Many
planters who abandoned their homes on the Mississippi and carried away
their slaves to Texas have returned to this city, and with a coolness
amounting to audacity have demanded transportation for their former
slaves to various points from the mouth of the Red river to Lake
Providence. Finding that the officers of the government would not oblige
them in this particular, they left behind the aged and infirm to provide
for themselves as best they could. This and the abuses on plantations
have caused the principal suffering among the freedmen, and have brought
many to the city who otherwise would have remained upon the plantation,
but, all things being considered, comparatively few have congregated
about town. There has been such a demand for day labor in the city that I
have deemed it a false philanthropy to feed those who temporarily sought
refuge from oppression.
The permanent residents are orderly and industrious, and desire very much
to have schools established for their children. I cannot here refrain
from mentioning the fact that the presence of negroes in town possessing
free papers is extremely disagreeable to the citizens.
The tax collected of planters has thus far been sufficient to defray
office and printing expenses. The hire of a surgeon and nurses for the
hospital, amounting in July to $204.46, is the only bill which it is
necessary to refer to you for payment. All the property and money which
has come into my hands on account of the bureau has been accounted for to
the proper departments, according to regulations.
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