. who
were at first, in abject vagrancy and com
stantIy hooking to the city, with the nIaa
that their former masters treated than .,
badly, they could not stay with them ora
they consequently became burden. an od-
ui'ioHal expense to the Bureau. Col. Rob
lSoh determined te learn the truth of this
statement and accordingly made a tour
through seven different districts, and was
IuIIy convinced that the utmost kindness
was shown to the freedmen by the planters,
but that the negro could not be relied unon
10 Keep his contract, and evinced no dis
position to work, but had strong penchant
for city life.
have learned from very reliable author
ity that several lmportont subjects for legal
decision are now pending before Congress- in
reIatlon to matters connected with the {
former slave, and property called real estate 9,
ltlappears that President Lincoln's procla- L
nation of 1868, which declared all slaves free e
was not known in all the Confederate States
ma as the said States then considered them D
elves no longer bound to observe any laws 4
II orders enacted or issued by the Federal S
government, we Of course only observed 7,
'ur own laws. 1t is well known that we F
'ften purchased real estate by TRANSFERRING
certain number OF slaves, valued at so
nuch' as an equivalent for said estate The
question now arises, can property thus
fought be legally held by ownership. when
government had declared the slaves free.
There Is also another controversy about
hurch property belonging to the recent
IaVes' subject of much interest in a gen
raj way. 1t has recently sprung up be
"een the Methodist Conference and the
'rmer beneticiaries (slaves) of certain
lurch property held by the Conference in a
luclary capacity. 1t appears that this
lurch property was paid for by the slaves &c
1t OF their own hard-earned contributions J.
'fore the war, and while under the status
Alabama, they could not, as slaves, have
e right of holding property in any other
ny than through the medium of Trustees.
imposed of white men Since the termina-
Oh OF the war, however and the enamel 30
tlon OF the slaves, the freedmen now come
rWard and claim to have actual posses
IN OF the property through the
teryentlon of the Military
he Conference have appealed from this vio- FIJI
1T decision of that tribunal, and before the 81
I'll courts of the county will be likely to fof
aDiISn Ihelr hduclary claim to the cOntin- For
tenure of the property. But to head off for
is movement, and to give the equity view us
the case chance to prevail, and thereby rep
'ure to the freedmen an indefeasible right
the property, there valued at $2O,OOO) a
mortal, founded upon correct statement
facts, has been forwarded to Congress.
lying that the question may be settled by
special act applicable to all such cases
'oughout the lately slave-holding States. OK
t is presumed that our fire department
II soon introduce the New York system of
'inguishing all CONGREGATIONS, by improy-
machinery. If SO, our streets must first
put IN order; they at present are in rather :
ad condition, the side walks especially. fD"
The distractions in our bay will soon be
moved. Gen. Delaield, Chief T. S. En-
eer at Washington, has recently laid this -,
tier before Congress, and favorable
ION Is expected. Business is still brisk,
| civil law being so fully restored, the
itary are no longer our demi-gods, who
ed so supremely at one time Our
7 will soon wear the mantle of former w
erprise and cheerfulness; society will
N her portals and renew tho& pleasant An,
agreeable social pleasures which give
harm to life. We are not dead, but Sleep
c. c. L.