FEEKD.V. 



337 



The expcnsca of mana/iug tho 



1 providing for the ilc.-tituto 



.in unit'- larije. 'I'lir l"i.l- 



, from tlio lost report 



>ws tlio financial con- 



The balance on hand of tho freedmen ftintl Is. . $232,888 08 



The bakiicr liiuti'fund 18,88881 



The balance of DM : 0,856,80 80 



$7,156,9ril 40 

 The estimated amount dne sub- 



$297,000 00 



i r ported un- 

 paid . 20,015 94 



1.1 iu>. 20,00000 

 led nnmuut duo Medical 



Department 100,000 00 



Estimated nun. iint duo Quarter- 

 master Depart mint 200,00000 



$648,015 94 



Total balance for all purpose* of expenditure. . $0,518,905 55 



The commissioner estimates the additional 

 funds necessary for the next fiscal year as fol- 



Balarie* of Assistant Commissioners, Snb-As- 



sistants, and Agents. $147.50000 



Flark'S of clerks t 82,80000 



Rtationery and printing ' 63,000 00 



Quarters and fuel 200,000 00 



Subsistence stores. 1,500,000 00 



Medical Department 600,000 00 



Transportation 800,000 00 



superintendents 25,000 00 



Bui lillnjcs for schools and asylums (.Including 



construction, rental, and repairs) 600,000 00 



Telegraphing and postage 18,000 00 



ToUl $8,386,80000 



"While there are differences of opinion as to the 

 necessity uf the bureau and the prudence of its 

 management, it is generally conceded that its 

 large expenditure is not entirely barren of good 



s. In April, 1866, General Steedman and 

 Fullorton were appointed commissioners by the 



lent to visit the Southern States, and inves- 

 tigate the operations of the freedmen's bureau 



i n. In accordance with their instructions, 

 they visited all tho towns and cities of any 

 importance, and tlio headquarters of each dis- 

 trict of the bureau in several of tho States ex- 

 amined, and conversed with representatives of 

 :ill classes of people, white and black, as well 

 as officers on duty in the military service and 

 in the freedmen's bureau iu those States. 

 "While the result of their investigations was tho 

 disclosure of many irregularities and abuses on 



; art of officials having tho freedmen in. 

 charge, it also showed, with equal distinctness, 

 the importance and necessity of some organized 

 provision to meet tho wants of this large class 

 <>t persons, and to put them in tho way of pro- 

 Milini; for themselves. la showing why the 

 negroes need assistance, they report as follows : 



A majority of the freedmcn to whom assistance has 

 iurnished are undoubtedly able to earn a living 

 were removed to localities where labor could 

 cured. The necessity of issuing rations to 

 this class of persons results from their accumulation 

 -n numbers in certain places where the land is 

 unproductive, and the demand for labor is limited. 

 As long aa these people remain in the present local- 

 ities, the civil authorities refuse to provide for the 

 VOL. vi. 22 A 



able-bodied, and are unable to care for the helpless 

 and df.-tii n!i- unions them, owing to their grout num- 

 ber, and the fact that very few are resident! of the 

 foimtU'H in which they have congregated during ihe 

 war. Tho necessity for the relief extended to these 

 people, both able-bodied and helpless, by the Gov- 

 ernment, will continue aa long as they remain iu their 

 present condition, and while rations are issued to the 

 able-bodied, they will not voluntarily change their 

 localities to sock places where they can procure 

 labor. 



The investigations of the commissioners like- 

 wise discl<>M.-<l the fact, that in some instances 

 the freedmen suffered great injustice and wrong 

 at the hands of officers of the bureau, who 

 used their powers and opportunities for their 

 own aggrandizement, and perverted their offi- 

 cial prerogatives to selfish ends. The legisla- 

 tion of the various Southern States in reference 

 to the freedmen has greatly enlarged the rights 

 and privileges of that class of persons, and in 

 many respects placed them on an equality with 

 the whites. Tho marriage relation between 

 persons of color has been recognized and legal- 

 ized ; the right of making contracts, suing and 

 being sued, established, and the criminal laws 

 so extended in their operation as to inflict 

 upon them tho same punishment as upon 

 whites. In some of the States tho freedmen 

 are allowed to testify as witnesses before the 

 courts in all cases, while in others they can 

 give evidence only against persons of their own 

 color. These are the principal features of legis- 

 lative action, though there are some minor de- 

 tails, all, however, tending to elevate the con- 

 dition of the colored people above what it was 

 previous to their emancipation. 



Benevolent societies have supplemented to a 

 largo extent the efforts of the general govern- 

 ment, and the State Legislatures, to improve 

 the moral and social condition of the freedmen. 

 Throughout tho Northern States organizations 

 and associations have been established, and are 

 now in active operation, the great object of 

 which is to open schools, employ teachers, give 

 instruction to the freedmen and their children, 

 encourage them in habits of order and industry, 

 render them advice and assistance when re- 

 quisite, and provide clothing and other com- 

 forts for the more destitute. Over 600 schools 

 have been opened, and it is estimated that 

 150,000 freedmen and their children are now- 

 receiving instruction in the Southern States. 

 Of these schools there are Gl in Maryland, 41 

 in the District of Columbia, 104 in Virginia, 80 

 in North Carolina, 129 in South Carolina, 31 

 in Georgia, 29 in Florida, 28 in Alabama, 20 in 

 .Mis>is>ippi, 6 in Louisiana, 65 in Tennessee, 5 

 in Kentucky, 8 in Missouri, 10 in Arkansas, and 

 4 in Kansas, making a total of 609. The teachers 

 in these schools are all supported by -the asso- 

 ciations, and while they cooperate with the 

 bureau, they do not draw upon its resources. 

 The progress made by tho pupils in these 

 schools has been of the most gratifying charac- 

 ter, and far more rapid than the most sanguine 

 friends of the system dared to anticipate. An- 

 other part of tho work of these associations is 



