National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-04-27
FRIENDS OF THE FREEDMEN.

dSSGIldlu NuO UtGA ulSaPpOAAtS0 49,
attempts to make money out of the institu-
ton, the committee could scarcely have
gone about the performance of that duty in
a better way to discover it. The compost
ton of the committee is peculiarly fit. The
chairman of this delectable committee is an
accomplished country lawyer from the
Northern Neck of Virginia, " no has had
twelve years legislative experience in the
State Senate of Virginia, and four years in
the late Confederate army. He was selected
as the chairman of this committee mainly,
no doubt, because he introduced the reso-
luton raising it, but collaterally, too, be-
cause of his welLknown love OF 'jusice
to the freedmen" Trained in the highest
school Of Virginia chivalry. and serving
with distinction in the four years war for
the perpetuatiOn of slavery, there can be
no doubt of his eminent fitness for the po-
sition of guardian of the interests of the
thousands of freedmen who are depositors
in the Freedman's bank. While the
Speaker was, therefore, probably greatly
Influenced in the selection by that
courtesy usually governing in such
cases. which assigns the Craftsmanship
to the mover OF the resolution.
still, he unquestionabiy must have also
considered the peculiar adaptation by birth,
breeding, habits, talents. education and ex-
perience of the man for the place. His
intimate relations with "Slim Jim" and
his aagellation OF Jim Sener both passed
TO his credit.
And then the second Of Mr.. B VERY 3.
Douglass on this committee, and the mem
Der who appears to be its spokesman, re-
fleets still greater credit upon the sagacity
of the Speaker. Mr.. Taul Bradford, Of
Talladega, Alabama, is an astute lawyer
who served in the Confederate army
throughout the war. This service was an
excellent school for the incubation of the
tactics which are followed in the commit
tee rooms of the Confederate House, and
Mr.. Bradford was no mean pupil. Third
On this committee is the young and ambi-
tious lawyer, named Stenger, from the
Chambersburg district of Pennsylvania,
where he served as Democratic District
Attorney during the war while his neigh
bors were fighting for the Union in the
field, and the kind of patriotism which
burns in his veins bubbled forth not long
since in his twopenny opposition to the
Centennial appropriation. His Copper
hesdism probably recommended him to the
Speaker.
Next upon the list We find the name Of
Haywood Ysncey Riddle, of Tennessee.
4 Il lie 81 Al
though Speaker Kerr placed him upon this
very select committee, he was no doubt
greatly influenced in his action by the fact
that he sna,nad % h~-~ H.. ----:-it.- Ic~
ignated by higher power, inasmuch as he
was the third man elected from his district
tothe Forty fourth Congress. Providence
having removed two predecessors elect by
death to make way for Hon. Yancey before
the meeting Of the House, he appeared to
have been marked for some pre.eminent
distinction, and doubtless the Speaker per-
ceiyed no better field than the one to which
he is assigned. He also was prepared for
enacting the champion of the rights Of the
freedmen in the Confederate military ser
vice, where he arose from the position of
private to that Of staff officer-wh lie fight.
ing against their freedom.
Hon. Charles E. Hooker who is the next
committeeman, was the Disunion Demo-
cratic Attorney General of Mississippi in
1866, but does not appear to have any war
record. Being now White Line Missls-
sippi Democrat, he must be an ardent
friend of the freedmen.
Hon. A. M. Bliss, of Brooklyn, New
York, Liberal Republican, and old mer-
chant, alderman and water commissioner;
Hon. Chas. u. Farwell, of Chicago; Hon.
Rufus S. Frost, Of Massachusetts, and Hon.
Joseph H. Rainey, of South Carolins. Re
publicans form the tail of this committee
With such an array of talent, endowed
with large intelligence and the high trained
culture related above, we had right to
expect some rare and brilliant work in the
way of protection to the freedmen from
this committee, and we had also the right
to look for some improved method of max
ing examinations of bank affairs. Every
body has been awaiting with the most
painful anxiety a lucid stat sment of the
condition of this bank. But everybody
has been disappointed. The committee has
been in session for weeks. Unlike some of
the rest of the House committees it has sat
from the first with closed doors. This
circumstance excited some suspicion. Be-
yond occasional whisperings Of this or that
witness having been called before it to
testify to some fearful fraud or malfeasauce,
nothing of its Star Chamber proceedings
were made public. The commissioners
now engaged in settling the affairs Of the
bank, the late officers and managers and
finance committeeman, hearing rumors in
circulation upon the street affecting their
good names, have notified the chairman of
the committee of their desire to appear be-
fore his select body and answer any and all
questions touching their relations with the
concern. These communications have been
treated with rude, if not silent contempt.
No opportunity for explanation or rebuttal
of er pdTte and secret testimony was given.
1t now appears through buncombe cam
paign speech of one of the Confederate
members of this select body of friends of
the freedmen" that two or three witnesses
have been examined. Two of these were
soreheads-ex officers of the defunct insti-
tution-who were largely responsible for
the Encouragement Of the concern. They
came forward with alacrity to clear their
own skirts by charging the blame upon the
late actuary. who Is dead and cannot deny
their tales, and upon those of the Gus
TONERS of the bank against whom they
have an envious grudge. They were wit
nesses both swift and willing
And what did the committee do? Call
for the books and records of the back?
Summons all the other officers, the trus.
tees, commissioners, finance committee,
whose integrity has been called in ques-
ton, and confront them with their &C.
n11snrcS Not nnna Nauar in a sin rla In