The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1866-02-28

and freedmen received support from the
Government, but it was never intended
they should henceforth be fed, clothed,
educated and sheltered by the United
States. The idea on which the slaves
were assisted to freedom was, that on be.
coming free they would be, a self,sustain-
ing population. Any legislation that
shall imply they are mot expected to at
tain. q self sustaining condition must have
a tendency injurious alike to their char.
acter and their prosperity. tss, aq ~
The appointment Of an agent for every
county and parish will create an immense
patronage, and the expense Of the numer-
Gus officers and their clerks to be appoint
ed by the President will be great in the
beginning, with tendency steadily to in.
crease. The appropriations asked by the
Freedmen's Bureau, as now established,
for the year 1866 amount to Sll, ,745,000.
1t may be safely estimated that the cost
to be incurred under the pending bill will
require double that amount more than
the entire sum expended in any one year
under the administration Of the second
Adams. If the presence Of agents in
every parish and county is to be consid-
cred as war measure, opposition, or
even resistance, might be provoked, SO
that to give effect to their jurisdiction,
troops would have to be stationed within
reach of every one Of them, and thus a
large standing force be rendered neces,
sary. Large appropriations would, there.
fore, be required to sustain and enforce
military jurisdiction in every county and
parish from the Potomac to the Rio
Grande. The condition Of our fiscal af.
fairs is encouraging, but, in order to sus-
tain the present measure Of public conf.
dence, it is necessary that we practice,
not mere customary economy, but, as far
as possible, severe retrehchment.
In addition to the objections already
statr d, the fifth section Of the bill pro.
poses to take away land from its owners,
without legafproceedings, and is contrary
to that provision of the Constitution
which declares that emo persons shall be
deprived of life, liberty or property, with.
out due process of law tt does not ap.
pear that the lands, to which this section
refers, may not be owned by miners OF
persons of unsound mind, or by those who
have been faithful to all their obligations
as citizens of the United States. If any
portion of the land is held by such per.
sons, it is not competent for any authori
ty to deprive them of it. If, on the 9th
er hand, j. be found that the properiy.is
liable to confscation, even then it can moi
be appropriated to public purposes until
by due process of law, it shall have been
declared forfeited to the Government.
There are stillfurther objections to the
bill, on grounds seriously affecting the
class Of persons to whom it is designed
to tring relief. twill tend to keep the
mind of the frSedman,in state OF un.
certain expectation and resilessness, while
to those among whom he lives it will be
a source Of constant and vague apprehen
sion Undoubtedly the freedmen should
be protected; but they should be pro
tecied by the civil authorities, especially
by the exercise Of all the constitutions
powers Of the courts Of the United States
and of the States His condition is moi
so exposed rs may at first be imagined
He is in a portion Of the country where
his labor can not well be spared, Com
petition for his service from planters
from those who are constructing or re
pairing railroads, or from capitalists, in
his vicinity, or from other States, will en-
able him to command almost his owr
terms lie also possesses perfect right
to change bis place Of abode, and if
therefore, he does not find in one commu
nifty or State a mode Of life suited to his
desires, or proper remuneration for hi'
labor, he can move to another where Ia
Dor is more esteemed and better reward
cd. In truth, however, each State, in
duced by its own wants and interests, viii
do what is necessary and proper to retain
within its borders all the labor that il
needed for the development Of our re-
sources. The laws that regulate supply
and demand will maintain their force
and the wages of the laborer will be reg
ulated thereby. There is no danger thai
| Tho great demand for labor will not oper
alto in favor of the laborer. Neither il
sufficient consideration given to the abil
ity Of the freedmen to protect and TAKE
care of themselve. II is no more thar
Justice to them to believe that, as they
have received their freedom with moder
alton and forbearanco, they will distin
guish themselves by their industry; ant
they feel, and will soon show the world
THAT in condition Of freedom they ar,
self sustaining and capable Of selecting
their own employment and their owr
places Of abode, Of insisting, for them
selves, on a proper remuneration, and o.
establishing and maintaining their owl
asylums and schools. It is earnestly
hoped that instead Of wasting away, thel
Twill, by their own efforts, establish fol
| themselves condition Of respectability
and prosperity. 1t is certain they cal
attain 10 thpt condition only through
their own merits and exertions. In thi
connection tho query presents itself
whether the system nroposed bv The bill