Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-02-27

1
nhas returned;andis is returning to d a. state OF
! peace and industry, and.the rebellion is, in
fact, at.an 'ena:s The 'f,eisttre, therefore,
seems to be as INCONSISTENT with the actual
| condition, Of the country as it is at variance
| with the'C Constitution Of the United States.
4I1f passing fr0iii general considerations we
examine the bilin detail, it is open 10 weighty
objections. Il, time of 97ilr it was eIlinently
proper that We should pr6yide for those who
| were passing suddenly from u: condition of
bondage to u state 6f' freedom; but this bill
proposes to, make the 'E'reedtaen's Bureau
established blythe act of 1868 as on4 OF
many great and Is extraordinary military mea.
sures to suppress torlnidabe rebellion, a
permanent branch of the public admin stra-
I ton, with its powers grehtiy enlarged. |
have no reason 10 suppose, and, l do not
understand 1t to be tlteced, that the act of
/ March, 1863, has proved deficient for the
purpose for which 1t. was passed, although ut
that time, aud for a considerable period
| thereafter, the Government of the United
! States remained unuckmlwiedged in most OF
the States whose inhabitants had been Involy-
cdi the rebellion. The institution of slavery.
for the military destruction Gt' which the
freedmens Bureau WIS called into existence
as an auxil;ury, has been already effectualiy
aud haally abrogatcd throughout the who:c
SSohNIO - tAA' uttISGuEhSuL Vi tue CONSTITUTION
of.thc United States, and practically, its
eradication h;rs received the assent and con.
currence ofmpst Of those States in which it
at any time had an existence. am not
therefore, able to discern in the condition OF
the cchutfy anything to Justify an apprehen-r
sIeh that the powers and agencies of the
Fteednep's Bureau, which were effective
Tor the protection of freedmen and refugees
during the actual continuance Of hostiities
and OF African servItude, will now. in the
dawn Of peace and after the abolition of
slavery, prove inadequate to the same proper
cnds. Ii am correct in these views, there
eau be No necessity tor the enlargement of the
powers OF the Bureau for which provision is
made in the bill. f.. -.-..
The third section of the bill authorizes a
general aud unliNIted grant of support to
the destitute and suffering refugees and
freedmen, their wives and children. Sue
ceedIng sections make provision for the rent
or purchase Of landed estates for freedmen.
and for the erection for their benefit of sui.
table buildings for asyltnJ and schools, the
expenses to ie betrayed from the Treasury
OF the whole people. The Congress of the
United States has never heretofore thought
itself empowered to establish asylums beyCud
the limits OF the District OF Columbia, except
for the benefit Of our disabled soldiers and
sailors. 1t has never founded such schools
for any class OF our own people. not even for
the orphans OF those who have fallen in the
defence OF the CnOn but has lett the care OF !
education to the much more competent and
efficient control Of the. States OF commuui-
ties OF private associations and Of individuals. !
1t has never deemed itself authorized to ex- |
pend the public money for the rent or pur.
chase OF rooms for the thousands, not to saw |
millions, OF the white race who are honestly |
r., y. L
Asyums for the support of INDECENT per-
sons i'll the United States was never con!em-
plated by the authors Of the Constitution.
Nor Can any good reason be adduced why a
permanent establishment should be teunded |
for one Glass Ot gu: people more than for an
other bendIng the war, many refugees |
and freedmen received support from the Go. |
vernmeut, but it WIS never intended they
should henceforth be fed, clothed, cdrcateI
and sheltered by the United States. The
idea ON which the slaves were assis cd to free
dom Was that on becoming free they would
be seil-sustaiulng population. Any legis-
latlOn that shall imply that they are not ex-
pcc;ed to attain u SelfsuStainng condition.
must have tsndency inj ur:ous alike to their
character and their prospects,. TKt appoint
ment OF an agent for every county anu parish
Will create an nuieuse patronage, and the cx-
pettse OF the numerous officers and their clerks,
to appointed by the President, Will be great
in the Beginning, with !. tendency steadily to
increase. The appropriations asked by the
trGedmenS Bureau, as now established tor
the year 1866, amount to SI1,745. .UUu. 1t
may be safely Estimated that the cost to be iu-
ctrrcd under the pending bill Will rcGui
double that amount, more tnan the entire sum
eSpcndrd III ai'y one year under Administers
tim of the second AGau,s. II the presence
OF agents IN every parish ana county is to be
considered as measure, opposition or
even resistance might be provoked, SO that
10 give effect to their jurisdicIiOn troops would
have to be Stationed within reach ofevery one
of them, and thus Il large stand ny force would
be rendered necessary. Large appropriations
would, therefore, be required to sustain and
enforce military jurisdiction iu every county
or parish from the Potomac to the Rio Grandc
Tie condition OF ourfscal affairs is eucourag-
ing, but i'll order to sustain the present mea-
sure Of public confidence it is necessary we
prHtiee. not merely customary economy, but as
far as possible, severe retrepchment.
In addition to the objections already stated,
the fifth section of the bill proposes to take
away land irOtn its former owners without
any legal proceedings being first had. coutr;l-
ry to that provision of the Constitution which
declares that no person shall be deprived of
life, liberty, or property, without due process
OF law. 1t does not appear that part of the
iahcS 10 which this section refers may not be
owned by miuors or persons of unsound mind,
or by those who have been faithful to all
their obligations citizens of the United
States. lfany portion of the land is held by
snct persons; it is not competent for any au-
thorlty to deprive them of It,, II, cn the
other I.l, hand, It be found that the property is
liable 10 confscation even then it cannot be
appropriated to public purposes until, by due
process OF law, it shall have been declared
forfeited to the Gosernment There is, still
frrtlrDe objection to the, bill on grounds Sc
rinlIslY nfTnctinr thn g. Ae ls-ss2.s 2 .. -.