The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-07-22
Amalgamation and the Freedmen's Bureau

Amalgamation and the Freedmen Bureau
The sixth plank in the Democratic platform,
adopted at New York, demands for the people of tn
entire country economy in the administration Of th
standing army and navy the abolition of the freei
mon bureau, and all political instrumentalites de
signed to secure negro supremacy. ouf people ar
too familiar with the history OF THIS bureau Its corruF
tons, its and abuses to require from US reve'
of its history. Such leading Radical papers as tn
Philadelphia North American and the St. Louis Dem
ocrat, have from time to time strongly condemne
this wastefu corrupt, and Unnecessary cause of gov
ornamental extravaganza and increased taxation upo
the labor and capital of the country They have ais
condemned its management and entire control by car
pet-bag mercenaries, in and out of office, who engi
neered the bureau in Congress to promote their pc
litical interests and to rob the people. General How
ard may, as he has recently done, promise to reduc
the force employed in the bureau but this is an emp
promise which will not be kept. The Radical part,
will have to bear the odum of this monstrosity of thei
own creation-having egaised its existence over thu
veto of the President, and assumed the entire respon
sibility We shall not have occasion to aude to th
subject again. and therefore take this last opportunity
to illustrate the meaning and importance of GU, plat
form ofprincpes and to present to our readers bill
of indictment which our carpet-bag Radicals will fine
difficult to answer or to evade because it emanates
from the most Radical of correspondents to the mos
able and ultra Radical Useless Slaughter Grant paper
of the day, the Cincinnati Gazette:
"WAsHINGToN, June 81, 1868.
"Fealty to party may require Republican writer
to support after they have been fully dis
cussed and agreed upon but it does not prescribe
full consideration of their dement's while their adop-
ton is pending.
Two bills relating to the freedmen's bureau are
now before Congress-one being in the hands of the
President which will require final action when vetoed;
and the other being before Senate committee
1.-THE first extends the time Of the bureau one year,
with the very important provision that it may be
Withdrawn by the Secretary of War from States where
it now exists so soon after they fully restored to
the Union as the safety of the freedmen will permit
This, both as of justice, of policy, and of
economy, deemed the best course to pursue in
winding up the affairs of the bureau.
"There were three other provisions, which gave
considerable dissatisfaction to many who examined
them. One provided for reestabshing the bureau
where it had been discontinued; another prevented
even General Grant from reducing the force of re-
originating in the Senate, authorship the sale of all
buildings erected by the bureau for educational pur-
poses in manner loose as not even to bind the
parties making the sale to demand fair value for
them This latter is. understood to be covert means
designed by persons in the bureau ring, for getting
of valuable property in this District. How
ever the main feature of the bill, looking as it does
to winding up the bureau speedily as possible com
mended itself the of economy, and under the
action of the previous question the portions less
clearly understood were allowed to pass.
"Scarcely, however, had the bill reached the Presi-
dent when it began to appear that reconstruction vas
to be speedily accomplished, and that the power and
extent of the bureau would speedily be curailed by
the bill Just passed. and all for the use of large
sums of money ended bill to prevent the discon-
nuauce of the bureau in any of these States until Jan
lary next and after that only at the discretion of the
was hastily passed, and presented in
The Senate, under title designed to mislead, namely
A bill relating to the freedmen's bureau, and pro-
giding for its disconnuance; and many of the lead
ng Republican papers ofthe country have commended
It under that title.
"The bill before the President allows the Secretary
Of War to relieve the taxpayers of the country of the
vast expense of the bureau an expense demanded by
every consideration of right while the necessity for it
remained, but burden which should be taken off the
country when civil government is restored in the
South
1.-THE bill now pending and which it is the purpose
Vi Ills III Tue IOuSe 10 LHe
previous question, prevents any relaxation of money
expenditure during the present year. and then only
he discretion of the party interested in its contnu-
lnce The last bill is fraud, and it deserves no
nder The section continuing the officers of
he bureau, taken in connection with the correspond
ng section of the first bill, is to those acquainted
With the inside workings of its trainers, only provi
ion to pension lot of men whose duties merely
nominal, but whose speculation in this District could
lever stand for moment before an impartial investi
eating committee.
BUREAU AFFAIRS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The bureau may have been administered honestly
the rebel States but here in the District of Column
oia its operations would afford Congress valuable in
nation to guide it in the bill it is framing if the
members would take the trouble to inquire into the
character of transactions passing under their very
yes.
1.-THE outlines of single operation shall Suffice
Howard University is institution for the education
colored men, which is being erected here under the
uspices of the freedmen bureau The money used |
fund retained by military authority from the boun
les paid colored soldiers, and is in all honest Senses
government funds. The land cost $4,000. After
purchase part of laid out in city lots and sold
)ne acre given to prominent officer of the bu-
eau. The others Interested managed to obtain the
most available lots. The buildings in process of
rection to cost about SOC, 900. Prominent Off
GERS Of the bureau purchased the to patent
rick machine i'll this District and took the contract
VI Vie hoIh-a saHCtlOHeu, 10
ay the least in army regulations. Here then is a
property whose cost price will reach quarter of
Million of dollars which, under the bill continuing the
'ureau can be passed into private hands for mere
ong.
The bureau in this District has been close cor
oration and very corrupt one 1t has so long been
considered treason to the Republican party ques-
ion the honesty and integrity of those engaged in
his organisation, that transactions of the most ques-
ionabe character have been concealed from the pub
c. Now that Congress has the chance, in the bills
onccrning the bureau pending before it, stop some
# these operations it can but do good to Institute
light investigation
1.-The doings Of those who make up what may we'll
re called the Freedmen's Bureau clique here have
een matter of towntalk for many months, and Dem
crats already chuckng the advantages which
he failure of the Republicans to repudiate some of
hese things will give them in the coming campaign
An attempt made, when the bill passed the House.
~ the opposition, to expose some of these matters;
,ut those managing the bill, fearing that exposure
Toud greatly modify its provisions, choked off expla
aton by the previous question: secured the BILL and
concealed these glaring objections to it.
"Great dissatisfaction has existed for considera
lie time among prominent Republicans at the state Of
fairs known to exist in the circles referred to and
ct they sbrunk from such exposition would
ompel reform. But all the matters to which al
lson has been made have been Investigated in
quarter which will inevitably bring the facts before
he country during the Presidential campaign and the
art of wisdom is to face them now aud at least avoid