Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-01-30
The Freedman's Bureau.

We have no idea of indulging in
long article in laudation of the Freed
mans Bureau, as we have seen it ad
ministered here in the South but We
cannot allow the opportunity to pas:
without adding our testimony in favor
of the good it has done and is now do
ing. There may be, and doubtless are
exceptions, to the rule, but so RAr al
our observations have gone, the Agent:
of the Bureau, here in Virginia, nave
been men Of prudence and Judgment,
who have given evidence oflan earnest
and honest desire to do whatever was
best for the promotion of good feeling
between the two races; and they have
succeeded in a wonderful degree in
their efforts. We know that there are
some good men who have grave doubts
as to whether the Bureau has proved
of service to the country, and whether
if it had not existed there would have
been better state of feeling existing
between the Whites and Blacks than
now. But there are but few Southern
people, especially among those who
formerly held the negroes as slaves,
who can wholly divest themselves of
prejudice, and look at things in their
true light.
Man is a strange animal, and curl
ously constituted. The Bible says his
heart is corrupt beyond all imagining.
The Southern people have been taught
to regard slavery as a neral if not a
divine institution" They could see
no wrong in it. They were taught to
regard the negro as an inferior, and as
such, not entitled to the same privil-
eyes as the white man. Indeed to have
admitted that the negro was entitled
to any privileges, was to administer
fatal blow to slavery itself. The two
things could not exist together. Hence
it was necessary to shut up every ave
nue. of intelligence to the negro, and
to teach the whites to believe that God
intended him to be servant of ser
wants and nothing more. When, there
fore, owing to the war, as one of its
natural resultants, the negro became
free, it was expecting too much of the
white race, which had been taught to
regard him as an inferior and degraded
being, to believe them capable, with
out the Intervention of some third
party, of treating him as became his
new condition. This Congress foresaw
and this was what gave rise to the idea
of the Bureau. twas an absolute ne
cessity, and is so yet and in the hands
of judicious and wise agents will soon
become to be soregarded by the South
ern people themselves. 1t has given
to the negro, by teaching |
him patience under restraint. 1t has |
taught the whites that other men have |
rights as well as themselves, and that |
those rights must be respected. 1t has
clothed the naked, fed the hungry, |
and relieved the suffering of both
whites and blacks. This every body |
knows, and this every one appreciates.
well might General Howard /
style the report of Generals Steedman
and Fullerton, in regard to the evils of
the institution, "as unfair and false"
every other human institution, it is
not perfect; and in some instances
positive evil may have been done by it.
But these are the spots on the sun as
with the light of that great
,rb. There is not an honest, unbiased
observer of results throughout the en-
ire South, who will not say that the
Bureau has been an ins.ru-
nent of great good to the country.-
Let it be stricken down, before its great
mission has been accomplished, and
We will soon see the most deplorable
esults ensuing. The antagonism of
reedom and slavery will work its worst
fleets. The conflict between the two
will result most disastrously TO the
,eace and welfare of the country. Let
10 such experiment be tried.-Harris-
nblFg { Va) Union.