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One of the largest problems which the Bureau faced was a lack of funding.
This can be seen in every area of the Bureau's activities. It limited the
Bureau's ability to provide social services, family services, and
protection from violence.
When the Bureau was first established, one of its primary functions was to address the issues of the abandoned lands. Thousands of acres were confiscated by the Union army, and were subsequently leased to freedmen and others. The funds collected were used to finance the projects of the Bureau. Shortly after the war ended, virtually all of the confiscated lands were returned. This was a severe disappointment to the freedmen who had expected to be given the lands, arguing that it was their hard work which had improved them. It also took away a great deal of the funding of the Bureau, causing there to be tight financial constraints in every issue which the Bureau addressed. Jackson saw the minimal funding which his office was allocated when he was unable to attend meetings because the Bureau did not provide him with a suitable horse. He wrote to McDonnell that he "may be furnished as early a day as possible with a suitable horse." It was things such as this that really hurt Jackson's ability to perform his function as a Bureau agent. Jackson also faced financial restraints in acquiring other supplies for the Bureau office. This is evidenced by the fact that the Bureau ceased using stationary, and had to limit their use of postage. In fact, all bureau supplies had to be "used with all economy." More importantly, the Bureau was unable to provide adequate aid to the many destitute persons who requested it. Jackson was instructed that he had to use his supplies sparingly due to their small quantity. There are numerous examples of letters where Jackson was forced to reject requests for aid due to the lack of availability of funds. The funding for the entire Bureau was very limited. This was also the case in Staunton. this was perhaps the biggest drawback to the organization. It is inevitable that an organization established to operate as a welfare agency will fail if it is not given proper funding. Jackson was overwhelmed with too many cases, too many problems, and not enough funds to successfully operate the Bureau in Staunton. |