Report on the Condition of the South

by Carl Schurz

His Excellency ANDREW JOHNSON, President of the United States.

DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING THE REPORT OF MAJOR GENERAL CARL SCHURZ.

No. 1.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF SOUTH CAROLINA,

Hilton Head, S.C., July 27, 1865.

Dear Sir: I have received your letter of the 17th instant, from
Charleston, propounding to me three questions, as follows:

1st. Do you think that there are a number of bona fide loyal persons in this State large enough to warrant the early establishment of civil government?

2d. Do you think that the white population of South Carolina, if restored to the possession of political power in this State, would carry out the spirit of the emancipation proclamation, and go to work in a bona fide manner to organize free labor?

3d. What measures do you think necessary to insure such a result in this State?

The first of these questions I am forced to answer in the negative, provided that white persons only are referred to in the expression "bona fide loyal persons," and provided that "the early establishment of civil government" means the early withdrawal of the general control of affairs from the United States authorities.