Viewing page 140 of 261

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER
MONDAY, MAY 14, 1866.
FREEDMEN'S BUREAU.

Gen. Steedman's Report for the States of Virginia and North Carolina.
REMOVAL OF THE BUREAU RECOMMENDED.
The Military to Protect the Freedmen.
Peculations and Misconduct of Bureau Officers
AGENTS OF THE BUREAU SHOOTING A NEGRO. 

General Steedman and Fullerton, the commissioners appointed by the President to investigate the operations of the Freedmen's Bureau in the Southern States, have presented the following report for the States of Virginia and North Carolina:

WILMINGTON, N.C., May 8, 1866
Hon. E.M. Stanton, Secretary of War:

We have the honor to report that in obedience to instructions of April 7 last, directing us to "inspect and report upon the Freedmen's Bureau in the military departments of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas," that we have performed that duty in the departments of Virginia and North Carolina, and submit the following report of our observations.  We deem it proper to communicate the result of our inspection in these States before proceeding further in the performance of the duty assigned to us.

It has been our endeavor to ascertain, by a thorough and impartial investigation, the manner in which the Bureau has been administered and conducted in these departments, and to observe the effect produced by it upon the relations between the white and black races.  In pursuing our investigations we have endeavored to arrive at the truth, and we feel that we have succeeded in doing to by thoroughly examining and conversing with representatives of all classes of people, white and black, as well as officers on duty in the military service and in the Freedmen's Bureau in said States.  We have visited all the cities and towns of any importance, and the headquarters of each district of the Bureau in Virginia and North Carolina, and also have taken advantage of every opportunity to converse with and obtain the opinions with reference to the Bureau of citizens whom we have met on the streets, at the hotels, and while travelling on the cars. 

VIRGINIA
There are on duty in Virginia the following numbers of officers in the military service and of other persons employed by or attached to the Bureau:  One colonel, two lieutenant colonels, three majors, one captain and commissary of subsistence, nine captains and assistant quartermasters, nineteen captains of the line, twenty-three first lieutenants, twenty second lieutenants, two hundred and thirty-three civilian employés, classified and paid as follows:

58 clerks and superintendents of farms, paid average monthly wages ...$78.50
12 assistant superintendents, paid average monthly wages ... 87.00
163 laborers, paid average monthly wages ... 11.75

In addition to the foregoing, enlisted men in the military service are employed as orderlies, guards, &c., but we are unable to procure the number of those so employed. Nine thousand freedmen received rations from the Bureau in the month of December last, 10,260 in the month of January, and 9,938 in February. The provision returns on which the rations were issued show:

[[5 columned table]]
|   | Men. | Women. | Children. | Total.|
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| December | 1,020 | 2,789 | 5,191 | 9,000|
| January | 1,215 | 3,084 | 5,961 | 10,260 | 
| February | 1,324 | 3,147 | 5,467 | 9,938 | 

WHY THE NEGROES NEED ASSISTANCE.
A majority of the freedmen to whom this subsistence has been furnished are undoubtedly able to earn a living if they were removed to localities where labor could be procured.  The necessity for issuing rations to this class of persons results from their accumulation in large numbers in certain places where the land is unproductive and the demand for labor is limited.  As long as these people remain in the present localities the civil authorities refuse to provide for the able-bodied, and are unable to care for the helpless and destitute among them, owing to their great number and the fact that very few are residents of the counties in which thy have congregated during the war. The necessity for the relief extended to these people, both able-bodied and helpless, by the Government will continue as long as they remain in their present condition, and while rations are issued to the able-bodied they will not voluntarily change their localities to seek places where they can procure labor. 

EVERYTHING DEPENDS UPON THE AGENTS
In those districts of Virginia where the affairs of the Bureau have been faithfully and impartially administered by men of sound judgment and discretion there has been no conflict between the agents of the Bureau and the citizens.  In all such districts the agents are acting in harmony with the civil officers of the State, and are assisted and supported in the performance of their duties by the citizens.  But in many places where the agents are not men of capacity and integrity a very unsatisfactory condition of things exists.  This originates in the arbitrary, unnecessary, and offensive interference of the agents of the Bureau with the relations between the planters and their hired freedmen causing vexations 

In addition to the foregoing, enlisted men are detailed as orderlies, guards, &c., by commanding officers of the different military posts where officers of the Bureau are serving.

Rations have been issued as follows:
[[5 columned table]]
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
|   | Men. | Women. | Children. | Total.|
| December | 518 | 2,465 | 3,679 | 6,662 |
| January | 552 | 2,567 | 3,712 | 6,831 | 
| February | 369 | 2,270 | 3,507 | 5,146 | 
| March | 321 | 2,205 | 3,406 | 5,932 | 

The same reasons that exist for issuing rations to the freedmen of Virginia, and the necessity for the continuance of this relief, apply to freedmen of North Carolina.

FEELING TOWARDS THE BUREAU. 
We found the feeling towards the Bureau much the same as that already stated as prevailing in Virginia, except that there appears to be a more universal desire in this department on the part of all classes to have it removed.  This feeling is no doubt attributable to the misconduct of many of the officers of the Bureau, such as working plantations, running saw-mills, manufacturing turpentine and tar, &c., operations which bring them armed with authority of their official positions, into competition with the citizens who are employing freedmen.

CONDUCT OF THE AGENTS.
We have investigated some of the charges made against agents of the Bureau, and in pursuing our inquiries on this point commenced with the assistant commissioner of the State, Colonel E. Whittlesey, to whom we addressed the interrogatory: "Do you know of any person in the military service now on duty with the Freedmen's Bureau in this department who is, or has been since entering upon the duties of his office, engaged or interested, either directly or indirectly, in the cultivation of any lands within the Department?" He answered, "No."  Subsequently he addressed us a note, hereto appended, in which he stated that, in order to assist the planters in hiring freedmen and trying fairly the experiment of free labor, he and some other officers of the Bureau had loaned money, and thus indirectly had an interest in cultivating farms. On receiving this note we addressed Colonel Whittlesey further interrogations, a copy of which is hereto annexed, to which he replied in a communication, also hereto appended, disclosing the fact that he is interested as an equal partner with the Rev. Horace James, of Massachusetts, formerly captain and acing quartermaster Freedmen's Bureau, and with Mr. Winthrop Tappan, of Maine, in the cultivation of a large farm in Pitt county, N.C.  He also stated therein that Captain F.A. Seeley, superintendent of the Bureau for the Eastern District, N.C., is interested in the cultivation of a plantation in Wayne county, N.C., with a Mr. Potter, and that Captain Isaac Rosekranz, commissary subsistence, is interested with a Mr. Brooks in the cultivation of a plantation in Pitt county, North Carolina. 

A BRIGHT EXCEPTION.
From Raleigh we proceeded to Salisbury, where we found Major Clinton A. Cilley, superintendent in the Bureau, having charge of the Western District, embracing fifty-one counties of the State. This efficient and competent officer has administered the affairs of the Bureau within his district with much ability and impartiality. We conferred with the leading white citizens, embracing both those who had formerly been rebels and those who had been Union men, and also with a delegation of intelligent colored people representing the freedmen, all of whom agreed in the statement that the freedmen were at work, were perfectly satisfied, and that good feeling and harmony prevailed between the whites and blacks throughout the district. Major Cilley is not interested in the cultivation of any plantation, or in any other business not directly connected with his official duties, and he has prohibited all officers serving under him within his district from engaging in any enterprise which would enable them to appropriate or control the labor of freedmen under their jurisdiction to advance their private interests. We attribute much of the order and contentment of the freedmen in the Western District to Major Cilley's judicious and hones administration. 

BACK TO RALEIGH.
After completing our inspection of the operations of the Bureau in Major Cilley's district we returned to Raleigh, where we remained one day for the purpose of further interview with Colonel Whittlesey; but he being absent we were obliged to address him certain interrogatories in writing, to which he afterwards replied as before stated.

AFFAIRS AT NEWBERN.
On the 27th of April we left Raleigh for Newbern, the headquarters of Captain F.A. Seeley, superintendent of the Bureau of the Eastern District of North Carolina. We at once proceeded to investigate the affairs of the Bureau and the conduct of its officers in this district.  Captain Seeley was interrogated as to whether he was interested in any manner, directly or indirectly, in the cultivation of lands, or in any other private business requiring the labor of freedmen.  He answered that he was not, except indirectly in manufacturing lumber, having purchased or being about to purchase with two of his clerks a sawmill about forty miles down the river. Dr. Rush, medical purveyor, U.S.V., stationed at Newbern, and a Mr. Potter, a citizen, were subsequently examined, both of whom stated that Captain Seeley, superintendent of the Freedmen's Bureau for the district, entered into partnership with them about December last, in a contract to cultivate the farm of Mr. George Collier, a citizen of North Carolina, near Goldsborough. They commenced operations by planting seven hundred acres of cotton and some corn, this work necessarily requiring the labor of a large number of freedmen. Dr. Rush stated that some two weeks since he had conditionally purchased the interest of Captain Seeley in this plantation, but had not yet consummated the contract.  Mr. Potter stated that about a fortnight ago Dr. Rush, he himself, and others had conditionally purchased a part of the interest of Captain Seeley, and that Captain Seeley still owned an interest in the plantation.  Without being able to determine from the testimony how far Captain Seeley is interested in this plantation, it is perfectly evident that he prevaricated in his answer to our interrogatory. 

FURTHER MISCONDUCT.
Captain Rosekranz, sub-agent of the Bureau at Newbern under Captain Seeley, and commissary of subsistence, as will be seen by reference to the paper hereto attached, is also engaged in cultivating a large plantation near Little Washington, N.C., with the labor of freedmen, whom he supplies with rations as a part of their wages. 

MISSING RATIONS.
IN one of our interviews with the freedmen at Newbern some of them, who were employed in the Commissary Department of the Bureau, stated that rations in bulk had been frequently taken from the supply warehouse at unusual hours, before the doors were opened for the transaction of business, and hauled off in carts and wagons, and that on one occasion

rested, tried, and convicted by Mr. James as agent of the Bureau, and was sentenced to dig ditches on their plantation. While working out this sentence he ran away, and was pursued by James and his clerk, Boyden, who arrived at the bank of a river while the freedman was attempting to cross in a canoe. Boyden ordered him to return, telling him that if he did not he would shoot, and the freedman disregarding this order, Boyden fired.  Boyden states himself that he thinks he hit him, and as nothing has ever been heard of the freedman since, it is generally believed in the neighborhood that he was killed and fell from the canoe into the river.  These facts were stated in letter forwarded to Colonel Whittlesey, who returned it to Captain Seeley with the following endorsement: 
RALEIGH, March 28, 1866
Respectfully returned, as the affair seems to have occurred at night, and, as the body of the negro has not been discovered, it does not appear certain that the shot took effect. No further action in the case seems to be called for.  By order of Colonel WHITTLESEY, Assist. Comr. BEECHER, Assistant Adjutant General.

A number of the freedmen at Newbern expressed dissatisfaction at the manner in which this case had been passed over without investigation; but as the plantation is quite remote from any pubic line of communication, we were unable, owing to want of time, to inquire into the matter. 

AFFAIRS AT KINSTON.
On the 2d inst. we left Newbern for Goldsboro, and on the way stopped at Kinston long enough to learn that Captain Wheeler, agent for the Bureau at that point, is engaged in working a large plantation on his own account, and employs thereon quite a number of freedmen.

MORE FARMING.
At Goldsboro the superintendent, G.O. Glavis, chaplain United States army, is cultivating one farm on Government account, and is interested in cultivating two farms on his own account. This officer stated in his examination before us that he was not interested in the cultivation of plantations, except indirectly by loaning money to a Mr. Brooks, a friend of his from the North, who was engaged in planting; but we ascertained from Mr. Carr and Mr. Lane, citizens of the vicinity of Goldsboro, that he is interested and joined with them in contracts for the cultivation of their plantations.  He and his friend Mr. Brooks entered into a contract with Mr. Lane to furnish rations and pay for forty laborers, and to provide eight good mules. Mr. Lane offered to furnish the land, to superintend in person the cultivation thereof, the crops to be equally divided, one half to Mr. Lane and the other half to Mr. Brooks and Glavis. Mr. Lane states that the enterprise failed after the freemen had worked over two months; they then left Brooks and Glavis, having failed to pay them according to contract. The freedmen received for their labor a little clothing, such as coats, pants, shoes, &c., furnished by Captain Glavis, and but little or no money. A similar contract was made by Glavis and Brooks with Mr. Carr, who stated to us that Captain Glavis is paying the hands in "a little of everything, but chiefly in clothing."

SELLING FREEDMEN'S CLOTHES. 
We ascertained by the testimony of Messrs. Barham & Ballard, auctioneers at Goldsboro, that they had sold at auction for Chaplain Glavis forty blankets marked "U.S." and a quantity of clothing that had been sent to Goldsboro for gratuitous distribution to the needy by a Freedmen's Aid Society at or in the vicinity of Rochester, New York.  We learned also that he had disposed of a large amount of such clothing at private sale.  The Chaplain stated himself that he had received from such sales two hundred and sixty dollars, ($260,) though subsequently he asserted that the total cash receipts of his office, from all sources, amounted to one hundred and twenty six dollars and fifty cents, ($126.50)  He kept no books or even memoranda of moneys received or expended.

THE WILMINGTON AGENTS.
On the 4th instant we arrived at Wilmington, the headquarters of the Bureau for the Southern District of North Carolina, of which Colonel Rutherford is the superintendent. The Colonel has been here but a short time, and is not yet fully acquainted with the operations of the Bureau in his district.  He was so unwell that he was obliged to retire while we were engaged in examining his office, and we have [[illegible]] not since conferred with him.

Major J.C. Mann, assistant quartermaster and fina [[illegible]] agent of the southern district, is engaged in the cultivation of a rice plantation a short distance from Wilmington, on [[illegible]] are employed fifty five freedmen. The Major stated that [[illegible]] he would not object to making money, he engaged [[illegible]] business to convince the Southern people that the [[illegible]] work.

ONE WAY OF INDUCING INDUSTRY.
Major Charles I. Wickersham, sub agent of the Bureau, whose headquarters are at Wilmington, is also interested in the cultivation of a rice plantation within his sub-district, and he is to receive one-fourth of the crops from the same for compelling the freemen employed on said plantation to work faithfully. He explained the manner in which he compelled freemen to comply with their contracts, by stating that he put them to work with ball and chain on the streets of Wilmington. 

EVILS OF THE SYSTEM.
Without attempting to discuss the propriety of officers of the Bureau in the military service of the United States, who are paid by the Government for the performance of their duties, engaging in private business, and employing freedmen for such purposes while controlling through their official positions that class of labor, we deem it our duty to state some of the effects produced, both upon the officers themselves and upon the planters with whom they come in competition, by such conduct. Major Wickersham, in contracting to furnish forty laborers to work on a rice plantation, becomes at once interested against the laborers, whom he compels to labor, perhaps unjustly, when unfairly dealt with by the persons working them on the plantation; and, on their refusing to work, he inflicts upon them unlawful, and, for a breach of contract, unheard of punishments, putting them on chain gangs as if they were convicted criminals. Colonel Whittlesey, or any other officer of less rank and influence in the Bureau, who is engaged in working plantations rented for cash or on shares, becomes interested in securing a low rate of wages and in making the most stringent labor regulations, to the great detriment of the freedmen. They thereby give the sanction of the Government to the establishment of wages far below what the labor is really worth.  Officers of the Quartermaster's and Commissary Departments who are thus engaged are subjected to the temptation of appropriating to their own use quartermaster's stores and rations to supply and pay their own laborers. Complaints have been made to me by the planters that these agents of the Bureau use the power of their positions to obtaining control the best labor in the State.  There is no doubt that some of the ill feeling manifested toward the Bureau on the part of the planters is attributable to this fact. 

Transcription Notes:
pec·​u·​la·​tion : misappropriation especially of public funds pre·var·i·cate: speak or act in an evasive way. ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-09-27 18:36:37