The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1866-03-01
PRESIDENTS VETO MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.

which originated in 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 and refugees, and
for other purposes"
Having with much regret como to
the conclusion that it would not be
consistent with the public welfare to
give my approval TO the measure,
return the bill to the Senate with my
objections to its becoming law. 1
might call to mind, in advance of these
objections, that there is no immediate
necessity for the proposed measure.
The act to establish a bureau for the re-
lief of freedmen and refugees, which
was approved in the month of March
last, has not yet expired. 1t was
thought stringent and extensive enough
for the purpose in view. Before it
ceases to have effect, further experience
may assist to guide us to a wise conclu-
sion as to the policy to be adopted in a
time of peace.
I have, with Congress, the strongest
desire to secure to the freedmen the
full enjoyment of their freedom and
their property, and their entire indie
pendence and equality, in making con-
tracts for their labor. But the bill be-
fore me contains provisions, which, in
my opinion, are not warranted by the
Constitution, and are not well suited
to accomplish the end in view. The
bill proposes to- establish by authority
tof Congress, military jurisdiction
over all parts of the United States, con-
tanning refugees and freedmen. 1t
would, by its very nature, apply with
most force to those parts of the United
States, in which the freedmen most
abound, and it expressly extends the
existing temporary jurisdiction of the
Freedmen's Bureau, with greatly en-
larged powers, over those States in
which the ordinary course of judicial
proceedings has been Interrupted by
the rebellion, The source from which
this military jurisdiction is to emanate
is none other than the President Of the
United states, acting through the War
Department, and the Commissioner of
the Freedmen's Bureau. The agents
to carry out this military jurisdiction,
are TO be selected either from the army,
or from civil life. Tho country is to
be divided. into districts and sub-dis-
tricts, and the number Of salaricd
agents to be employed may be equal to
the number of counties or parishes in
all the United States, where the freed
men and refugees are to be found. The
subjects over which this military juriS-
diction is to extend in every part OF
! the United States, include protection
to all employees, agents, and officers of
this bureau in the exercise of the dC-
ties imposed upon them by the bill.
In eleven States, it is further to extend
over all cases affecting the freedmen
and refugees, 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 q freedmen of any civil
rights or immunities belonging to
white persons, to Imprisonment or
fine, or both, without, however, defin-
ing the civil rights and immunities
which are thus to be secured to the
freedmen by military law. This mill
tary jurisdiction also extends to all
questions that may arise respecting
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, and exposed to
| errors Of judgment to which all men
are liable. The exercise of power over
which there is no legal supervision, by
SO vast number Of agents, as is con-
templated by the bill, must, by the
very nature OF man, be atteEdad by
acts Of caprice, injustice and passion
The trials, having their origin under
this bill, are take place without thein.
teryention Of a jury, and without any
fixed rules of law or evidence. The
rules on which offences are to be heard
and determined by the numerous
agents, are such rules and regulations
as the President through the War De
partment- shall describe. No previOu:
presentmcnt is1fcquircd, nor any in
dictment charging the commission Of 6
crime against the laws, but the tria
must proceed on charges and specifiCa
tions.. The punishment will not be as
the law declares, but such as q cour
martial may think proper; and from
these arbitrary tribunals there lies M
appeal, no writ of error to any of the
courts in which the Constitution of thC
4 United States vests exclusively the ju
diciala power of the country, while the
A TERRITORY and the class of actions anC
Offences that are made subject to thi,
measure, are so extensive. The bill
itself, should 1t become n law, will
have no limitation in point of time
] but will form part of the .permanen
Legislation of the country. i eanno
reconcile a system Of military jurldic
Etion of this kind, with the words o
1.-THE Constitution which declare tina
Wno person shall ba held to answer 70
h ,ta,capital' or otherwise Infamous crime
unless on a presentment or indictmen
of Grand Jury, except in cases aris
, ing i'm thesland or naval forces, or il
: the militia, when in actual service, il
time. of war or public danger" ap'
/ that 1in-alI criminal prosecutions, tn
, accused shalt enjoy the right to
a I,nooJ,, ard nuhIin trial nv n N j,,,No