Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-02-27

cd to take charge of it, chiefly from the
army. Since that time the conflict of war
has ceased; and there are still on our hands
some Of these destitute people who must be
provided tor-a far less number than would
have been upon our hands II no system had
been devised for taking care Of them, for
finding them employment and settling them
upon tracts of hand wherever il may be OBJ
tanned. And undertake TO say that there
has been saved to the Government millions
OF money by the establishment of the system
through which employment has been found
for these people, and they have been made
selt-supporting, who would otherwise have
been entirely dependent upon the bounty
oil the Government for support. Since
the Freedmen's Bureau was organized, an
amendment has been adopted to the Consti-
tuition Of the United States declaring that
Slavery shall not exist anywhere within its
jurisdiction. BY virtue of that enactment,
hundreds of thousands of slaves have become
Tree; they have become free in the midst Of
hostile population; they have become free
without any of this worlds goods, not own
ing even the hats upon their heads, or the
coats on their backs; without any supplies
of any kind, or anywhere to obtain the next
meal to save them from starvation. Some
thing must be done to take care of these peo-
pic, and the Freedmen's Bureau has been
endeavoring TO do that something. Now,
sir, the Freedmens Bureau has not had
jurisdiction over these four millions of peo-
pie. Its work has been confined to Il small
compass, as ! shall presently show by the
official record, and this measure which comes
TO us denounced as unconstitutional, as
great public charity, as an institution de
signed to feed, clothe, take care of, and fur
nish homes for 4,0000 900 Of people, is design
ed only to fnd employment for these destitute
these ignorant, these unprOvided-for people,
who are few in number compared with the
great number Of blacks in the whole country,
and not simply for the freedmen and for the
refugees; and before sit down ! will show
that more white refugees, in many instances,
have received support and supplies from the
Government from this Froedmcn's Bureau
than blacks have. The President in his veto
message says there is no immediate necessity
for the proposed measure. He says the Act
which was passed te establish a bureau for
the relief of freedmen and refugees, in the
month of March last, has not vet expired
1t was thought stringent and expensive
enough, says the President, for the purpose
in view at the time of war. Now, sir, when
will that act expire? What was ii? II pro-
vided in its first section that there is hereby
established in the War Department, to con
tinue during the present War OF Rebellion,
and for one year thereafter, Bureau OF
refugees, freedmen and abandoned lands
By the terms of the act it was to continue
during the War of the Rebellion and one
year thereafter. Now, sir, when did the
War of the Rebellion cease? Why, so far
as the conflict of arms is concerned, all adj
nit that the war ceased when the last Rebel
army laid down its arms That was some
time in the month of May when the Rebel
army in Texas surrendered 10 the Union
iorees; so that the present bureau must by
its own Limitation have expired within one
year from the time when the war ceased
do not hold that the consequences of the war
are over do not undei stand that peace is
restored with all its consequences. We have
not yet escaped from the evils inflicted by
the war. Peace and harmony are not yet
restored. But the War of the Rebellion is
over, aud this Bureau must expire in May
next according to the terms of the act that
was passed on the Sd OF March, 1865, and
according to the views of the President as
expressed in his veto message The Presi-
| dent says il was thought stringent and ex.
pensive enough for the purpose in view in
time of war. Why, sir, what was the con
dition of the country when that act passed,
in March, 1865. AT that time, most of these
States, where the freedmen were, were under
Rebel control, and the Freedmen's Bureau
at that time could only take jurisdiction of
such freedmen and refugees as came within
the lines of the army. For exercising any
jurisdiction throughout most of the Southern
States, il was limited in its operations, and
desire to ask, in all canlor and fairness, il,
when the war progressed, and the slaves of
Texas and Mississippi and Alabama and
Florida, and Georgia and Virginia and North
Carolina were all made free by the Constitu-
| tional Amendments | want to know if it
was not proper that the Freedmen's Bureau
should be so framed as to embrace the dcsti-
tute and suffering of these States as well as
the few who had come within our lines when
the bill was enacted in 1865? Was there no
occasion to extend its operations2 And be-
cause it was expensive enough for the pur-
pose in time of war, would it follow that it
is expensive enough for the purpose in time
of peace, when VIC have a jurisdiction of n
country very much larger than we had in
| time of war? But, sir, the President says
the bill proposes to establish by act of Con
| gress, military jurisdiction over all parts of
the United States containing refugees and
freedmen. Sir, desire to speak respectfully
| of the Executive; but | would like to know
where in that bill, is any provision that eX-
tends military jurisdiction over all parts of
the United States, containing refugees and
freedmen Sir, the bill contains no such
clause 1t is a misapprehension of the bill.
What does it say? The clause OF the bill
upon that subject is this: 1.-THE President of
the United States, through the War Depart
ment and the Commission, shall extend mill
tary jurisdiction and protection over all
employees and officers of this Bureau in the
exercise of the duties imposed or authorized
by this act, or the act to which this is amen
datory." Is not the difference manifest to
everybody between bill that extends mill
tary jurisdiction over the officers and en-
ployees of the Bureau and bill which should
| extend military jurisdiction over all parts of
! the United States containing refugees and
freedmen? Why, sir, this bill makes the
| Freedmen's Bureau a part Of the War De-
pertinent, 1t makes its officers and agents
amenable to the rules and articles of war.
Does that extend military jurisdiction over
the whole country? How do they differ from
any other portion of the army Of the United
| Statesg The army of the United States is
| governed by rules and articles wherever it
may be- whether in Indiana or Florida; and
all operations in 1t are a portion OF the mill
| tary establishment and are subject to the
| rules and articles of war. But did anybody
ever suppose that the whole country where
they were was under military jurisdiction?
| If a company of soldiers are stationed at one
of the forts in New York harbor, and the
officers and soldiers arc subject 10 military
| jurisdiction, was 1t ever supposed that the
people of New York were therefore under
military jurisdiction? 1t is an entire misap-
| prehension of the provisions of the bill II
! extends military jurisdiction nowhere; ii
merely places under military jurisdiction
those persons belonging to the Freedmen S
| Bureau who, nearly all of them, are now un-
| der military jurisdiction. The Commissioner
at the head of that Bureau is an officer of the
army, and under military jurisdiction; and,
| | believe, every Assistant Commissioner is
an officer of the army under military iuris-
diction. But the bill does authorize the
President, if he thinks proper, instead of