Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-19

And can II be expected that any outside ma
tional benehccnce or zeal should do more Tor
the freedman than 1t has done Tor the national
invalid soldicrl What then must become OF
lin If left to outside care That care will not
cover more than q small fraction OF necessities,
when pushed to its utmost extent. II is not an
expenditure OF hundreds OF thousands, but OF
millions, that must be faced In this business.
Shall the government which win be forced by
pity, shame, necessity, TO expend large
amount of money before the case passes beyond
its care, spend II iRnorantly. at haphazard,
without system or method, without the aid OF
the best wisdom that can be brought to bear on
the subject and without studying the best and
noblest material and moral economies 10 the
case How can all this be effected except BY q
government bureau, In which all the scattered
lights on the subject are concentrated, the op-
potunities and facilities afforded by existing
machinery studied, and the operations of the
government thoroughly co.ordinated The
case seems fully made out. There ought to be,
on grounds Of economy, humanity, and neces.
s'ry, government Bureau of Emancipation.
Sir, II you bring this great subject to the at
tent'on OF congress, will you not attract their
notice to the fact that the question Of expense
IN this business lie one which Is not relieved by
covering It up1 The government is already at
expense (seemingly great expense) In feeding
tad clothing the freedmen thrown on Its hands.
Put this evreuse is very largely balanced by the
cbesply paid labor 1t secures, and 1t Is doubtful
whether the nation is really not saving money
~ lie Humanity.
In cne district in Tennessee, where four
'S1Lssnd freedmen arc In government employ,
:: e computed that, after paying their wages,
'-pr'y'ng t'eir r1tlous and their rainent, the
Fc~rTn2 snt ct Ally tayes forty-two thousand
dollars per mouth, considering what Il would
, compelled to pay for this necessary labor
wen, It eone by "hito hands. But, in a larger
lev, the economy Of preserving the lives of the
vcIlsr and the children Of the freedmen, even
T. OF great immediate expense to the govern
s,--,, Is # the most urgent utility.
Later l., IN the future, destined to be the
--4' wan, Of the country over which we arc
=,,nA.Ig our victorious dominion. Be sure
.. g: every negro life which can be preserved in
rs trils.!ou state Is a lie which, at any rea.
---.e or probable cost, It is In the highest
re economical to preserve.
~, apart from political economy, there is q
-.--.. economy 10 be considered. 1t is really a
BE- ,'a" q! small consequence whether the
.. te md successful exodus of the negro cost
% re less. The honor, the dignity, the moral
,...-i .uS character of this nation is at stake.
icy Dulles to God and man are not to be sac.
~ I'd 20 any mere peculiar considerations.
., are honnd by the highest spiritual obliga-
..rT, to make the process ofcmancpation for the
s,.yss Ms safe and as little unhappy aud des-
Il 'ctIvc to them as possible. Again, apathy.
al Indifference to human lifc-the terrible ac-
srg IN the oEtrerne TO civil and social order.
White life not safe when negro life is held cheap.
The prglect Of the negro Is self neglect; and
Lis abuse. or his needless defamation, is Ger.
riin 10 produce murder and arson, and violent
-iiuCs at home. We cannot escape the ven
pcnrcc inhabiting violated laws. We are
tIcrnhCrs one Of another, and If one of the
.r'Iub,rs suffer all the members suffer with it.
90 q. therefore, with an instinct Of self prcser-
tl0n. o. well ar with the fear of the righteous
.f.ibE'inn of God, that the moralilcd and in
.,iscni, the humane and Christian people of
Ms country. cry out to their national Govern
,nr7t hat the forced and military emancipation
"r the negro shall be made as humane as the
difficult aud serious circumstances of the case
a!ll permit. The Christian heart, the moralized
rain Of the nation, will not suffer their Gov
rInmGnt TO do less than the utmost In the
cg'cring Of this great and solemn matter.
Let not the anxiety for a" Bureau of Eman.
CipatiOn,' as an expression and organ OF gov
,rrmeut solicitude and care, be COMPOUNDED
with n disposition to overdo the care of the
freedmen to come between them and the iIatu.
Il laws Of political economy to substitute
supervision and direction for their own latent
-urrsics and sef.helpiulness. The utmost ex-
gcut to which The ordinary principles OF free
-ut and labor can be applied to the blacks
should be insisted on the least possible done
for them, the most possible expected of them
rs little difference made as can be between them
and other labOrsrs--their treatment always
Ieanimg rather to too little than too much aid
AVID direction. It is to learn by careful inquiry
.',e Utmost extent to which this sound canon of
civilization can be applied to the freedmen that
tle Lrst study Of the Bureau Of Emancipation
would he directed.
But experience has already taught that 1t
caurut be applied to at least million of them
farther than II /. applied to our own children.
j. in obedience 10 the general principle that all
IA Ia -.
..Gs. We are ready TO cast our own offspring at
q tcrGgr age upon their own resources, we may
th!uk II Wise TO deal with like Spartan severity
VITA the freedmen, OF whom so many are chill
I',n in character when not children In years.
We must lend leading strings to these babes Of
..Ncrlv, and, would We have them 60 alone,
zee hat they do not dash out their brains he
fore they learn 10 walk.
Mr. President. we humbly decline here to in
dlCate the precise organ ization OF the Bureau
Of Emancipation. We do not ask Tor a new
dgIurtmcnt sufficient as the occasion might be
TO iustIiy il, but only new bureau. 1t is be
cause tlc proper organization Of this bureau
requires a knowledge, which We do not possess,
OF al the governmental and administrative and
military quettjUns relating to it, that we do
no, presume u dogmatize on the subject. A
proper CO gressiUual committee, authorized to
cal for persons and papers, might very soon
-,.."S' Information and wisdom sufficient TO
Z fgr :. d,creetly and successfully through
'h.- vrviiuirary matter of what the bureau
E,ouJ | = and In what department placed.
Ih- gvcGUCnAi mature Of its duties would
go iyr exceptional resources, and If II had
Lrvl divided allegiance 10 several depart
mylfE Or we're even an independent bureau
Ike 'ree city beside the great stats Of Europe,
cuLs -egiDs tina, Its existence mi ht be in the
DC; ,-ge,lLg It limited TO tiyc or ten years, il
wCr 10. int. )duce dangerous precedent, or
G.slEIh ia or.aD.c harmony of the General