Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-01-30
VIRGINIA FREE PRESS
II. n. GALLAHER, (pd;tore
w. w. B. GALLAHER,
Charlestown, Jefferson County.
OFFICE IN JEFFERSON HALL"
Thursday, January 80, 1868
The Freedmen's Bureau.

This institution, established to fee land clothe
lazy and worthless negroes Of the South, at an
expense Of eight or ten million dollars year,
expires by limitation in July next, but Mas
sachusctts Radical proposes to extend its exist
encc another year, with its horde Of iucendiares
who keep up strife between the white and black
races.
In noticing the absurd report Of General
Scott, Bureau Commissioner in South Carolina,
the Charleston Courier, the old Conservative
anti-seccssion journal, says:
1.-The whole office, in our opinion, is one lit
tie promotive to the general welfare, and anom-
alous in time of peace Every day strength
ems the conviction that both the rights of per-
son and property Of the freedmen would have
been amply secured without the Intervention
of bureau, continually thrusting itself for
ward under the guise of common paciiicator,
as a common disturber Of the-relations of the
two races, which at last must depend upon the
confidence of each other for any permanent ad-
justment of pending issues"
Scott asserts that the blacks are a law
abiding people" whilst letter from that re-
gion states that " all along the coast where the
negroes are most numerous and very few whites
are to be found, this same Gen. Scott has had
to run hither and thither all the year to check
their riots and put down their insubordination
and rebellion even against the United States
authorities"
The same writer asks how can Scott utter
such a sentiment, "with the papers teeming
with accounts of unptovoked acts of savage
violence and atrocious crimes committed by
freedmen. alone or in bands, everywhere
throughout tie South with labor disorganized
and rendered almost worthless With search
" of food which threatens famine, and scar
CITY of money which threatens bankruptcy I;
with an insecurity of life and property which
can hardly be rivalled in Loango or Guinea !;
with all this and much more, published daily
and Known and read of all men, how much
credit will be attached by the American public
to such reportas General Scott has furnished
The plain truth is, the Bureau is 4 nuisance.
There is no necessity or propriety in its con-
tinuance unless its object be to eXterminate
the white race in this country, and finally ruin
the blacks Industrious negroes do not require,
and law negroes do not deserve, its care and
support 1t complicates greatly the problem
of adjustment Its officers are well paid, and
have wonderful opportunities TO feather their
nests. As dsbursing agents of funds and sup
plies among the people incapable of signing
receipts or keeping accounts, there Is a wide
margin forself-appropriation And theb bureau
agent, as President Of the League and distribu-
terof ratons, controls the negroes, makes ollous
every conservativcopponent, and elects his par
asites to every office. He may dodge behind
the scenes. but his nanipulatous are none the
! less successful. He can trample on the rights
of a citizen, and SANDER and persecute the best
men in the land with impunity; for the courts
cannot reach him, and to report him would be
tolly-for the reporter would be considered lPsc
facto disloyal and reb."
The Charleston Courier of few days later
gives an account Of shocking outrage in Oar
lington district committed by five negroes
They robbed the store Of Mr.. Muldrow, killed
the clerk, llr. Sugs, and whilst Mr.. Muldrow
and Mr.. Wyndam went to the rescue, the fiend:
had shot the father-in-law of the latter twice
in the head. and his wife in three different
places, all dangerous wounds
The Chronicle and other Sambo journals
will take care not to place this piece Of intelli'
gence before their readers.
The people Of the country should be allowed
to see a list of the officers and agents Of th'
Freedmen's Bureau, so that they may know
how many thousands are fattening upon publ,
plunder. The following paragraph is signif
cant. The saving proposed by putting army
officers in charge is strongly opposed as mat
ter Of course. The leeches are no: yet fllet
to repletion.
THE FREEDMES'S BUREAU ~ TENNESSEE AM
KENTUCKY.
Strong efforts are being made to prevent
contraction Of the powers Of the Freedmen
Bureau in Tennessee and Kentucky, as de
signed in a circular letter Of Major Gen. How
ard. approved by Gen. Grant while Secretar.
Of War ad interim. 1t is represented to the dc
partment that necessity exists for retalnln
the agents Of the bureau in these States Instea
of committing its affairs to the administrator
of army officers exclusively. Within day o
two the members of the Tennessee COMPRESSION
al delegation have called on Secretary Stantor
having in view the same objects, and he ha
answered them that he will at once conside
the subject.
THE BUREAU N MARYLAND.
A petition, signed by several hundred co
ored men Of Maryland, has been received b
, c.-nr.h unr,nrI rararirr fnr the cnntirrani