Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-11-21

b Ett ~ - v p y - ~ - attA 1s
Gen Howard, Commissioner of the
Freedmen's Bureau, has just made his
annual report This institution expired
by limitation Of law on the 31st of DE
'eenlber, 1868, except for educational
work and to collect bounty claims for ne
gro soldiers. From this report we learn
something Of the expenditures of the
Bureau, Gen. Howard sums up as fol
lows:
''When the Bureau was established, it
was believed that the abandoned lands and
other captured Confederate States proper
tv which came under charge of the. Ba-
reau. by the terms of the law creating y,
would furnish sufficient revenue for It's
support. Therefore no appropriations
were made by Congress to defray lis eX-
penses until July, 1866, after the greater
portion of the abandoned property had
been restored to its former owners, The
money accrued before and since the or
ganization of this Bureau from rent OF
lands, sale of crops, school taxes and tut
ton, and sale of Confederate States prop
ertv, and from all miscellaneous sources,
was collected together and called the
refugees and freedmen's fund and the
school fund, and has amounted TO
81, S65, 645 40 The total expendI-
lures of the Bureau from Jan. l, 1868,
to Aug. 81, 1869, have been 81, 249,-
02S 10. In addition to this cash expen-
a. and IandIpll SIlfA-
plies and Quartermaster stores issued 10
refugees and freedmen prior to July !,
1866, were furnished by the Commits
sarv, Medical and Quartermaster De
partments. and accounted for In the cur
rent expenses of those Departments. They
were not charged to, nor paid for, by
this Bureau. They amounted TO 81, $780,
IT'S p in original cost, but a large por-
ton of these stores being damaged and
condemned as unfit for issue TO troops,
their real value to the Government was
probably less than $1,000, 600. Adding
their original cost to the amount expended
from appropriations, and other sources,
the total expenses of the Bureau from its
organization to Aug. 81, 1869, have been
SI8,579, S16 80, and deducting $50, 900
transferred 10 the Agricultural Depart
ment. and $500, 900 set apart as special
relief fund for all classes of destitute peo
nle in the Southern States, in accordance
with the Joint resolution of Congress, ap-
rroved March 80, 1867, the real cost OF
the Bureau has been Sl3,029, SIG 50.
The balance remaining on hand will be
entirely devoted to the support of the
bounty and educational division, and the
one hospital remaining in this District "
In conclusion, Gen. Howard says that
the payment of bounties must be con-
tinued through the Bureau or some other
agency until all shall have had a reason
able time to present their claims. OF the
continuation of the educational Eork he
says:
"The educational work should not only
be continued, but greatly extended. II
the State governments are not prepared
nor willing to provide for the education
of all classes, as hope they soon will do,
l recommend that the general government
| take the matter in hand. The safety OF
1 Tic itIlQltit - lliC StilliNiiAN law. A''~i =
| can be no safety nor permanent peace
when ignorance reigns. The law of self
preservation win justify the national
| Legislature in establishing through the
Bureau of Education, or some otheI
agency, a general system of free schools,
and furnishing 10 all children of suitable
age such instruction in the rudimcnts OF
learning rs may be necessary TO fit them
to discharge inteIigently the duties Of free
American citizens.
If the General Government can take
the matter of educating Tie black race il
hand, can it not, with equal propriety,
take in hand The education Of the whites
It seems the earnest desire Of Radicalism
to take a hand in every matter that is pre-
scented. There is such a thing as Toe
much government. 1t has been said that
that is the best government which gov
ems least Our Radical politicians do moi
seem to nc of this opinion. Thus far,
| under Radical rule, the colored brother
and the bond holder seem 10 be especially
and peculiarly ''the nations wards.
| Il seems to us that it Is time That the ta1
PAYERS were receiving a little of The PRO
tecting care and favor Of our rulers.