The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-03-02
NUMBER, 42

cused shall enjoy the right to a spec
dy and public trial by an impartial
Jury Of tho State or district where
the crime shall have been commit.
ted. " The safeguards which the ex-
perience and wisdom Of ages taught
our fathers to establish as securities
for the protection Of the innocent, the
punishment of the guilty, and the
equal administration ofjustice, are 70
be set aside, and for the sake Of amore
vigorous interposition, in behalf Of
justice, we are to take the risk Of the
many acts Of injustice that would ne
cessarily follow from an almost count
less number Of agents, established in
every parish or county in nearly
third Of the States Of the Union, over
whose decision there is to be no su-
pervision or control by the Federal
courts The power that would bo
thus placed in the hands Of the Pres
identis such as in time Of peace GER
tainly ought never tobe entrusted 10
any one man. 7eGab 3au a
uIfit5be asked whether the creation
Of such eatribunal within a State is
warranted as q measure Of war, the
question Immediately presents ITSELF
whether we are still engaged in war;
Letsps not unnecessarily disturb tho
commerce, and credit, and industry
of the country by declaring to the
American people and to the world,
that the United States is still in CON
dftion Of civil war. AT present thero
is no part Of our countryin which the
authority Of the United States are
still in q condition of civil war; At
present there is no part Of our coun-
try III which the authority ofthe Uuis
ted States is disputed. Offences that
may be q committed by individuals
should not work a forfeiture of the
rights of whole communities. The
country has returned or is returning
to state Of peace and industry, and
the rebellion sin fact at an end. The
measured therefore, seems to be as in
consistent with, the actual condi7
dition Of the country as it is at vari-
aneea with tho Constitution Of tho
United States. So, ,.f...,a..,,
If passing from general considera-
tions, we examine the bill in detail, it
is open to weighty objections.
In time ofwar it was eminently prop
er that we should provide for those
who are passing suddenly from q con-
dition Of Bondage to a state. Of free
dom. But this bill proposesto mako
the Freedmen's Bureau, established
by the act Of 1855 as one of many
great and extraordinary military
measures to suppress formidable re-
bellion,a permanent branch Of the
public administration, with it's powers
greatly enlarged l have no reason
10 suppose, and do not understand
it to be- alleged, that the act March
1865, has proved deficient for the
purpose for which it was passed, al
though at that time, and for consid-
cradle period thereafter, the Govern
ment Of tho United States remand
unacknowledged in most Of the States
whose inhabitants had been involved
in rebellion. The institution ofslave-
ry, for the military destruction Of
which the Freedmen's Bureau was
called into existence as auxiliary, has
been already effeetually and finally
abrogated throughout the whole coun-
try, byan amendment oftho Consti-
tuition of tho United States, and prac-
tically its eradication has received
assent and concurrence Of most of
those States in which it at any time
had an existence am not, there
fore, able to discern in the condition
of the country anything to justify an
apprehension that the powers and
agencies of the Freedmen's Burean,
which were effective for the protec-
ton Of freedmen and refugees'during
the actual continuance OF hostilities
and the African servitude, will now,
| in timo Of peace and after the aboli-
tion of slavery, prove inadequate to
the same proper ends. If am cor.
rect in these views there cah be no
necessity for the enlargement of tho
powers of the Bureau, for which pro-
vision is made in the bill
The third section oftho bill author.
/ ICES a general and unlimited grant Of
support TO tho destitute and suffering
refugees and freedmen, their wives
and children. Succeeding sections
make provision for the rent or pur-
chuse oflanded estates for freedmen,
! and for the erection for their benefit
! Of suitable buildings for asylums and
!. schools, the expenses to be betrayed
. from tho treasury of the whole people.
! The Congress ofthe United States has
, never heretofore thought itself en-
powerd TO establish asylums, beyond
ri The limits Of the District Of Columbia,
except for tho benefit Of our disabled
| soldiers and sailors. 1t has never
, founded schools for any class Of our
own people-not even for tho orphans
ofthoso Who have fallen in the de-
fence Of the Union, but has left the
o. A.. -. .sssol. - Ara.