Year: 1865




go. AIc. ko.


party Of Ceorgans last week waited Secretary HAr
LAM the Department Of the Interior to pay him the
respects represent to vhim the destuon Of the
State in regard to books Of the Of the Unite<
States After rendering him the respects of their stass
and Of themselves which gracefully received by Mr.
Harlan Judge Bigham opened the conversation by ssg
ing that one Of greatest the people
Of Georgia were aborng under was the scarcity o.
books In the State to give them information Of the laws
Of the United States that the desire for early reorgan
sation mot only form but in substance on tho part o.
eorgans earnest and sincere, and that as true ana
loyal citizens Of the United States they desired now TO
obey all laws and to that end to inform themselves
what those laws were.


Mr. Harlan incurred as to the extent of tho desttu
ton.


Judge BiRham said, II will make you the same reply
made TO similar inquiries Of Provisional Governor JohhS
son The district concentrating upon and including tho
city of Atlanta which preside, is, perhaps tho
most populous it s the most accessible portion d
Georgia Colonel Whitaker, proprietor Of the InfeIt'-
oscsr is the only that has copy Of the Statutes
that know Of BY this illustration you SEQ our dessi-
tuition is great"


sThe government" said Mr. Harlan, "has not been
unmindful Of Georgia, will we pass unheeded the
respectful appeal you make to-day The object Of the
government is to foster and improve, and to DO even
handed justice to all Throughout the rebellion tho
books papers and public documents Of each State nave
alike prepared To all that were accessible ana IN
proper frame of mind receive them they have been
regularly distributed Those Of Georgia are here, and
we will at ence send quantity to the Governor ZOE
distribution Like distribution" said he, "wil also DO
made to all the States lately in rebellion, and in addition
to this copies Of the needful public laws will soon be
~ tbo nj


The gentlemen expressed high sense Of qualification
at the course Of the government


Mr. Harlan then inquired II the people had fully &C
cepted the issues Of the and what the condition ana
prospects of Georgia were under the new order OF Things
Judge BiQham said there had been occasionally some
repinings and manifestations Of nimcal feense;
that this however had almost totally disappeared ana
that the good of the country were veing with each
other in advancing the work Of rcstoraton that all 70
garded the issues Of the fully settlod, ana now
sincerely desired inauguration Of the era Of complete
union ana good feeling The negro was held TO be un-
coudtionay and unqucstionably free and regarded with
kindness and sympathy. he believed that healthy
public opinion existed there that would insure him pro-
lection and justice This was as much a. he was aa
thorzed to say No had q right now 70 speak rof
| Georgia or commit her to any particular policy"
Mr. Harlan-sT am glad to hear so favorable report
and hope the great issues Of difference being once fully
adjusted upon the results Of the war; that the union
the States would be perfect and harmonious than
ever" Hc inquired tho details Of tho arrangements
made with freedmen which Colonel Fannn (who is him
self panter) gavc length and In very sasisfaotov
way Mr. Harlan spoke in high tsrms Of General How
ard at the head of the Freedmens Bureau He referred
to tho fact that law creating tho bureau made tenn
porary and inquired what ought 70 be done about hs
freedmen when the time che existence Of the bureau
| expires


Colonel Fannin expressed the opinion that by that time
the freedmen and their former owners would boeh musu-
ally understand their rights and duties much better tAaa
now He said there had already been great change y
that particular that whom s set at liberty the negroes
had hocked to little country towns and hronged oar
cities, but that now they wsrs returning TO their Oh
homes and settling down TO the ea that they must IKE
all other members Of society," TO be uleful work; shae
they regarded their former their best frtone
| and In most they were In this opinion suoSs
Bigham expressed his concurrence and said:-"By the
time 70 which you look forward with 30 much ccncern,
Mr. Secretary our Convention will have met and IKE
wise our Legislature, and have no doubt but tha&
good safe code Of just and liberal laws will have bess
framod They cannot be expected to be perfect at Ara,
for no human system work ever was; but you may
rest assured that In Georgia just liberal and equitable
| policy will prevail Our courts will punish tho freed
man with even handed justice for what he does wrong
and protect him in all his rights properly liberty and
|


| happiness"


Some pleasantly arose as to capture Of Colonel Fan
min BY the Union forces and his trcatment BY Colonel
Lagrange Colonel said that on the occasion Of shs
passage Of the Union army through his vicinity ths
freedmen his place hid his stock and took caro- Of 81
bis valuables, thus demonstrating their attachment
| Judro Bigham said he had man, raised with him.
who was working away from home, and wno' knowing
he was away upon hearing Of the approach Of General
w,sou wont two hundred miles by rail homo. 70 be with
his family and assist them that he was Intelligent.
could read and writs but consulted him upon all that
concerned his welfare he set Free and treated
him with the utmost kindness, deference and cons'de
ton He recprocated his attachment and as general
thing the attachment between freedmen and their for
mer owners was touching to contemplate.


The Georsians were very much pleased with their in
tervew with Secretary Harlan who also expressed gra
| fcation.


| They went next 10 the Department OF Agriculture,
where they hadIan agreeable interview with Hon Isaac
Nevton and perfected arrangements for the distribu-
ton Of seeds to the people Of their State


Mr. Newton piayfully remarked that II II was left 70
him and the agrcutursts Of the country the work OF
reorganization would be soon perfected


II was replied that the interchange Of such civtiss
and mark OF care for the good Of the people as


from his department would have great influence One Of


the gentlemen said "You will have to send the ladies
nice presents, for they were many Oh tnem sne
| most uncompromising rebels we had"


eyes," said he land they Will lead you oil In the path
Of duty too and set you good example Of love TO the
| Union OF their fathers Al all events leave me the
names of some Of the fair daughters Of Georgia, and
will send them some choice varieties Of garden and
flower seed We are expecting large order from
Europe in few days, and will remember them when
arrives"


Thus the Georgans had COED time Of II, and another
link was welded in the chain of reoganzng patriotism
nun W." ~ " - -


Our Returning Veterans.


THE TWENTY sixth MASSACHUSETTS,.


This regiment under command Of Colonel Chapman
passed through here yesterday They numbered three
hnndrad and dirty men and here on board OF the