The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-07-18

III InS OIISlAd1 dCO buuf why III UhO
time of peace, should military tribu- |
mails be created to continue until each |
State shall be fully restored in Its
constitutional relations to the Gov
ernment, and shall be duly represent
ed in the Congress of the United |
States? It was manifest with respect
to the act approved March Sd, 1866,
that prudence and wisdom alike
required that jurisdiction over all
cases concerning the free enjoyment
of the immunities and rights OF
citizenship. as we'll as the protection
of person and property, should be
conferred upon some tribunal inevery
State or district where the. ordinary
course of judicial proceeding is no
longer interrupted The Courts, both
State and Federal, are in full, com
plete and successful operation, and
through them every person, regardless
of, race and color, is EMIT ed to a
hearing, and can be heard. The pro-
lection granted to the white citizen IS
already conferred by law upon the
freedmen. Strongan stringent guards
| by, way. Of penalties and punishments,
are thrown around his person and
property, and it is believed that ample
! protection. viii be afforded him by due
/ process of law, without resort to the
/ dangerous eXpedient of military tribu-
nails. Now that the war has been
brought to close, and the necessity
no longer existing for such tribunals,
which had their origin in the war,
grave objections to their continuance
present themselves to all rejecting
and dispassionate minds.
independently of the danger in rep
I Fresentative. republics of conferring
/ upon the military in time of peace
extraordinary. powers, so carefully
i guarded against by the patriots and
statesmen of the early days of the re-
public, so frequently the ruin of
4 Governments formed upon the same
free principles and the subversiOn of
the rights and liberties of the citizen,
: the question of practical econ omy
earnestly commends itself to the CON
A sideration of the law making power.
: With. an immense debt, already bur-
dening the incomes of the industrial
and laboring classes, due regard for
their interests, SO inseparably con-
nected with the welfare of the coun-
try should impel US to rigid economy
and influence us to abstain from all
legislation that would unnecessarily
increase the public indebtedness.
: Tested by this rule of sound political
wisdom, [ can see no reason for the
establishment of the only jurisdiction
conferred upon the officials of the
Bureau by the fourteenth section Of
, the bill.
By the laws Of the United States
( aad of the different States, competent
courts, Federal and State, have been
established and are now in full prac-
tical operation By means of these
e court tribunals ample redress is afi
: forded for all private wrongs, whether
o to the person or the property of The
b citizen, without denial or unnecessary
: delay. They are open to all, without
Il regard to color or race. | feel well as
! sured that it would be better to trust
4 the rights, privileges and immunitie
O of citizens to tribunals thus establish
e ed, and presided over by competen
i and patriotic judges, bound by fixeC
4 rules of law and evidence, and wher'
' the right of trial by jury is guaranteed
|. and secured, than in the caprice o
o Judgment of an officer of the Bureau
h who it is possible, may be entirely g
st norant of the principles that underli'
q the just administration of the, law.
W There is danger, too, that conhic
d of jurisdiction will frequently aris
v between the civil Courts and thes
military tribunals, each having con
~ currentjurisdiction over the person
E.. and the cause, of action; the on
l. jurisdiction administered and enrollet
lie by civil law, the other by military
% How is the conflict to be settled, an,
who is to determine between the tw
II tribunals when it arises? In m
$. opinion it is wise to guard agains
e. such conflicts by leaving to the Cour
i and juries the protection of all civi
ID rights, the redress of all civil griev
IS ances The fact cannot be deniet
N that since the actual cessation of hos
4 tilities, many acts of violence, such
l. perhaps, as had never been witnesse
le in their previous history, have ot
le CURED in the States involved in tn
Q. recent rebellion I believe, however
s. that public sentiment will sustain m
e. In the assertion that such deeds O
le wrong are not confined to any PAL
ey ticular State or section, but are mani
Id tested over the entire country, demon
of strating that the cause that produce
"a them does not depend upon any par
ne ticular locality but is the result Of tn
l agitation and arrangement incident t
cy a long and bloody war. While th
prevalence of such disorders must
ne greatly deplored, their occasional an
is temporary recurrence would seem I
be furnish no necessity for the extensio
as OF the Bureau beyond the period fxe
x in the original bill.
@ Besides the objections I have thr
ne brlefyy stated, L may urge upon you
es consideration the additional reaso
is, that recent deyelopements in regar