Year: 1865

geattenaen and not as claimants, and it was
done as an act Of courtesy to President John
son. This we have from one who had vote
on the question, and who voted for their ad-
mission, the same as the admission of distin
guished strangers is often voted for. an


General Carl Schurz' Report on the Condi-
M ton Of the South. ~. n.


Perhaps the most complete, exhaustive and
valuable exhibition of the present condition of
the Southern States which has yet been laid
before the public is the official Report of Gen.
Carl Schurz' recent tour through the States Of
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi
and Louisiana. 1t embodies the result of
months of patient and careful investigation,
during which the General travelled slowly
through the South, mingling and conversing
freely with all classes, and gathering an i'm
mense amount of information which no one
else has been in so good a position to furnish.
We should transfer it entire to our columns,
did not its great length render that impracti-
cable. The following concluding summary
will, however, give the reader a very good
general idea OF its tenor and its conclusions


II may sum up all I have said in few
words. If Lothing were necessary but to re-
store the machinery OF government in the
States lately in rebellion in point OF form, the
movement made to that end by the people Of
the South might be considered satisfactory.
But If it is required that the Southern people
should also accommodate themselves to the re-
suits of the war in point of spirit, these move
ments fall far short of what must be insisted
upon. s9qaa ii .dosid nzHI eliia .b


The loyalty of the masses and most of the
leaders OF the Southern people consists in
submission to necessity. There is, except in
individual instances, an entire absence of that
national spirit which forms the basis of true
loyalty and patriotism. H'a hae .taaa", l.
The emancipation of the slaves is submitted
to only in so far as ehattel slavery in the old
form could not be kept up. But, although the
freedman is no longer considered the property
of the individual master, he Is considered the
slave of society, and all independent State leg
islation will show the tendency to make him
such. The ordinances abolishing slavery, pass
ed by the conventions under the pressure of
circumstances, will not be looked upon as bar
ring the circumstances of a new form OF ser
vice. s


Practical attempts on the part of Southern
people to deprive the negro of his rights as
freedman may result in bloody collisions, and
will certainly plunge Southern society into
restless fluctuations and anarchical confu-
sion. Sd


Such evils can be prevented only by contin-
uing the control of the National Government
In the States lately in rebe lion until free labor
Is fully developed and firmly established, and
the advantages and blessings of new order of
/. things have disclosed themselves This desir-
able result win be fastened by firm declara-
tion on the part of the government that ma
tional control in the South will not cease until
such results are secured. & Only in this way can
that security be established in the South which
will render numerous immigrations possible,
+ and such immigrations would materially aid a
favorable development Of things. The solr-
ton of the problem win be very much facilita-
ted by enabling all the loyal and free elements
of the So tn to exercise healthy influence
upon the legislation; it will hardly be possible
to secure the freedman against the oppressive
class legislation and private persecution uL less
he be endowed with certain measure of DO
litical power.


As to the future peace and harmony of the
Union, it is of the highest importance that the
people of the States lately in rebellion be not
permitted to build up another peculiar insti-
tuition whose spirit is in conflict with the fun
damental principles of our political system !;
for as long as they cherish interests peculiar to
them in preference to those they have in COM
mon with the rest of the American people,
their loyalty to the Union will always be
doubtful. alsyene odl nj h4lJll bne TOD, Sci.
rl i desire not to be understood as saying that
there are no wel[meaning men among those
who were compromised in the rebellion
They are many, but neither their number nor
their influence is strong enough to control the
manifest tendency of the popular spirit. 81


There are good reasons for hope that "a de-
termined policy on the part Of the national gov
ernment will produce innumerable and valu-
able conversions. This consideration counsels
lenity as to persons, such as is demanded by
the humane and enlightened spirit of our
times, and vigor and flrmness in carrying out
of principles, such as is demanded by the ma
tional sense OF justice and the exigencies OF
our situation. sdl
have conscientiously endeavored to see
things as they were, and to represent them as
/ saw them. / have been careful not to use
| language stronger than was warranted by the
thoughts intended to express. A compari-
son of the tenor OF the annexed documents
with that of my report will convince you that
I have studiously avoided over-statements
Certain legislative attempts at present made
in the South, and especially in South Caroli-
ma, seems to be more than justifyiug the APP
prehension have expressed. .srs.


Hts COQSclOuS luOuSu l. dLl VI having uSeu my
best en6eavors to draw from what saw and
learned, correct general conclusions, yet am
far from placing too great a trust in my own
Judgment, when interests of such magnitude
are at stake. / know that this report is in
complete, although as complete as an obser-
vatiOn of a few months would enable me te
make it. Additional facts might be elected
calculated to throw new light upon the subject
Although see no reason for believing thai
things have changed for the better since left
the South, yet such may be the case. Admit
ting all these possibilities, still would entreat
you to take no iTetraceable step toward re-
lieving the Strtes lately in rebellion from all
national control, until such favorable changes
are clearly and unmistakably ascertamed.


To that end, and by virtue OF the PERMISSION
| you honOred me with when sendlng me out,
to communicate to you my views as to meas
hres of policy proper to be adopted, l would
now respectfully suggest that you advise Con-
press 10 SEND one or more Investigating COM


mittees, into the Southern States, to inquire


for Themselves into the actual condition OF
thinos before final action is taken upon the re-


admission of such States to their representa-


t;on in the legislative branch Of the govern


ment and the withdrawal of all national con-
troll from that section of the country" ,r
| How They Expect to Do it.


"Dixon.o writing to the Boston Advertiser