The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1867-03-08
CiriI POWer H the Rebel States
Inadequate.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.


the house this afternoon, Is accompanied
10y testimony in relation 10 the condition
OF affairs in the south, governed by Gen.
Slckles, IN command Of North Carolina
and South Carolina, Gen. Schofield IN
command of Virginia, Gen. Wood in
command OF Mississippi, Tennessee, Ala
bama and Georgia. Extracts from this
important evidence are as follows:
GEN sCToFIELD's OPINION.
QgeSt'oh-IIow Is it about Furnishing of
fences by means of civil law in Virginia,
when they have been committed upon
men who have the reputation of being
Union men, or freedmen. and in respect
10 offences committed upon soldiers
Ims'na-Cases of hostility and outrage
OF one kind and another by white men up
on freedmen are common, and in almost
all such CASES The stale courts fail TO do
justice. that Is, fail 10 punish white men
for assaults and outrages committed upon
freedmen.
Q. Can you discover no remedy in the
courts
\, L think al present no speedy remedy
can be expected from the civil courts OF
Virginia. Report says that The higher
courts, almost without exception, do JUS
tice as between whites and blacks but
that the lower magistrates, who are elect
ed by the people, and The jurors, scarcely
ax-n. ln I,,.,1,.a ,n -l,a ll,.i- mas, ,,ra-,-.
the white
Q. And these lower courts are the
principal ones that Try criminal cases
y. les, sir. They dispose of nearly
ali CASES in which the black men are cell
cerned. The black man Is too poor 10
carry If 10 the higher courts. Practically
if the employer ON 4 plantation choose TO
drive the colored man off without his
wageS, alleging thai lac was insolent. Or
imsuborlinate. or neglecital of his duty,
he Is without remedy.
GEN. SICKLEs' OPINION.
Q What Is The probability of Justice
being done IN the courts of South Carroll
M, in CASES where citizen kills Il sol
der
\. In my Iudg the bias OF the peo-
pie Is 50 strong against the presence OF
ElrriSons III the state. and against soldiers.
That you could not find a jury in the stale
that would convict a man for killing =
Union soldier.
.. No matter what tie testimony
\. No. sir. DO not think a garrison
,-;,n remain In South Carolina or North
Carolina, il we are 10 rely upon the civil
courts 10 protect the troops and property
of the United StaIc>, nor ii we were 10
turn over 10 the civil courts for trial. sol
'iiers and officers who may be charged
with offences. | do not think they could
expect justice al the hands of southern
courts and juricS- think The Judges of
Ihe higher courts de>ile 10 hold the scales
ot justice even bat tllc men you would
have on the jury, IN the case of a Union
man. or Union officer, or nion soldier,
would not heed the court or the law.
q, How DO YOU find il III cases where
al.e-el offence l. committed b. Union
men, or freedmen
| \. In that case officials make arrests.
They are yigilant, Jealous and successful In
those c;l>cS- Ii Is this particularly thai
imI;lirS confidence. Ii the offender whose
arrest l. desired, l. a man Of property.
and WAS on The other side during the war.
they cannot find him. 1t Is impossible to
Get information about him. But If the al
leged Offender l. Il negro. or some man
who has moi come up 10 Their marx dur
ing the war. every newspaper trmmpetS
the offence with a description OF the man,
every road swarms with hunters. every
forest and swamp Is searched 10 secure
INN. y prodieious degree oi activity AMI
zeal Is apparent, and seldom fails. In
such cases not only sherifi> and conStableS
oui everybody turns out. and there Is a
general hue :Ind cry, eNclaiming, :. Let Us
c;lich the fellow .-H here Is nv shot
gun - - Where Is my horse - - Which
way ms he gone let GS 90 after him
Il could have such assistants in pursuing
offenders, | should never have any trouble
; IN making arrcSis. | have MANY times
, appealed 10 the leading men 10 get on
, their horses ami help Us find these fellows
, 10 do il ior their own Slkes. for the sake
of peace and quiet. 50 that We NAV not
have 10 keep garriSon> among Them Gov
BOnham and many other prominent gen
llemcn L;'Ne assured HE that they would
be glad TO assist me if they could obtain
ihe necessary cooperation IN the neigh
ocrlool. but that ills could not be done
GEN. woop's OPINION.
q. wish TO inquire As 10 the frequen-
cy oi criminal offences against Union men.
United [ States soldiers ami freedmen i'm
Mississippi
y. The commission OF suciI crimes has
been frequent 1t might be well 10 add
that the commission of crime, generally,
has been frequent but more particularly
against persons oi Union procliviiieS, and
northern men who have elnigrate,l 10 Ms
! >issippi >incc the termination of The t;ou-
ble. and against freedmen and colorol per-
I -ols. Murder w;i> quite frequent offence
a against freedmen, everywhere in that COM
muniiy, and the commission OF crime OF :.
= lesser gr.l,le, such a. beating and assaults,
d WAS sill more frequent than the eonlmis-
q sion of murder
e q Stale as TO the machinery for bring
: in- people 10 justice in the civil courts ;