The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-15
An Attack on the Frecdmen's Bureau.

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From me Tribune.
Maior.General j. B. Sreedman and Brigadler-
General j. 8. Fullerton were lately sent South
bv the President to inspect and report on the
Freedmen,s Bureau. We do not remember to
have heard of the former of these officers in
connection with the freedmen, but General Full
lerton is we'll known as the person who sue.
ceeded Mr.. Conway in the Commissionership of
louisiana During his brief administration in
that State he won the regard of the New
Orleans Rebels TO such an extent that he was
offered dinner on his departure. In his hands
the Bureau was managed on the conclliatory
theory; very much to the satisfaction of the
planters, but perhaps not greatly to the benefit
of the freedmen.
The Generals have completed their tour of
Virginia and North Carolina. The public may
as well understand at the outset that according
to their report, the Freedmen's Bureau, which
has been supposed TO be conducted with fair
ability, honesty, and zeal, is managed in at least
one State by a gang OF swindlers and pick
pockets. This statement applies more particu-
larly to North Carolina, but even in Virginia the
inspectors are so Ill satisfied with its operations
that they recommend that the duties of the
Bureau should be turned over to the officers
commanding troops in the Department Wher.
ever the Bureau has, in the opinion OF the lnspec
toI-Generas, been useful, it has been so by "act-
ing in harmony with the civil officers
of the State" Elsewhere difficulty has
arisen from the arbitrary, unnecessary,
and inoffensive interference of the agents
of the Bureau with the relations between the
planters and their hired freedmen which
creates "a growing prejudice against the Gov
eTnment among the planters 1t is easy to see
by comparing the tive statements that the theory
of the Bureau which General Fullerton put IN
practice in Louisiana still occupies his mind
To MIN the Bureau is machine to be employed
tor conciliaLing the Rebels and removing the
As,,1.o II, i, A.
Government during the last four years. And
the inspectors declare explicitly that the pre-
sent Virginia code ''renders the freedmen in
our opinion, perfectly secure, if left to the care
OF the law and the protection of the troops"
of course ii makes no difference in their
opinion, whether the Bureau be well or i'll con-
Quoted. In either case, it is nuisance or
superfuity.
The burden of the complaint against the North
Carolina officers, is that they are working plan
tations on their own account. General Fuller
ton states-and we have no doubt of the fact
that among the North Carolinians there is a
universal desire for the removal of the Bureau
which desire he attributes to the misconduct"
OF the officers of the Bureau in working plan
tations, running saw-mills, manufacturing tur-
pentine, tar Interpretations which bring Them,
armed with authority of their official positions
into competition with the citizens who are en-
ploying freedmen" Under the indictment, ,iGene-
rails Steedman and Fullerton bring to the bar a
long array OF accused officials, among whom are
Colonel Whttlesey, the chief Commissioner of
the Bureau for North Carolina; Captain F. A.
Seeley, Captain Rosekranz, the Rev. Mr. Fitz, the
Rev. Horace James, Captain Wheeler, Chap
lain Claws, Major j. @. Mann, Major
Wickersham and others, who are employed as
superintendent or sub-agents of the Bureau.
Colonel Whittlesey is charged with being inte-
rested In the cultivation OF large farm, with
attempting to conceal his interest, with giving
low wages, and making the most stringent LABOR
regulations, to the great detriment of the freed
men, and incidentally with smotheriug an inves-
tgaton into the alleged murder of negro by
his partner, the Rev. Horace James, or by his
clerk, Boyden. The others are all, we believe,
accused OF being connected with plantations
and with MANY subsidiary otfenses including
prevarication about the facts, cheating the
negroes, stealing four barrels OF pork, ex-
changing white sugar for brown, and (nferen-
tally pocketing the difference cruelty treating
the freedmen and subjecting them to eXorbitant
taxes for support of the Bureau, selling Govern
ment property for their own use, etc. etc.
1t is not our business to enter on a defense of
any of these officers. If any of them have been
guilty of offenses, we are most desirous they
should be tried and punished. The goodwill
we bear to the Bureau makes us solicitous that
whoever of its officers abuses his trust should
be exposed and removed. But we print here
with letter from General Howard, which will
have some influence on the public judgment IN
these matters. 1t is written not in reply to the
official report of Generals Steedman and Fuller
ton-which General Howard had not seen-but
in reply TO their unofficial report by the pen of
a correspondent of the New York Herald, pub
lished last week. In regard to the general
charge that his agents are working plantations
General Howard does not deny that they are,
but entirely approves their action in so doing.
He does not believe there has been any specu.
lation, or prostitution Of official position tor pr
vate cain. He 'uTged the renting and running
of plantations to afford practical examples, and
to encourage Joint companies" General Howard,
therefore, and not his subordinates, is responsi-
bic for what Generals Steedman and Fullert IN
assume to describe as misconduct" in this
respect. .''."
As to the rest of the charges, General Howard
says emphatlcay 81 have not yet the facts as
to North Carolina, but you and, your friends
may rest assured that every shade v OF accusa-
tion OF completely in crime on the part of those
officers there, is utterly without foundation"
He adds:- ..''.t
az expect denuneiation of this Bureau, but the
same denunCiatiOn could be made aga INST the Trea.
sury Department, or any other department, ami of
the Government with equal show OF justice. The
Bureau does not do enough to the rights Of the
negro, will admit; but IT does not burn negro
churches and schoolhouses; 1t does not reject
testimony 1t will endeayor 10 prevent starvation
uniil the next crop comes in, 1t will always keep
its legitimate objects clearly in view of promoting IN.
dustTy, eoucatiOn and justice" r.-
Generals Steedman and Fullerton spent parts
of zen days in investigating the operations of the
Bureau throughout the State of North Carolina
Whether they or General Howard are more
likely to be well Informed OF the character of
its officers and the management of its affairs the
public can judge.
RGcOnstIuCtiOn-The Proposed Amend
ment to the Constitution.
From the Times
We stated on Saturday the manner in which
The five amendments report ed by the Recon
fo., ~,