Congregational
Church was built in Washington with moneys advanced by the
Bureau, the religious society giving its bonds at seven per
cent. for which the structure was ample security. General
Howard had incurred the bitter animosity not only of the enemies
of the negro race, who disliked the whole object for which
the Bureau was founded, but of other persons whom he had offended.
I believe in no instance was there any loss to the Government,
or to the fund in his charge. He was able to establish in
comfortable homes, and to educate and to provide work for
many thousand freedmen who had flocked to Washington during
the disturbed period immediately following emancipation. After
a thorough investigation, where the prosecution was conducted
by Fernando Wood, a very distinguished and able Representative
from New York, formerly Mayor of the City, General Howard
was completely exonerated by the report of the majority of
the Committee. The report was accepted by the House.

In 1873 I visited Louisiana, as Chairman of a special committee
raised for the purpose of inquiring into the conditions there,
and ascertaining which of two rival State governments was
the lawful one. The investigation disclosed a terrible story
of murder, brutality and crime. I made the report, signed
also by Mr. Wheeler, afterward Vice-President, and Mr. Frye,
now Senator and President pro tempore of the Senate. It told
the dreadful story of these things with absolute truth and
fidelity. It is not worth while to revive these memories
now. But at the same time I endeavored to do full justice
to the better qualities of the Southern people and to explain
how it happened that men otherwise so honorable and brave
and humane could be led by the passions of a political warfare
and race prejudice to commit such offences. Mr. Lamar, of
Mississippi, one of the most brilliant and able statesmen
of his time, sought an interview with me after the report
went in and thanked me for what I had said of the Southern
people, and told me that "I was the first Northern man who
seemed to be capable of doing them justice." What he thought
will be found also stated by him.

In a speech made before a Democratic meeting in the spring
of 1875, Mr. Lamar said ("Life of Lamar," p. 221);

"Well, the character of that last Committee--especially of
its Chairman, Mr. George F. Hoar--was such as to lead to no
expectation that there would be any indulgence shown to the
pe