The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1866-02-27
Freednlsn's Bureau Bill.

/ h'oVehVb butOuu Oiiis
VETO MESSAGE OF THE pREsIDEST.,
President johnson, on Monday, sent
tho following Message in tothe United
States Senate:
TO the Senate 70 the United ,States:
l have examineI with care the bill
which originated in the Senate, and has
been passed by the two Houses of. Con.
gress, to amend an act entitled "Ap act
to establish Bureau for the relief of
Freedmen and Refugees, and for ,other
purposes. Having with much regret
come to the coRclusion that it would not
be consistent with the public welfare
to give my approval to tho measure, 1
return the bill to the Senate with my
objections to its becoming law. +
might call to mind. in advance of these
objections, that there is no immediate
necessity for the proposed measufc. The
act to. establish. n Bureau for the. relief
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 in time Of war. Before
it ceases TO have effect, furthcs expert
ence, may asisst to guide. US to. a wise
conclusion as to the policy to be adopted
in time OF peace. l share with Con.
gress the strongest desire TO secure to
the freedmen the full enjoyment of their
freedom and their prosperity, and their
onslre Independence and equality in ma.
ing contracts. for sher labor; but the
bill before a,e contains provisions which,
in my opinion, afe not warranted by the
Constitution: and are ncS we'll suited to
accomplish the end in view. Tie bill
proposes to establish, by authority Of
Congress. military jurisdiction over all
parts Of the United States containing
refugees and freedmen. 1t would, by
its nature, apply with most force to
those parts Of the United States in which
the freedmen most abound, and it express.
ly extends the existing temporary juris.
diction of the Freedmon's Bureau with
greatly enlarged powers over those
States in which the ordinary conrse Of
judicial proceedings has been interrupt.
ed by the rebellion. The source from
which this military jurisdiction is to emf.
nate is none other than the President of
the United States, acting through the
War Department aud the CoE,,nission.
ers of the Freedmen's Bureau. The
agents to carry ont this military iuris.
diction are 10 be selected either from the
army or from civil life. The country is
to Le' divided into districts and sub.dis.
.sicts, and the number of salaried agents
co be employed may be equal, to tbe
number OF counties or parishes in all the
United States where freedmen and refu.
gees are to be found, The subjects over
which THIS military jurisdiction is to ex.
tend in;every part Of the United States
includes protection to all employees,
agents and officers Of this Bureauin the
exercise Of the dnties imposed upon
them by the, bill. In eleven States Il is
further to ewehd over all cases affect.
ing freedmen and refngees, dlscriminat
ed against by local law, custom or pre-
judice. I'm those eleven States the bill
subjects any white person who may be
charged with depriying q freedman of
any civil rights or immunitieSs belonging
TO white persons, to imprisonment or
fine, es beth; without, however, defn.
ing the civil rights and immunilies
which are thus to be securedsto the
freedmenlby military law. This militia.
~ jurisdiction also extends to all ques.
tons shat may arise respecting contracts.
The agent who is thus to exercise the
oikce OF q military Judge, ,maygb be a
stranger, entirely, ignorant of the laws
of the place, and exposed to the errors
ofjudgmsnt to which all men are liable.
The exercise Of poweriover which there
fisno legal 'supervisiop, BY so vast a
number ofagonts as Is contemplated by