Oliver Otis Howard, Autobiography of Oliver Otis Howard, major general , United States army : volume 2

[301] J. Lambert is the only one mentioned among two hundred and seventy-three agents. This will be thoroughly investigated by General Tillson. I am thankful for so great purity of administration in Georgia. I may say here with reference to legal justice, that the policy pursued constantly has been to transfer jurisdiction to civil tribunals wherever there was a prospect of its impartial exercise under just laws; in fact, it has been the practice in most Bureau courts to use the State laws when no distinction exists on account of color.

No fault is found with Alabama, except that a few officers are reported as engaged in planting.

The inspectors must mean that these officers have invested some of their private funds in planting. All I can say is that a great many — in fact nearly allofficers of the Government have invested their funds in planting or something else. If they have not prostituted their official positions for private gain I cannot complain, though I have lately forbidden such investments within the limits of their official jurisdiction, in order to avoid even the appearance of evil.

General Wood, assistant commissioner of Mississippi, is commended for improving upon the administration of Colonel Samuel Thomas. The policy of the latter is declared not calculated to produce harmony between the races.

In this statement, the inspectors have doubtless been misinformed, for I have testimony from General Wood and from inspectors that the policy pursued by Colonel Thomas has not been changed.

They next admit a state of affairs in Mississippi that demands some other remedy than the removal of the military force, that is, if freedmen and peaceable