Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-03-15
EXTRACT or THE SPEECH or
h0V. GEORGE ii. PENDLETON,
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
TUESDAY, MARCH Ist, Is6a,
OK THE
BILL 10 BSTABLIsHA A BUREAU OF FREE
MRN'S ARPAIRS.

]
/ thousand men women, and children who are
actually freed by the chances of war The
number increases daily They consist OF
slaves who have run away from their rebel
masters, slaves who have been RIM away from
( by their rebel masters, and slaves who have
been made captves by our troops They are
all free, actually free, legally free, and will
never be re enslaved.
/ II wss in behalf Of these that the gentleman
from Massachusetts appealed TO us. He told
US they were poor without food except Gov.
ernment ratonS without houses or homes.
and without knowledge enough to take care OF
themselves and provide for their families
| He did not tell us-but il il frequently allu.
ded to in the various reports Of those who
have looked into this snbject--that they long
for the repose and quiet OF their old homes
and tha care Of their masters that freedom
mas not been TO them the promised boon; that
even thus soon Il has proven itself TO he life
of torture, ending only in certain and speedy
death But be did not tell us that this igno.
rance arose from the circumstances Of their
former life; that we have changed those cir.
cumstances, and that it is our duty to ft them
70 bear and 20 benefit bv the change which
we heve wrought Sir, the appeal Of the gen.
tleman made deep impression upon me -
| But reflection has convinced me that the
highest considerations Of official duty and Of
sound policy require that we should not yield
TO those sympstbies and pass this bill
! stand, air. here substantially with nv
friend from New York a member If the 80.
lect committee, Mr. KALBFLEIscH, who ad
dressed the House 30 iorcbly few days ago.
We have not the power if we had, its exer-
else would destroy our best hopes for a resto.
ratou OF onr Uniou ~ -as
As my objections to the bill are radical. /
will not be 50 uncandid as to dwell upon the
objections to it's details faulty as thlnk |
could show these to be. will Only pause TO
point you to the officers created by it the com.
missioner, eight or ten assistant commission
ers aud all HeedfW Wsuperiutendents and clerks
locarry into operation this complicated m :.
chine wherever 1t may once get foothold.
will only suggest the enormous powers YOU
give TO one or suother OF these officers. They
shall have power to decide all questions aris
ing under any law heretofore Ur hereafter to
be enacted CONCERNING persons OF African de-
fscent, whether they hars ever been siaues or
not, and all persOHs who have or NAV become
free, or in dngi0ise entitled to their freedom
| they shall have power TO assign 10 the irt ed
mes all lands which have been at any time
abandoned even though they may nov be oc-
euped by their owners and to advise and aid
them, organize aud direct their labor, adjust
their Icdges, and arbitrdfe their guarreis -
Extraordinary power, indeed We're such ev.
er intrusted to mau and not Bbused2 Nor
will | remind gentlemen that this very uitii.
Guilty WAS frequently foretold, that tbs inca.
paclty of the negro TO take care OF himself
was often alluded to, and that you always rid.
culed the idea What will you do, with the
| negro when you shall have emaucpated him ?
was frequently asked and as often your vir.
tuous Indignation boiled over at the bare in
timatou that be was not thoroughly compe.
tent to take care OF himself Is be not "a
mau and q brother ?" ." Is not his soul white
il his skin is blaOk2r ''Dd not one God
make both white and black2' This was the
answer from mos; OF the Republicans Of the
last Congress Some few tooN refuge, as the
gentleman from Maryland did day or two
ago, IN tue sugs estiou that these trou besome
Questions we're devioes OF the Democratic dey.
II TO disturb the minds and unseLtle the faith
and shatter the harmony OF the faithful New
erlheless these questions are now here for so,
luton, aud the care of the negro bids fair to
be as troublesome in the future as his eman-
cipaion has been in the past
Sir, we have no power to pass any bill OF
! this kind, aud the gentleman from Mas sachu-
setts Mr. ELiorl frankly means that when be
says: ..I.
But If all proclAmatons were wrong and
all laws were without constitutional support
which have sought to liberate the slaves Of
enemies, still the rebellion itsslf. has freed
them, and they are subjects of our char e.
We must protect them OF DO iaithless in our
office"
But five had the power we ought not to sI.
ercse it.
| have seen the orders of General Banks a;
New Orleans, and of Gen raj Butler at Fort.
ress Monroe, and the report Of Me-. Mellen,
the treasury agent on the Mississippi, in re.
lation to this very subject | believe those
orders establish as good a system as you can
expect to organize under this bill They pro.
vide for the care, training, education, wages,
clothing, support, ana compulsory labor OF
the colored peopie, This is done under cons
missioners and superintendents, who, being
officers OF the Army aud directly AmenAble to
those generals, will doubtless perform the du-
ties as well as any others who might be select.
ed. And as for those generals who are thus
70 supe, wise the arrangements, whatever high
er places they may be fit for, their worRt en-
enemies would not dare to say that they have
not eminent chpaeifyto organize and control
village of contrabands and to regulate the
occupation OF abandoned planlations Their
scheme, thep, is equal in good results TO that
proposed by this bill, aud is far superior In
this thsti Is military order; that It is lim.
tied TO military occupation; tits short in du-
ration, contracting in its tendency, aud will
expire soon by the very law Of iis being. On
/ al ha oil ha nd lha MI Of h.