The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-03-17
From the National TntelIigencerl
4 be Freedmen's Bureau---ImpOr-
tant Testimony,

it0t. mAJoI tiehIg " Lawrence, Assistant
QuaI 'teTmaster, and agent of the Freed
mem Bureau at Fayetteville, North Caro-
line. The letter was addressed to friend.
at preeent sojOurning In this city.
Major Lawrence is a gentleman OF fine
intellec tual endowments and attainments.
He belonged to the original Free-soil
party, united with the Republican party at
It's forma tion, and has ever since been. and
still Is an active and Influential member of
that party He has had much experience
in the kreedmen's Bureau, and many op-
portunities OF observing the state Of affairs
in the South as regards both whites and
bl1cks. and of forming correct opinions as
t. the best policy to be pursued. He ex-
presses his views with great frankness and
force;
FAYETTEVILLE. N. c. Feb. IA. 1865.
confess | am tired out and half worn
out with the ann0yances Of my position.
and need rest, and am so far from having
any sympathy with the views that seem to
prevail In Congress, that | am unwilling to
be even an humble instrument in aiding to
carry them out. While there was aud
could be, no law but milits ~ law, or
rather authority, the Bureau was neces-
sity to some extent But to continue 1t af-
ter the States shall have given the blacks
their civil rights seems to be the very re-
verse Of sound policy. considered simply
with reference to that. 1t will engender
hatred toward the blacks on the part of the
whites, as Il favored class to whom extra
legal protection Is given to the Federal Gov
ernment-hatred toward the Government
itself, which by this system, pronounces
the people regardless of Justice, and brands
courts, bars and juries. In advance as ready
perjurers.
II substitutes for men learned in the law,
and soon to administer it-for trial by
jury, right Of appeal-the decision of men
who, in many cases, If not most, will know
nothing Of law; who will often be preju-
diced, and some. judging from the past,
will be corrupt. 1t will incite in the blacks,
to some extent, sense of independence of
the local laws; sanction their distrust of
them, the courts and people, and certainly
can not tend to educate them In the duties
of citizens. Instead of allaying, 1t will
beget jealousy and ill-will between the
races to greater degree than now exists,
and finally produce the very evils 1t is
intended to guard against. And how such
a system can be exercised except as a tenn
porary military necessity In a conquered
country can not conceive.
1t il liable to all our old objections to the
''Fugitive-slave Law" and unlike that will
be an ever-present, ever-acting evil. and its
provisions are very incomplete for the end
proposed, unless 1t Is assumed that military
authority Is to remain paramount. For
instance. can fiue man fifty dollars, and
imprison him thirty days; but In case of
murder OF black, the district or depart
ment military commander must order trial
by court-martial Upon conviction the
case may. of course. go to the Secretary of
War for review. Such a trial Is in progress
now at Raleigh. If this system is to be re-
tanned after the States shall be reconstructed
whatever that may be--and IL this Is re-
publicanism or self-government ] shall
despair of ever being able to comprehend
the first principles Of political science. But
II State should establish such judicial
system ! think the Federal Government
might well be called upon to enforce its
guaranty of republican government to the
people Of that State.
| think 1t would be q less outrage upon
the principles OF self-government and upon
the Constitution to treat the South as con-
quered territory, and govern 1t by our ter
ritorial system, than to do what is proposed
to be done and in that case Mr.. Sumner
might secure juries composed equally of
white and black men. | felt ashamed for
myselfas an American. and for my Govern
ment, when few days ago, Judge Buxton,
of the Supreme Court OF this State, called
at my office to Inquire as TO the extent of
the Jurisdiction he would be permitted to
exercise in term he was about to hold.
The London Herald says the movement
has begun for laying the Atlantic cable
during the summer. AS at present ar
ranged the Great Eastern will carry the
new cable. will lay 1t to New Foundland,
will then coal and return to the Atlantic,
where she will with her consorts, grapple
for the lost cable. the locality Of which can
| be ascertained within a quarter of mile.
through observations taken last summer by
Captain Anderson and Captain Moriarty.
| 1t Is not intended that the part OF the old
cable which now lies In the Great Eastern's
tanks. shall be again slowed In her hold on
her outward trip II win be carried in an
other vessel until it is needed. Three ves-
sells, including the Great Eastern, will be
provided with graphing apparatus.
ILLsEss OF QUEEN VIcToRIA-The Lon
\ don correspondent of the Manchester Eo-
dnliner says: "Although | see that the
statement of her Majesty's indisposition Is
vehemently contradicted In one of the
morning papers to which one would hardly
( look for information about the court, fear
that the Pail Mall Gazette was well i'm
! formed, and that the Queen is by no means
well. She has had severe shock In the
death of Sir c. Phipps; and she is laboring
under severe and trying anxiety about
Prince Leopold. The health of his Royal
Highness Is beyond all doubt in a very
critical condition; and 1t would even be
quite safe TO use still stronger word"
NOVEL LAwSUIT.-A novel lawsuit re-
Gently came off ut Eagle Bridge. VT. IL
seems that one Jack Breese. Of Hoosick.
was skating for the drinksn at the new
hotel at IIoosick Corners, with the proprie-
tor. and losing. had not the amount neces-
: sary to liquidate the claim. whereupon
''mine host" very urbanely removed the
hat from the head Of unlucky Breese, de-
termined to apply it toward rubbing out
the debt. But Breese "couldn't see the
point" and SO brought suit against the
landlord for the recovery of the hat. as also