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34 State of Alabama Bureau R F and A L Montgomery May 11" 1869 [[left margin]] 43 [[/left margin]] Howard Brvt Maj Genl O. O. Commissioner &c Washington D C General: I have the honor to transmit herewith Roster of Civilian Agents and Clerks on duty in the Bureau R. F. and A. L. State of Alabama for May 1" 1869 I am, General Very Respectfully Your obedient Servant Edwin Beecher Asst Commissioner State of Alabama Bureau Refugees Freedmen and Abandoned Lands Montgomery July 13. 1869 Howard Bvt Maj Genl O. O. Commissioner &c Washington D.C. / General; In compliance with the requirements of the letter of Genl E. Whittlesey A A. A G. of June 24th 1869, directing that I send a full statement of the operations of the Bureau in this State for the year ending June 30. 1869" I have the honor to submit the following report. My last annual report was to October 1st 1868, in which a full and detailed statement of all our operations the year ending June 30. 1869. I will therefore only give the general results referring for particular to the last annual report. As the general business of our Bureau closed on January 1st 1869, leaving only the Educational Department and the collection and payment of bounties &c to Colored Soldiers. I then took occasion to submit a report of our operations for the last three months of the year 1868, and 35 in general a review of all our business since the organization of the Bureau in this State in 1865. Were I to attempt a new report now, much of it would be a repetition, especially in the statistics of what I then said, and I would therefore respectfully refer to that report, and ask that it may be taken and considered as a part of this report. I have had no occasion to change any views for formerly entertained by me as to the situation of affairs here, In my October and January reports, referred to above, I expressed the belief that a better feeling on the fact of the whites toward the Colored people was already manifest. That this feeling was not universal, and that occasion outrages should be committed, was to be expected, but that a material and beneficial change had taken place in palpable to every one. While outlaws infest some regions, and men with little use of the obligations due to their fellow men, are still found, they are not numerous; and general tranquility is the rule and not the exception. In one County which I visited recently, and which [[?]] months ago was considered one of the most insecure in the State, men in whom I have great confidence assure me no more peaceable community can now be found any where. I another County less than a year ago we were advised by new Agent located in that County not to attempt building a school house there, for he was certain it would be destroyed as soon as finished, now in that same County are over a dozen schools for Colored children, and as [[?]] to but one and that not serious for a considerable time. There have been some evidences of trouble on our Northern border than any where else. This I hear attributed mainly to the more thorough, Ku Klux organization of Tennessee, and which has lapped over on to the Northern Counties of this State. In a recent town through that part of the State I found some fears existing of a re-organization of the Ku Klux. As The State election takes place in Tennessee, and for Members of Congress in this State, in August I think this demonstration is more for an effect on the election than showing a continued determination to keep up the bitter strife of former years; and that nothing really serious will grow out of it. The schools have been quite as successful as we could have expected. We can have good schools established in most of the important cities and towns of the South and their influence is rapidly extending over the County. For a more particular and detailed narrative of our actions, and prospects, I would respectfully refer to my report to Rev J. W. Alvord
