Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-02-17
Gen. Howard's Freedmen
Report.

one of lands, II second of records, ;
third of financial affairs, while The
fourth constituted the mcdica! dc
partmcnt. Each one Of these iii
visions are successfully taken VI
and treated in the report. Tho ac
Of congress approved March, eight
teen hundred and siXty-fvc, whicl
established the Bureau, provide,
that it should have the supervision
and management of abandoned Lands
that is, lands deserted by thcil
owners or contiscatcd by the Gov
crnment.
There are now, We are told, in pos
session ofthc Bureau seven hundre,
and siXty-cight thousand and fort,
acres of such lands; one hundred
and sixty one thousand three hun
dred and thirty one acres are cult
waited by the freedmen; one hundred
and forty three thousand two hun
drcd and nineteen are uncultivatod
while four hundred and sixty -four
thousand and forty acres have not
as yet been classified. Believing it
to be not only just policy, but the
policy decided upon by the Govern
mcnt, Gen. Howard refused to re,
turn any estates to owners who could
not show u constant loyalty, past
and prcscnt--a loyalty which could
not be established be the mere pro-
duction of allegiance or amnesty
This course did not meet with the
approval Of the President, who gave
notice that pardon, citherby spec
ial warrant or the provisions Of his
amnesty proclamation, entitled the
party pardoncd to demand and re-
ceivc Immediate restoration of all
his property, except such rs had been
actually sold under a decree of con
tiscation.
In accordance with these orders
the Sea Islands along the coast Of
South Carolina and Georgia, which
had been especially v set apart for the
freedmen by Gen. Sherman, were
restored to their owner. The total
number of acres thus far surrender
ed, amounts to lightweight thous-
and one hundred and seventy. In
New Orleans, property to the value
of eight hundred thousand dollars
has been restored. while onc.third
of all that is held in North Carolina
has been given up.
Under the head of Records, Gen.
Howard states that the rations We're
issued blythe bureau, in August last,
fifty-scvcn thousand three hundred
and sixty whites, ninety thousand,
six hundred and thirty seven blacks.
and one hundred and twenty three
Indians; total one hundred and for
ty eight thousand one hundred and
twenty. The whole number of ra-
tions issued during the month OF
! September We're one million four
hundred thousand six hundred and
forty-thrcc. The expenditures OF
the Bureau have amounted to four
hundred and seventy eight thousand
three hundred and siXty-thrce dol
lars and seventeen cents. The total
amount received, including funds on
hand January first. is nine hundred
and seven thousand three hundred
and ninety six dollars and twenty.
eight cents, leaving balance on
hand of three hundred and thirteen
thousand seven hundred and ninety.
six dollars and sixty-two cents
This, however, includes 4 large
amount of funds held in trust for
colorcd soldiers, which is TO be re-
turned to them. 1t is estimated
| that the amount required for tho cx
pcnditurcs Of the Bureau for the
! fiscal year commencing January
eighteen hundred and siXty-siX, will
be eleven million seven hundred and
forty-five thousand and fifty dollars.
! Some three millions of this esti-
mated sum il put down to the head
of "sitcs for school houses and asy
lums." Now, although it would be
most desirable to have the freed ne
groes educated, the General Govern.
mcnt cannot take upon itselfthc Ia
Dor and expense of giving them all
schooling" Under the head OF
Justice" the General continues :
at would seem best to have some
provision of law extending the Uni
/ ted States jurisdiction to the freed
men, while they remain wards Of the
Government. Frcedmcn's United
States Courts, TO exist for term OF
years, would be very effective in
strument to relive these people from
! the injustice incident TO n forced
emancipation. mean on the part
of those who have fought agains:
emancipation. and are too full OF
preiudices and ignorance to believe
/ in freedom"
In his concluding remarks, Gen.
Howard makes numerous suggcs
/ tions, and expresses the hope that
the Bureau will still be continued.
The letter of Gen. Grant to the
President on the temper of the South
suggests. as an economical Measure,
that every officer on duty with
troops in the Southern States be
made agents of the Frcedmen's Bu-
rcau. and thus save the expense OF
separate salaricd agents.-Erckonqe