Viewing page 62 of 201

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

3

order, and fined to the utmost limits of their ability to pay, the fines being of course, for the benefit of the families of the persons murdered. During my administration the State Courts have found only two (2) men guilty of murder, for the killing of Freedmen, in both of these cases was the sentence suspended by the Judges, and the prisoners both escaped from jail. In most States "Theft", "Obtaining goods under false pretenses," "Aggravated assaults, etc)," meet with a more uniform and severe punishment at the hands of the Law, than do the most atrocious and cold-blooded murders in this. 
A Circular was issued from from Headquarters, District of Texas, April 27, 1867, compelling all Jurors to take the test oath, and directing Jurors to be impannelled irrespective of color. In no case has a Jury, thus impannelled failed to fully do its duty, but its good effect has not been so great as it should have been, owing to the disloyalty of the Civil Officers, whose duty it is to execute the civil laws.
There is not so much land in cultivation this year as last, but it is much better worked, and will produce more. The rains have been heavy and prolonged far into the Summer, the result is the complete destruction of crops, on many of the river plantations, on the higher cotton lands the grass has got a very great start which owing to the scarcity of labor. it will be hard for the planters to regain. The wheat and corn crop in the central and Northern portions of the State is very fine.
The Freedmen are almost universally working well, the demand for labor is great, the wages high, the treatment of laborers by their employers much better than usual,  owing perhaps to the reason, that they must treat them well to secure their labor, and to the fact that among the best classes of the people, the estrangement that arose on the emancipation of their Slaves, is being replaced by a more kindly feeling.
In very many of the Counties, there is very little lawlessness or violence, in many more Counties the life of a Freedman is as safe as that of a white man, but there is still a large part of the State, where murder is bold and unchecked, in these parts the life of a white man is worth but little, the life of a Freedman is worth nothing.
My plan of School organization as promulgated in Circular No. 4, current series, dated March 29th, from Headquarters, Bureau Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands, Galveston, Texas, was first, to make each Sub-Assistant Commissioner Superintendant of education in his District, with orders to visit every Freedmens' School, whether a Bureau or private School at least once each month. Second, the Sub-Assistant Commissioner was to use every means to obtain donations of plats of ground the title vested in colored trustees for school purposes. On the ground so obtained by donations and subscriptions of labor, and money, buildings were erected. The Sub-Assistant Commissioner then entered into contract subject to the approval of the Assistant Commissioner for the completion (repairs) of the building, placing desks, seats etc.-Third, Sub Assistant Commissioners were to visit and encourage small private schools, night and Sunday Schools, in small villages, plantations, etc., on a self sustaining basis. It necessary the Sub-Assistant Commissioners, were to rent building for the use of these private schools, In this manner the school reports, which showed