History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880 Volume II Part 56

_The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands_ was established in the spring of 1865 to meet the state of affairs incident upon the closing scenes of the great civil war. The Act creating the Bureau was approved and became a law on the 3d of March, 1865. The Bureau was to be under the management of the War Department, and its officers were liable for the property placed in their hands under the revised regulations of the army. In May, 1865, the following order was issued from the War Department appointing Major-Gen. O. O.

Howard Commissioner of the Bureau:

"[GENERAL ORDERS NO. 91.]

"WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, } "WAs.h.i.+NGTON, May 12, 1865. }

"Order Organizing Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned "Lands.

"I. By the direction of the President, Major General O. O. Howard is a.s.signed to duty in the War Department as Commissioner of the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, under the act of Congress ent.i.tled 'An act to establish a bureau for the relief of freedmen and refugees,' to perform the duties and exercise all the rights, authority, and jurisdiction vested by the act of Congress in such Commissioner. General Howard will enter at once upon the duties of Commissioner specified in said act.

"II. The Quartermaster General will, without delay, a.s.sign and furnish suitable quarters and apartments for the said bureau.

"III. The Adjutant General will a.s.sign to the said bureau the number of competent clerks authorized by the act of Congress.

"By order of the President of the United States:

"E. D. Townsend, "_a.s.sistant Adjutant General_."

Gen. Howard entered upon the discharge of the vast, varied, and complicated duties of his office with his characteristic zeal, intelligence, and high Christian integrity. Hospitals were founded for the care of the sick, infirm, blind, deaf, and dumb. Rations were issued, clothing distributed, and lands apportioned to the needy and worthy.

From May 30, 1865, to November 20, 1865, inclusive, this Bureau furnished transportation for 1,946 freedmen, and issued to this cla.s.s of persons in ten States, 1,030,100 rations.

"Congress, when it created the bureau, made no appropriation to defray its expenses; it has, however, received funds from miscellaneous sources, as the following report will show:

"In several of the States, Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri, and the District of Columbia, the interests of the freedmen were under the control of military officers a.s.signed by the War Department previous to the organization of this bureau.

Their accounts became naturally absorbed in the accounts of the bureau, and the following report embraces all the receipts and expenditures in all States now under control of the bureau since January 1, 1865:"

RECEIPTS.

Amount on hand January 1, 1865, and received since, to October 31, 1865:

From freedmen's fund $466,028 35 From retained bounties 115,236 49 For clothing, fuel, and subsistence 7,704 21 Farms 76,709 12 From rents of buildings 56,012 42 From rents of lands 125,521 00 From Quartermaster's department 12,200 00 From conscript fund 13,498 11 From schools (tax and tuition) 34,486 58 ---------- Total received 907,396 28

EXPENDITURES.

Freedmen's fund $8,009 14 Clothing, fuel, and subsistence 75,504 05 Farms 40,069 71 Household furniture 2,904 90 Rents of buildings 11,470 88 Labor (by freedmen and other employes) 237,097 62 Repairs of buildings 19,518 46 Contingent expenses 46,328 07 Rents of lands 300 00 Internal revenue 1,379 86 Conscript fund 6,515 37 Transportation 1,445 51 Schools 27,819 60 ---------- Total expended 478,363 17

RECAPITULATION.

Total amount received $907,396 28 Total amount expended 478,363 17 ----------- Balance on hand October 31, 1865 429,033 11 Deduct the amount held as retained bounties 115,236 49

Balance on hand October 31, 1865, available to meet liabilities 313,796 62[121]

It was the policy of the Government to help the freedmen on to their feet; to give them a start in the race of self-support and manhood.

They received such a.s.sistance as was given them with thankful hearts, and were not long in placing themselves upon a safe foundation for their new existence. Out of a population of 350,000 in North Carolina only 5,000 were receiving aid from the Government in the fall of 1865.

Each month witnessed a wonderful reduction of the rations issued to the freedmen. In the month of August, 1865, Gen. C. B. Fisk had reduced the number of freedmen receiving rations from 3,785 to 2,984, in Kentucky. In the same month, in Mississippi, Gen. Samuel Thomas, of the 64th U. S. C. I., had reduced the number of persons receiving rations to 669. In his report for 1865, Gen. Thomas said:

"The freedmen working land a.s.signed them at Davis's Bend, Camp Hawley, near Vicksburg, De Soto Point, opposite, and at Was.h.i.+ngton, near Natchez, are all doing well. These crops are maturing fast; as harvest time approaches, I reduce the number of rations issued and compel them to rely on their own resources. At least 10,000 bales of cotton will be raised by these people, who are conducting cotton crops on their own account. Besides this cotton, they have gardens and corn enough to furnish bread for their families and food for their stock till harvest time returns. * * * A more industrious, energetic body of citizens does not exist than can be seen at the colonies now."

Speaking of the industry of the freed people Gen. Thomas added: "I have lately visited a large portion of the State, and find it in much better condition than I expected. In the eastern part fine crops of grain are growing; the negroes are at home working quietly; they have contracted with their old masters at fair wages; all seem to accept the change without a shock."

From June 1, 1865, to September 1, 1866, the Freedmen's Bureau issued to the freed people of the South 8,904,451 rations, and was able to make the following financial showing of the Refugees' and Freedmen's fund. From November 1, 1865, to October 1, 1866, the receipts and expenditures were as follows:

Amount on hand November 1, 1865 $313,796 62

Received from various sources, as follows:

Freedmen's fund $367,659 93 Clothing, fuel, and subsistence 2,074 55 Farms (sales of crops) 109,709 98 Rent of buildings 48,560 87 Rent of lands 113,641 78 Conscript funds 140 95 Transportation 1,053 50 Schools (taxes) 64,145 86 ------------- Total on hand and received $1,020,784 04

EXPENDITURES.

Freedmen's fund $7,411 32 Clothing, fuel, and subsistence 13,870 93 Farms (fencing, seeds, tools, etc.) 7,210 66 Labor (by freedmen and other employes) 426,918 12 Rent of buildings (offices, etc.) 50,186 61 Repairs of buildings 1,957 47

EXPENDITURES.--(_Continued._)

Contingent expenses 74,295 77 Rent of lands (restored) 9,260 58 Quartermaster's department 11 26 Internal revenue (tax on salaries) 7,965 22 Conscript fund 1,664 01 Transportation 22,387 01 Schools 115,261 56 ----------- Total expended $738,400 52 ----------- Balance on hand October 1, 1866 $282,383 52

In September, 1866, the Bureau had on hand:

RECAPITULATION.

Balance on hand of freedmen's fund $282,383 52 Balance of District dest.i.tute fund 18,328 67 Balance of appropriation 6,856,259 30 ------------- Total $7,156,971 49

Estimated amount due subsistence department $297,000 00 Transportation reported unpaid 26,015 94 Transportation estimated due 20,000 00 Estimated amount due medical department 100,000 00 Estimated, amount due quartermaster's department 200,000 00 ----------- $643,015 94 ------------- Total balance for all purposes of expenditures $6,513,955 55 -------------

But the estimate of Gen. Howard for funds to run the Bureau for the fiscal year commencing July 1, 1867, only called for the sum of three million eight hundred and thirty-six thousand and three hundred dollars, as follows:

Salaries of a.s.sistant commissioners, sub-a.s.sistants, and agents $147,500 Salaries of clerks 82,800 Stationery and printing 63,000 Quarters and fuel 200,000 Subsistence stores 1,500,000 Medical department 500,000 Transportation 800,000 School superintendents 25,000 Buildings for schools and asylums, including construction, rental, and repairs 500,000 Telegraphing and postage 18,000 ---------- $3,836,300

This showed that the freed people were rapidly becoming self-sustaining, and that the aid rendered by the Government was used to a good purpose.

Soon after Colored Troops were mustered into the service of the Government a question arose as to some safe method by which these troops might save their pay against the days of peace and personal effort. The n.o.ble and wise Gen. Saxton answered the question and met the need of the hour by establis.h.i.+ng a Military Savings Bank at Beaufort, South Carolina. Soldiers under his command were thus enabled to husband their funds. Gen. Butler followed in this good work, and established a similar one at Norfolk, Virginia. These banks did an excellent work, and so favorably impressed many of the friends of the Negro that a plan for a Freedman's Savings Bank and Trust Company was at once projected. Before the spring campaign of 1865 opened up, the plan was presented to Congress; a bill introduced creating such a bank, was pa.s.sed and signed by President Lincoln on the 3d of March.

The following is the Act:

"AN ACT TO INCORPORATE THE FREEDMAN'S SAVINGS AND TRUST "COMPANY.

"_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress a.s.sembled:_ That Peter Cooper, William C. Bryant, A. A. Low, S. B. Chittenden, Charles H. Marshall, William A. Booth, Gerrit Smith, William A. Hall, William Allen, John Jay, Abraham Baldwin, A. S. Barnes, Hiram Barney, Seth B. Hunt, Samuel Holmes, Charles Collins, R. R.

Graves, Walter S. Griffith, A. H. Wallis, D. S. Gregory, J. W.

Alvord, George Whipple, A. S. Hatch, Walter T. Hatch, E. A.

Lambert, W. G. Lambert, Roe Lockwood, R. H. Manning, R. W. Ropes, Albert Woodruff, and Thomas Denny, of New York; John M. Forbes, William Claflin, S. G. Howe, George L. Stearns, Edward Atkinson, A. A. Lawrence, and John M. S. Williams, of Ma.s.sachusetts; Edward Harris and Thomas Davis, of Rhode Island; Stephen Colwell, J. Wheaton Smith, Francis E. Cope, Thomas Webster, B. S. Hunt, and Henry Samuel, of Pennsylvania; Edward Harwood, Adam Poe, Levi Coffin, J. M. Walden, of Ohio, and their successors, are const.i.tuted a body corporate in the City of Was.h.i.+ngton, in the District of Columbia, by the name of the FREEDMAN'S SAVINGS AND TRUST COMPANY, and by that name may sue and be sued in any court of the United States.

"SEC. 2. _And be it further enacted_, That the persons named in the first section of this act shall be the first Trustees of the Corporation, and all vacancies by death, resignation, or otherwise, in the office of Trustee shall be filled by the Board, by ballot, without unnecessary delay, and at least ten votes shall be necessary for the election of any Trustee. The Trustees shall hold a regular meeting, at least once in each month, to receive reports of their officers on the affairs of the Corporation, and to transact such business as may be necessary; and any Trustee omitting to attend the regular meetings of the Board for six months in succession, may thereupon be considered as having vacated his place, and a successor may be elected to fill the same.

"SEC. 3. _And be it further enacted_, That the business of the Corporation shall be managed and directed by the Board of Trustees, who shall elect from their number a President and two Vice-Presidents, and may appoint such other officers as they may see fit; nine of the Trustees, of whom the President or one of the Vice-Presidents shall be one, shall form a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or adjourned meeting of the Board of Trustees; and the affirmative vote of at least seven members of the Board shall be requisite in making any order for, or authorizing the investment of, any moneys, or the sale or transfer of any stock or securities belonging to the Corporation, or the appointment of any officer receiving any salary therefrom.

"SEC. 4. _And be it further enacted_, That the Board of Trustees of the Corporation shall have power, from time to time, to make and establish such By-Laws and regulations as they shall judge proper with regard to the elections of officers and their respective functions, and generally for the management of the affairs of the Corporation, provided such By-Laws and regulations are not repugnant to this act, or to the Const.i.tution or laws of the United States.

"SEC. 5. _And be it further enacted_, That the general business and object of the Corporation hereby created shall be, to receive on deposit such sums of money as may, from time to time, be offered therefor, by or on behalf of persons heretofore held in slavery in the United States, or their descendants, and investing the same in the stocks, bonds, Treasury notes, or other securities of the United States.