"
On May 12, 1865, Howard was appointed; and he assumed
the duties of his office promptly on the 15th, and began exam-
ining the field of work. A curious mess he looked upon: little
despotisms, communistic experiments, slavery, peonage, busi-
ness speculations, organized charity, unorganized almsgiving,
--all reeling on under the guise of helping the freedmen, and
all enshrined in the smoke and blood of the war and the
cursing and silence of angry men. On May 19 the new
government--for a government it really was--issued its
constitution; commissioners were to be appointed in each of
the seceded states, who were to take charge of "all subjects
relating to refugees and freedmen," and all relief and rations
were to be given by their consent alone. The Bureau invited
continued cooperation with benevolent societies, and declared:
"It will be the object of all commissioners to introduce
practicable systems of compensated labor," and to establish
schools. Forthwith nine assistant commissioners were ap-
pointed. They were to hasten to their fields of work; seek
gradually to close relief establishments, and make the desti-
tute self-supporting; act as courts of law where there were no
courts, or where Negroes were not recognized in them as
free; establish the institution of marriage among ex-slaves,
and keep records; see that freedmen were free to choose their
employers, and help in making fair contracts for them; and
finally, the circular said: "Simple good faith, for which we
hope on all hands for those concerned in the passing away of
slavery, will especially relieve the assistant commissioners in
the discharge of their duties toward the freedmen, as well as
promote the general welfare.
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