The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1866-02-28

this section refers may net be owned by
minors, or Peasons Of unsoand mind, or BY
those who have been faithful TO all their
obligations.as citizens Of the United States
II any portion Of the land is held by such
persons, It is not competent for any su,ho-
rity to deprive them Of it. If, on the 9th.
er hand, It is found that the property /,
liable TO confiscation, even then it annot
be appropriated to public purposes until
by due process Of Law it shall have been
declared forfeited to the Government.
There is stillfurther objection to the bill
on grounds seriously affecting the class Of
persons to whom il is designed to bring re.
lief. 1t will tend to keep the mind of the
freedman in state of uncertain erpecia-
tion and resllessness, while to those amony
whom he lives il will bea source Of con-
slant and vague apprehension.
Undoubtedly the freedman should be
protected. but he should be protected by
the civil authorities, especially by the el.
erclse Of all the constitutional powers of
the courts of the United States and Of the
States. His condition is not SO exposed
as may at first be imagined. He is in !
portion Of the country where his labor can
not be spared. Competition for his SER
vices from planters, IRON those who are
constructing or repairing railroads, or from
capitalists in bis own vicinage or from 9TH
er States, will enable him TO command al
most his own terms. He also possesses a
perfect right to change his place Of abode.
and if, therefore, he does not find in one
community or State mode of life suited
to his desires. or proper remuneration for
his labor, he can move to another where
that labor is more esteemed and better re :
warded. 4.sf
In truth, however. each State. induced
BY its own wants and interest, willdo whs,
is necessary and proper to retain within IL,
borders all the labor that is nesdful for the
development Of its resources. The laws
,hatregulate supply and demand will main
tain their furce. and the wages of the Ia
borer will be regulated thereby. There il
no danger that The exceedingly great de-
mand for labor will not operate in favor Of
the laborer.
Neither IS sufficient consideration piyen
to the ability Of the fresdmen to. protect
and take care Of themselves. II is no more
than justice to them to believe that, as they
have received their freedom with modera-
tion and forbearance, SO they will distin-
guish themselves by their Industry and
thrift, and soon show the world that in a
condition freedom they are. sslf-sustaining.
capable Of selecting their own employ msnt
and their own places Of abode of insisting
Tor themselves on proper remunera tion.
and Of establishing and maintaining their
own asylums and schools. 1t is earnestly
hoped that instead Of wasting away, they
will by their own efforts establish Coz them m
selves q condition Of respectability and
prosperity. Ii is certain that they can at
tain to that condition only through their
own merits and exertions. In this con-
nection the query presents itself, whether
the system proposed by the bill will not,
when put into complete operation, practi-
cally transfer the entire care, support, and
control of four millions Of emancipated
slaves to agents, overssers, or taskmasters.
who, appointed at Washington. are to be
located 10 every county and parish through
out the Uniied States containing freed men
and refugees. Such system would in-
evitably tend 10 concentration Of pow
er III the Executive, which would enable
him, il SO disposed. 10 control the actisn
OF this numerous class, and use them for
the attainment of his own political ends.
| cannot but add another very grave ob-
jection to this bill. The Constitatiop i'm
peratively declares, in connection with
taxation, that each State SHALL have at least
one Representative. and likes the rule for
the number to which, 10 future times. each
State shall be entitled. Ii also provides
that the Senate OF the United States SHALL
be composed of two Senator's frsm each
State. and adds. with peculiar force. I" that
no State, without its consent, shall be de-