The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-03-02
Our 9latiuual Trial,
THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU BILL
VETOED BY THE PRESIDENT.
HIS MESSAGE no THE SENATE.

To tie Senate of the United States:
have examined with care the bill which
originated i'll the Senate, and has been
passed by both Houses OF Congress, to
amend an act entitled, An act to establish
bureau for the relief of freedmen aud
refugees, and for other purposes"
Having with much regret come to the
conclusion that it would not be consistent
with the public welfare to give my approv-
al to the measure, return the bill to the
Senate with my objections TO its becoming
a law. might call to mind, in advance OF
these objections, that there is no immediate
necessity for the proposed measure. The
act to establish bureau Tor the relief of
freedmen and refugees which was approved
in the month of March last, has not yet eX-
pired. 1t was thought stringent and cXten
sive enough for the purpose in view. Be
fore it CO ases to have effect, further expert
ence may assist to guide us to a wise con-
clusion as TO the policy to be adopted i'll a
tine of peace
/ have, with Congress, the strongest de-
sire to secure to the freedmen the full en-.
joymcnt of their freedom and their property,
and their entire independence and equality,
in making contracts for their labor. But
the bill before me contains provisions,
the Constitutions and are not well suited to
accomplish the end in view. The bill pro-
poses to establish by authority sf Congress,
military jurisdiction over all parts of the
United States, Containing refugees and
freedmen. 1t would, by it's very nature,
apply with most force to those parts of the
United States, in which the freedmen most
abound, and it expressly extends the ex
iSti tatnnnrarV iuri sdiptiOn of the Eraed-
mems Bureau, with greatly enlarged pow
ers, over those States in which the ordinary
course of judicial proceedings have been
interrupted by the rebellion. The source
from which this military jurisdiction is to
emanete is none other than the President of
the United States, acting through the War
Department, and the Commissioner Of the
Fleedmem's Bureau. The agents to carry
out this military jurisdiction. are to be Sc
lected either from the army, or from civil
life. The country is to be divided into dis.
tricts and subdistricts, and the number of
salalied agents to be employed may be
equal to the number OF counties or parishes
in all the United States, where the freedmen
and refugees are to be found. The subjects
over which this military jurisdiction is to
extend in every part of the United States,
include protection to all employees, agents,
and officers of this bureau III the exercise OF
the duties imposed upon them by the bill.
In eleven States, it is further 10 extend over
all cases affecting the freedmen aud refu-
gees, Disseminated against by the local law,
custom or prejudice. In those eleven
States the bill subjects any white person
who may be charged with depriving a
freedman of any civil rights or immuuilies
belonging to white persons, to imprison-
ment or fine, or both, without however, de-
fuiug the civil rights ard immunities which
are thus to be secured to the freedmen by
military law. This military jurisdiction also
extends to all questions that may arise re-
specting contracts. The agent who is thus
to exercise the Office of a Military Judge,
may be a stranger, entirely ignorant of the
laws of the place, aud exposed TO errors Of
judgment TO which all men are liable. The
exel else of power, over which there is no
legal supervision, by so vast a number of
agents, as is contemplated by the bill, must,
by the very nature Of man, be attended by
acts of caprice injustice and passion. The
trials, having their origin under this bill,
are to take place without the interN entlon
OF a Jury, and without any fixed rules of
law or evidence. The rules Oh which OF
lenses are to lie heard aud determined by
the rdmerous agents, are such rules and
regulations as the President through the
W5r Department shall prescribe, No pre-
vious presentment is required, nor any in
dictment charging the commission OF a
crime against tue laws, but tire trial mnst
proceed on charges and specifications. The
punishment will not be as the law declares,
but such as court martial may think prop
er aud from these arbitrary tribunals there
lies 10 appeal, no writ of error to any Of the
courts in which the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States vests exclusively the judicial
power Of the country, while the territory
and the class Of actions and offences that
are made subject to this measure, are so
extensive. The bill itself, should il become
!. / ~ Mill hnvn IN linntaiinn In mint of