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!!«nvnrlt;r« Sf js!f»nieist of l!ieOperations of (he Uureau in Yir-In the report of Major-General Howard, Commissioner of the Frcedmen’s Bureau, the following chapter id devoted to affairs of the Bureau in Virginia:Since the date of my last annual report there has been no change in the assistant commissionership of Virginia, Brevet Brigadier-General O. Brown having continuedto discharge the duties of that office.The organization of ihe Bureau iu districts and sub-districts, with a competent and faithful officer or agent in charge of each, remains substantially the same as at the date of last report.Sub-assistant commissioners are required to make frequent inspections of their respective sub-districts, and to report fully on all matters of interest connected with the proper discharge of their duties. By these inspections, and the reports of inspecting officers from his own headquarters, the assistant commissioner i3 kept constantly informed of the condition of allairs throughout the State.The tone of public opinion exhibits agradual but constant improvement, though the prevailing sentiment of the white people leaves much to be desired with respect to a cheerful recognition of the rights of the freedmen as citizens. The assistant commissioner, in his report of operations for the month of April, 18C8, states that ' the secret organization known as the Ku-klux Klan have made their appearance in various localities, visiting the houses of colored men at night, in some cases placing ropes around their necks and threatening to haDg them on account of their political opinions. No further violence has been otfered. The object of these midnigM demonstrations, which have bee^ v~ry rare iu this State, appears to be to intimidate and control the freedmen ir the cxerciP? ef their right of suffrage.Bureau officers have ha'1 imp'rtart duties to perforin in securing p’»re a'V?ni-stration of justice in cases There c'drrcd persons are concerned. They have been required to attend each term of the court in their respective districts ; and Then incharge of more than one county, to aprointcertain days in each month when they would be present at each court-hcu^c to look after the interests of the .rr~edm.cn. The latter to be notified.While the officers of the Bureauhave been directed not to mingle personally in the political contest consequent upon the reconstruction of the State under the acts of Congress, nor to become partisans by accepting nominations to civil office, they have nevertheless endeavored toLssibt the freedmen in the proper appreciation of their legal rights as citizens, and to secure to them, as far as possible, the free exercise of the same. To this end, when in November and December, 18G7, the opposition to negro suffrage developed itself in the general discharge of those coloredlaborers who voted contrary to the wishes ol their einjdoyers, Bureau officials were instructed to take strong measures to redress this evil by procuring employment as far as possible for those discharged, and by relieving the wide-spread destitution causedamong a class who depended upon theirdaily labor for their support.The issue of supplies to the destitute Lae been confined to cases of extreme want,and to prevent starvation. In the month
Newspaper Details
Richmond Daily Dispatch
Richmond, Virginia, US
Thu, Dec 03, 1868
Page 1
Full Page
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Library O.
USA 13 Jun 2019
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