The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1866-07-25
VETO OF THE rnEEDnEN,s BUREAU BILL.
The President yesterday returned to the
House of Representatives the Freedman's
Bureau bill, without his signature, giving his
reasons therefor, as follows:
III the Hn1fee nf y1nnposo,f,r5ites

House OF Representatives the Freedmans
Bureau bill, without his signature, giving his
reasons therefor, as follows:
To tile House of Representatives:
A careful examination of the bill passed
by the two Houses of Congress, entitled An
act to continue in force and to amend AN
act to establish bureau for the relief of
freedmen and refugees and for other pur-
poses" has convinced me that the legislation
which it proposes would not be consistent
with the welfare of the country, and that it
falls clearly within the reasons assigned in
my message of the 18th of February last, re-
turning without my signature similar
measure, which originated in the Senate. It
is not my purpose to repeat the objections
which then urged. They are yet fresh in
your recollection, and cansbe readily EXAM
ined as part of the records of one branch
of the National Legislature Adhering to
the principles set forth in that message,
now reaffirm them, and the line of policy
therein indicated.
The only ground upon which this kind of
Legislation can he justified is that of the war
making power The act of which this bill
was intended as amendatory was passed
during the existence of the war; By its own
provisions it is to terminate within one wear
from the cessation of hostilities and the de-
claration of peace. 1t is therefore vet in ex-
istence, and il is likely that it will continue
in force as long as the freedmen may require
the benefit of its provisions. 1t will certainly
remain in operations as Il law until some
months subsequent to the meeting of the
next session of Congress, when, if experience
shall make evident the necessity of additional
legislation, the two Houses will have ample
timeto mature and pass the requisite meas
ures. In the meantime, the questions arise,
why should this war measure be continued
beyond the period designated in the original
act; and why, in time of peace, should mill
tary tribunals be created to continue until
each State shall be fully restored in its con-
stltutional relations to the Government, and
shall be duly y represented in the Congress of
the United States p 1t was manifest with
respect to the act approved March 3, 1865,
that prudence and wisdom alike required
that jurisdiction over all cases concerning the
free enjoyment of the immunities and rights
of citizenship, as well as the protection of
person and property, should be conferred
upon some tribunal in every State or district
where the ordinary course of judicial pro-
ceeding was interrupted by the rebellion, and
until the same should be fully restored. At
that time. therefore, an urgent necessity ex-
listed for the passage of some such law Now,
however, war has substantially ceased; the
ordinary course Of judicial proceedings is no
longer interrupted; the courts, both State
and Federal. are in full, complete and sue
ccssful operation, and through them every
person, regardless of race and color, is enti-
tied to. and can lie heard. The protection
granted to the white citizens is already con-
ferred by law upon the freedman; strong and
stringent guards by way of penalties and
punishments are thrown around his person
and property, and it is believed that ample
protection will he afforded him by due pro-
cess of law, without resort to the dangerous
expedient of military tribunals" now that
the war has been brought to close The
necessity nolonger existing for such tribunals,
which had their origin in the war, grave OBJ
iections to their continuance must present
to the minds of all rejecting and
men. Independently Of the
danger i'll representative republics of confer
ring upon the military in time of peace
powers-so carefully guarded
against 10y the patriots and statesmen of the
earlier days of the Republic, so frequently
5he ruin of Governments founded upon the
same tree principle, and subversive of the
rights and liberties of the citizens, the ques-
ton of practical economy earnestly COM
mends itself to the consideration of the law
making power. With an immense debt
llrcady burdening the incomes of the indus
rial and laboring classes, due regard for
heir interests, so inseparably connected with
,be welfare OF the country, should prompt us
% rigid economy and retrenchment, aud in
1uence us to abstain from all legislation that
would unnecessarily increase the public in
lebtedness. Tested by this rule of sound
political wisdom. can see no reason for the
of the 6 military jurisdiction"
conferred upon the officials of the Bureau by
lie fourteenth section of the bill.
BY the laws of the United States, and of
he different States, competent courts, Fed
'ral and State, have been established and are
low in full practical operation. By means
# these civil tribunals ample redress is af
ordct for all private wrongs, whether to the
person or the property of the citizens, with
'ut denial or unnecessary delay. They are
'pen to all, without regard to color or race.
feel well assured that it will be better to
rust the rights, privileges, and immunities
# the citizen to tribunals thus established,
nd presided over by competent and impair
ial Judges, bound by fixed rules of law and !
violence, and where the righ. of trial byjury
3 guaranteed and secured, than to the Ca
rice and judgement OF an officer Of the Bu-
eau, who, it is possible, may entirely lgnor-
mt of the principles that underlie the just |
administration of the law There is danger,
90, that conflict of jurisdiction will fre-
uently arise between the civil courts and |
hese military tribunals, each having concur |
ent jurisdiction over the person and the |
ause of action-the one judicature admin
stored and controlled by civil law, the other |
y the military. How is the conflict to be |
ettled, and who is to determine between the |
wo tribunals when it arises Inmy opinion |
Is wise to guard against such conflict by |
,aving to the courts and juries the protec- |
ion of all civil rights and the redress of all |
ivil grievances.
The fact cannot be denied, that since the |
ctual cessation of hostilities many acts of
perhaps as had never been
in their previous llistory--have,oc-
lrred in the States involved in the recent
.bellion. i believe, however, that public
,ntiment will sustain me in the, assertion
lat such deeds Of wrong are not confined to
ny particular State or section, but are |
anitested over the entire country-demon-
rating that the cause that produced them
Des not depend upon any particular locality,
ut is the result of the agitation and derange-
ent incident to a long and bloody civil
ar While the prevalence Of such disorder
ust be greatly deplored, their occasional
vi temporary occurrence would seem to
rnish no necessity for the extension of the
ureau beyond the period fixed in the origi-
i act Besides the objections which have