Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-02-27

ground of expense He declared that not for
tIeth part Of 4 900 900 had ever received the
aid of the Bureau, and quoted from Gen. How
ards report to show that but 80 900 negroes
had been aided and Al 900 whites and that
the number was certainly decreasing, so tina. in
December last the number was reduced to l7,OOO
He alluded to the testimony of Gen. Fisk, As
sistant Commissioner for Tennessee, showing
that less than 200 orphan children and aged per-
SONS are the only negroes receiving aid that IN
four months the cost of ratons was reduced from
S95 900 to S., 900, and that of 25 600 persons
fed, II 500 were whites. The effect of the bu-
reau, he asserted, was to decrease the cost of
supporting both freedmen and refugees 1T had
invariably had this effect, reducing the amount
which had been distributed by army commits
saries and actually decreased the expense which
the dictates of humanity IN the army had ocoa-
stoned In reply to the suggestion of the Pres
ident, that while the freedman should be pro-
tecteG it should be throug b the civil power OF
the courts, he referred to the enactments of the
Legislature Of Mississippi, which prohibited the
holding or leasing of land by freedmen, giving
to the whites, in certain cases, power over their
persons, and in other respects inirInsing on
their natural rights. He showed that In some
localities they were not permitted 10 hlre tnein-
selves out without the consent OF their former
masters, and were restricted in their rights to
travel, and whipped if found away from their
for the freedmen In the courts or the laws OF the
rebelious states, and without this they would
be despoiled of all their rights. He thought it
extraordinary that the President, In giving his
opinion that the bill was unconstitutional, had
made no mention of that clause under which Its
friends especially claimed its authorization, the
second clause of the Amendment abolishing
slavery and, instead of standing in doubt as
to its constitutionality, he felt that he should
have failed in his constitutional duty if he had
refused to favor it.
ln considering the last objection, the absence
OF representatives of the states affected by its
provisions, he held that il it valid Congress
had no right to pass law levying direct taxes
upon those states no right to declare those states
IN rebellion, to pass law to blockade their
ports.
Mr.. Cowan asked why he Mr.. TrumbulD did
not quote what the President said of the reason
for passing those laws?
Mr.. TRuMBULL-I read it. Did not the SEN
ator hear me? " Because they were contuma-
ciously engaged in the rebellion" He further
debated the status of the rebel states, holding
that for national purposes they were IN the In
ION, but tor state purposes were not, having no
organization III accordance with the Union.
MR. CowAN-W hat would you do with rebels
il they submit
Mr.. TRUABULL-lf big rebels, would hang
them Applause in the galleries. In conclu-
sion he said that be thought he acting In
harmony with the views OF the President In his
efforts in perfecting this bill; that 1t was not
only constitutional and necessary to carry out
the very provisions of that Con stitution; but
that without 1t the freedmen would be tyran-
nzed over and enslaved.