Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1866-03-07

/ and schools, the expenses to be defraveG
I from the treasury of the whole people
/ The Congress of the United States has
I never heretofore thought itself competent
/ TO establish any such laws beyond the
! limits of the District of Columbia, except
; for the benefit or our disabled soldiers
: and sailors 1t has never founded schools
Tor any class Of It's own people, nor even
for the orphans Of those who have fallen
III defence of the Union, but has left the
care Of their education TO the much more
competent and efficient control OF the
States, Of communities of private associ-
atIons, and of individuals 1t has never
deemed itself authorized TO expend the
public money for the rent or purchase Of
houses fer the thousands, not TO say mil
hons, Of the white race who are honestly
toIlIng from day to day for their subsis>
tence. A system for the support of indi-
gent persons in the United States was
never contemplated by the authors Of the
constitution, nor can any good reason be
advanced why, as permanent establish~
ment, 1t should be founded for one class
or color of our people more than for an
other. Pending the war many refugees
and freedmen received support FROM the
| government but it was never intended
that they should henceforth be fed, cloth
ed, educated, and sheltered by the United
States. The idea on which the slaves
were assisted TO freedom was that, on be
coming free, they would be a self-sustain-
ing population. Any legislation that shall
imply that they are not expected to attain
a self sustaining condition must have n
tendency injurious alike to their character
and their prosperity,
IN3lESCE PATRONAGE AND GREAT EXPENSE.
The appointment of an agent for every
county and parish viii create an immense
patronage, and the expense of the numer-
Gus officers and their clerks, to be appoin-
ted by the President, viii be great in the
beginning with a tendency steadily to in
crease. The appropriations asked by the
| trccdmcn's Bureau, rs now established,
/ Tor the year 1866, amount to Sll. .145, 900
1t may be safely estimated that the cost to
/ be incurred under the pending bill will re-
qulre double that amount-morc than the
! entire sum expended in any one year un-
! der the administration of the second
Adams. If the presence of agents in every
county and parish is to be considered as
It war measure, opposition, or even resis~
tance, might be provoked, so that, to give
/ effect 10 their jurisdiction, troops would
! have to be stationed within reach Of every
/ ono Of them, and thus large standing
/ force be rendered necessary. Large ap-
/ preparations would therefore be required
/ to sustain and enforce military iursdic-
/ ton in every county and parish, from the
! Potomac to the Rio Grande The condi-
! ton Of our fiscal affairs is encouraging,
/ butt in order to sustain the present men-
sure Of public confidence, it is necessary
! that we practice not merely customary
/ economy, but as far as possible, severe re
1 trenchment.
THE CONFIscNTIoN OF LAND.
/ In addition to the objections already
stated, the 5.h section Of the bill proposes
I TO take LEGAL proceedings being frst had
/ contrary 10 that provision Of the Const,tu-
/ ton which declares that no person shall
/ be deprived Of life, liberty, or property
without due process Of law 1t does not
appear that the land to which this section
refers may not be owned by minors or
! persons of uns )und mind, or bv those who
/ have been faithful to all their obligations
as citizens Of the United States If any
portion Of the land is held by such per-
sons, it is not competent for any authori-
! ty to deprive them Of it If, on the other
! hand, it be found that the property be
! liable to confscation, even then it cannot
be appropriated to public purposes until,
! by due process of law, 1t shall have been
declared forfeited to the Government.
CONDITION OF TIE FREEDMEN
There are still further objections to the
/ bill on grounds seriously affecting the class
/ Of persons to whom it IS designed t0 bring
relief 1t will tend to keep the mind Of
/ the freedman in q state Of uncertain cx-
pectatIon and restless while, to those
among whom he lives, it will be source
Of constant and vague apprehension. I'm
/ doubtcdlv the freedman should be pro-
tected but should be protected by civil
authorities, especially by the exercise Of all
/ the constitutional powers Of the courts OF
/ the United States, and the States. His con
ditiOn is not so exposed as may at first be
imagined He IS in portion Of the cOun-
( try where his labor cannot well be spared.
/ Competition for his services from plant
I crs, from those who are constructing or
repairing railroads, or from capitalists in
A.. his vincjnity or from other States, viii
enable him to command almost his own
terms. He also possesses {. perfect right
to change his place Of abode; and If,
therefore he does not find in one COM
munity or State n mode Of life suited to
his desires, or proper remuneration. for
I his labor, he can move to another whore
labor Is more esteemed and better re-
warded in truth however, each State,
induced by its own wants and interests,
wi II DO what Is necessary and proper 10
retain within It's borders all the labor that
is needed for the development Of its re-
sources The laws that regulate supply
and demand viii maintain their force, and
the wages of the laborer viii be regulated
thereby There IS no danger that the great
demand for labor viii not operate in favor
Of the laJorer Neither Is sufficient con-
siIeratio1 given to the ability Of the
freedmen to protect and take care Of them
selves 1t is no more than justice to them
10 believe that. as they have received their
freedom with moderation and forIaarance,
go they viii distinguish themselves by
their industry. and VIII feel, and soon
show the world. that, in 4 condition Of
freedom. they arc selfsustaining, and capa-
bl6 Of selecting their own employment and
their own places Jf abode; OF insisting
for themselves on \ proper remuneration,
and q establishing an1 maintaining their
own asvlums and schools. tits earnestly
hoped that instead Of wasting away, they
. viii bv their efforts establish for them
selves a condition Of respectabiIity and
prosperity It IS certain that they can
attain to that condition only through then
I