The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-01-28

mems BUREAU, WHICH puooou sa0 Sen"eo VIC
other day by an overwhelming majority-T
to 10-provides for the largest government
charity institution in the history Of the human
race. The bill provides, first, that the Freed
mems Bureau shall be continued till otherwise
provided by law; that it shall extend to re-
fugees and freedmen in the section covered by
the rebellion; that the President may divide
this section, embracing such refugees and freed
men, into twelve districts, and, subject to con-
frmation by the Senate, may appoint an as
sistant commissioner for each district, or army
officers may be detailed for these duties with
out increase of pay. Section two provides for
the division of each district into sub-districts,
"not to exceed the number of counties or
parishes in each States" that each sub-district
shall have cat least one agent,"a "ciiscn,
officer Of the army or enlisted man; II an
officer, without additional pay; and if citi-
zen or enlisted man at compensation Of fifteen
hundred dollars per annum." Over all these
districts sub-districts and employees the Pre-
sident, through the War Office and the Com
missioner General Howard), shall extend mill
tary supervision and protection.
Now, here we have an establishment for the
protection Of the emancipated blacks and re-
fugees of the South requiring some two or
three or four or FIVE thousand Office holders,
with their offices and Office expenses, and the
military force for each that may 49,
necessary to enforce their regula&
many millions Of money this
may require for its maintenance
cannot tell. The aggregate cost
five, ten or twenty millions. But
the skeleton of the giant The b
ceeds to put the flesh upon his bon
end 1t further provides that the 81
War may direct such issues Of
clothing, fuel and other supplies,
medical stores and transportation,
deemed needful for the lmmediatet -
porary shelter and supply Of del
suffering refugees and freedmen n!
wives and children, under such rules
lations as he may direct" Here thy ~
priations demanded by the Secretar
conjectured only by the number Of -
and freedmen likely to be assisted. I11sths
extensive system Of government alms-givins,
If adopted, will encourage idleness and vas-
rancy among thousands of freedmen who would
otherwise 60 to work, can hardly be ques-
toned.
But the bill further provides for the setting
apart OF three millions VI avrve 90 sho rnblic
lands in Florida, Mississippi and Arkansas,
which the Commissioner from time to time y
to parcel out, under the direction of the Presi-
dent, in lots "not exceeding forty acres
each to the loyal refugees and freedmen, who
shall be protected in the use and enjoyment
thereof for such term Of time and at such an
nual rent as may be agreed upon between the
contracting parties. The parties thus occupy
ing the lands may at any time buy them, fee
simple, at their estimated value. Here the
government appears in the character Of
specuator In squatters and farms, on the
liberal margin of three millions Of acres Of the
public lands now subject to the Homestead law.
The bill further provides "that the occupants
Of the land under Major General Sherman's
special field order the sea islands Of South
Carolina, Georgia and Florida, including q
strip of the mainland next the seashore thirty
miles wide), dated at Savannah, January Is,
1865, are hereby confirmed in their possession
for the period of three years from tho
date Of said order" In other words, for
two years yet 10 come the owners Of
these lands are to be held subject to
such terms as they may be able to make with
the Commissioner Of the Frccdmen's Bureau.
as the agent Of the blacks in occupation. The
general results will most probably be sale
and surrender by the owners, cheap for cash.
The Commissioner Ia authorized to buy the
lands, to be sold to the blacks at cost, and 10
build asylums and school houses for indi-
gent freedmen. Tho bill further provides for
the enforcement by the military arm Of tho
government of the civil rights Of the blacks,
including their rights Of property, personal
liberty, &C., under the local laws applying 70
the whites.
Such II the substance OF the Senate bin for
the enlargement of the Frccdmcn's Bureau.
Its functions are to cease with the full restora-
ton respectively Of the several States con-
cerned to their constitutional relations IN tho
general government. Meanwhile II 10 10 be
maintained, an imrri,m IN i'nperio, a govern
ment within government, In oil the Safes con-
cerned--s federal military government in each
for the protection and subsistence OF tho
cmsncipated blacks and loyal refugees, and for
the regulation of the State governments In tho
matter of equal rights This thing b an ex-
presence, and reduces every State government
concerned 70 o farce furthermore, II In
calculated 70 sggravste the very evils 70 aims
10 remedy, such as the prejudices Of race and
color and the prevalence Of laxines and
vagrancy among the liberated blacks Lastly,
II the government Is TO become an asylum for
idlcrs, Migrants and psupers, why limit its
charities 10 the freedmen and loyal Southern