The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1866-01-24

reverend radical, Conway, he made many 5a7}e'gsis
changes 10 tHe machinery Of the bureau, which net
only won linn many friends in Louisiana, bat made
himself hosts Of enemies among the radicals. Sonic
Of the radical Journals went so far as TO charge him
#i,l having sold himself 10 TIE rebels with dis
loyalty, G: Although as held tho ONCE Of assistant
commissioner ouE oue month, ha done moro 4
nglaal leneht 1I tHa planter an5 l-yorer th
predecessor 5,I rn Sill uoatls iii thts sa7-s e
removed many false Impressions from ella r. 4men,
incucated oy the doctrines OF the Callahan school, and
inauguated system alike beneficial to both classes
/ His first work to change the programme, which
was, in his own language, as follows:
" In my administration Of freedmens affairs in Lou
isana, | acted upon the broad, democratic idea that
there should be the code Of laws for ALL that
every exceptional law regulation for the black man
is but recognition Of the spirit Of slavery. The
steps that took necessary to annihate the DIS
tinction of that caste which sprang from slavery
Laws of the State made to govern the white man.
while the freedman was in state of slavery, surely
could not be too hard for him when admitted to the
benefits and penalties of the same. But there were
men who had such a tender regard for the freedmen
that while they were willing that they should accept
the benefits Of State laws cried down an outrage
any attempt to render him liable to the penalties OF
tile same Thus when | attempted to show officially
that the freedmen could be arrested Migrants,
apprenticed in accordance with the laws that were
equally binding upon all free persons, these
ready to express great indignation at the wickedness
and enOrmty of such proceedings. The idea was
constantly held out the freedmen that they
privileged people, to be pampered and petted by the
government. The effect most pernicious. 1t not
only gave them expectations that could not be re-
alised, but prevented them from securing civil rights
that the laws of the State conferred upon them"
The lack of harmony he found existing between
- A., In 49, G.,
local agents of the bureau whose acts such to
f destroy that confidence which should exist between
those planters who endcavoring to give free
labor fair trial and the freedmen who worked their
fields These acts he says done through mistaken
notions of kindness to the freedmen.
/ Probably the most important action taken by Gen.
t Fullerton while commissioner, and that gave the
most satisfaction to citizens the bursting up OF
4 those special tribunas-the freedmens court. His
reasons for so doing we give in his own words
n 1.-THE next step taken by to direct that no
more arrests be made by the officers of the bureau
and to abolish those tribunals of special jurisdiction
= known as frcedmcn's courts thought it better that
in cases where arrests necessary tie officers Of
the bureau should call on the military officers in the
vicinity to take cognisance of the matter. By doing
So Justice would be equally obtained and disagreed
) BILE feature removed from the bureau. There are men
in the bureau whose prejudice in favor of the black
race 90 so far that they can hear only side of
" complaint and whose zeal leads them, in many i'll
stances the power of arrest that has been
mited them to the great detrment not only of the
d white man, but also of the black. Wherever wrong
: is done the white man, the result is to create in hi
. breast proportiouate hatred Of enmity towards
t the blacks These officers escaped all ill effects
such action except personal abuse but the black maj
IT suffers otherwise
'By virtue of the laws of the State of Louisiana
both under the constitution and the old code, al
free persons, without regard to color admitted II
q the State courts The black man has the right
y in these courts as the white. He can and be sue
and his testimony can be taken in all cass
whether the parties to the suit white black. n
is this respect the laws of the southern States ~
. liberal Such being the fact, directed that all fd-
mems courts in the State of Louisiana be aboied,
and that the then pending in the same shot DC
transferred to the civil courts. also ordered tHpro-
vost marshal and agents of the bureau to apFf III
. court in all where either freedmen gihG
suit being tried, attorney or next freno 5.iids
they should bring suits for them when necessary aud
A. defend them when tried. These officers were also
prohibited from interfering in any with the
proceedings OF civil courts In cases. however where
the civil authority refused to offer relief to the freed
men, refused to receive their testimony or hear
1t their complaints, they bound do by law, it
d was ordered that the matter should be laid before the
nearest military commander, who would make arrests
or take such action as the case required
On his retiring from office, there in the State
l4l schools with 900 scholars The cost of these
) schools from 81 900 to $4,000 per month The
y funds in the exchequer were getting short and would
not keep them running longer than the last Of this
month.
Numerous complaints Of corruption were made to
him against employees of the bureau, which, upon
: investigation, found not to be groundess One
of the clerks at his headquarters was discharged for
accepting brides from citizen, though the general
tells he solicited retain hir as he was very
q useful in giving information as to the loyalty and
l. status Of citizens. It probably struck the general
l. that clerk who would accept bride from citizen
o was hardly fit voucher for his loyalty
At the close of his report the general spcculates
follows in regard to the future prospects of Louisiana
" The only concern the planters at present appear
to have this question is: Will the freedman fulfill
. his contract for work. if we fully and fairly carry
: part of the agreement? They will not work next
d year well as may desire, but better than we
have a right to expect. Men who have been suddenly
freed entertaining false notions Of freedom and
in some cases acting under bad counsel of both friends
: and enemies, are not apt to be at once energetic
II workers. Gradually the planters and freedmen begin
to understand that for the present each is dependent
upon the other. The planter must have their labor
and the freedmen must have the planters wages until
they procure property of their own. speak ad-
ysedly when say that in five years from now, unless
! some new element of dscord ntervenes the freed
men will work WE'LL and be in as prosperous condi-
I ton, any person desire and the rich and
beautiful plantations of Louisiana will be far better
cultivated and more profitable than in the past
Many thanks to Stacey & Poland for a New Orleans
paper of the 10th.
LOOSE CoTroN.-The cotton factors of New Orleans
have signed obligation, plcdging themselves not TO
employ any samplers, cotton presses markers, who
gobble up the loose cotton perquisites. This is
move in the right direction, and, if successful win
stop leak through which many pound of cotton has
disappeared But it seems that the cotton factors are
not to have it all their own way without meeting with
strong opposition. The cotton brokers' clerk asso-
citation have passed resolution demanding one
pound per bale as perquse, and say that they will
not class sample or mark cotton, when it is denied
them. The young gentlemen are certainly very mod
est in their demand for only one pound, when they
could with the same propriety, have demanded the