The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-11-06
The Freedmen's Bureau,
REPORT OF GENERAL HowARD-PARTIAL DISCOUNT,
uANcE OF THE BUREAU RECOMMENDED.

REPORT OF GENERAL HowARD-PARTIAL D1scoNT1N-
uANcE OF TIE BUREAU RECOMMENDED.
General Howard, Commissioner OF the Freed.
mems Bureau, has completed his annual report,
and laid it before the Secretary Of War.
The most important recommendation is that the
Bureau be discontinued as separate institution
in July noIt, when the law expires. Respecting
the unsettled claims for back pay and bounty, the
commissioner recommends however, continu-
ance of the division in connection with the War
Department az long rs it shall be deemed neces-
sa!y for the completion of the work committed to
its charge. In this connection, General Howard
remarks that it may seem hazardous to withdraw
this bureau agency SO soon though he bases the
recommendation on the belief that "each Of tho
several States where the Bureau exists, or has
istod will be COMP letely reconstructed by next
July, and the freedmen, having all the rights Of
citizenship, protect themselves with suoh aid as
the United States military forces may bo able to
| render"
| The commissioner says that twenty-sight civil
agents have been discharged and f0rty-cight vol
unteer olirers mustered out. He notices the
working Of the reconstruction acts and says their
effect has been good, and that the freedmen, as
| people, are making rapid progress in education,
| science, arts and oil branches OF industry. The
| amount OF abandoned lands in possession OF the
bureau is 215 Oh acres, and the number of pieces
OF town property is $50. large part Of the aoan-
| doned land Is OF o swampy character and scarce
| ly any Of it Yields revenue. The greater proper
ton OF it IS merely IN the nominal DOS essiou OF
the bureau, and would, ere this, have been turned
over to former owners under the law had they made
application therefor. General Howard makes eoveral
suggestions with reference to th. INDECENT freed
mon III the District Of Columbia. He SAYS that Tor
| few years past appropriations have been needed
and have been made for the relief Of certain
classes, such as the aged, the young children, the
manned, the insane, &c, In addition, there is a
large class Of people who are very poor, who have
families to support, and who are accustomed to
receive aid either directly or indirectly from this
| relief fund. Tho Commissioner saws it seems to
him the best plan that could be proposed, instead
OF large relief appropriations, to ask Congress to
| open up all the avenues and improve the public
| grounds as far as the city has extended, making
| the necessary appropriations therefor. Tnis wouli
give great deal Of work through which the means
VI sustaining the families Of the poor would be de-
rived, and at The same time /! would carry on to
completion the necessary improvements to be
made By the general government at the capital.
The commissioner also thinks That reformato-
ry institution for children without distinction OF
race, similar to those in New York and Boston, is
| much needed in the District Oae is already IL
| existence, but is confined to those convicted OF
| crime. large class Of mischievous bows, who
| are positive injury to the schools, and who are
falling into idle and vicious habits, could be re-
claimed and rendered blessing to themselves and
| society By being sent to one of these well con.
Quoted schools. He recommends this subject for
the consideration Of Congress.
The amount Of claims OF coored soldiers col
lected BY the bureau has been s64, ,49t during the
year.
ycpr ending lst II September was ll,e5s pei day
The total amount Of supplies furnished $50, ,40O
pounds Sf pae0n and PORK e. and ssos 300 pads o
lief is reported Mt 233, ,372 tho average number
was about $4,000, tn hishest number being
the number were whites. The whole amount
expended was sA5,ssa. Iha. is nearly SO tc
g per month. This special reliet was discon.
tnued in August. The appropriations to tn:
bureau for the year ending July i, 1867, amounted
to So S3G 400, and expenditures for eleven months
ending with the 9lst Of August, amounted tc
s3597, ,397 65. The principal items OF expenditure
arc the following: For schools and school build
ings, s5539l6; subsistence stores, including spe.
cie relier under the Act of last March 81 l46O 426
transportation, s227 755 salaries of agorts clerks
&c. Sj2l 400; medical department, 1891 OGo; oupr.
ters. fuel &c., s1S5 100; clothing. sll6, ,GeS The
surplus from unexpenaed appropriations for this
year will be sufficient for the purposes OF the bu
reau during the present fiscal year, ending mex
Jul;