The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-02-21
The Presidents Message.
VETO OF THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU
BILL.
To the Senate OF the United States:


have examined with care the bill which
originated in the senate, and has been passed
by the two houses of congress, to amend an
act entitled Gan act to establish a bureau for
the relief of freedmen and refugees, and for
other purposes" Having with much regret
come to the conclusion that it would not be
consistent with the public welfare to give my
approval to the measure, return the bill to
the senate, with my objections to its becom-
ing law.
might call to mind, in advance of these
objections the fact that there is no immediate
necessity for the proposed measure. The
aot to establish bureau for the relief of
freedmen and refugees, which was approved
in the month of March last, has not yet ex
pired. 1t was thought stringent and extern
sive enough for the purpose in view. Before
it ceases to have effect, farther experience
may assist to guide TO a wise conclusion
as TO the policy to be adopted in time of
peace.
| hsye, with congress, the strongest desire
to secure to the freedmen the full enjoy
ment of their freedom, their property, and
their entire independence and equality in
making contracts for their labor but the
bill before me contains provisions which, in
my opinion, are not warranted by the consti-
tuition, and are not we'll suited to accomplish
the end in view.
The bill proposes to establish, by the su-
thoritv of congress, a military jurisdiction
oyer all parts of the United States containing
refugees and freedmen. 1t would, by it's
very nature, apply with most force to those
parts of the United States in which the freed
men most abound, and it expressly extends
the existing temporary jurisdiction of the
freednsn's bureau, with greatly enlarged
powers, over those states in which the Ordin-
airy course of judicial proceedings has been
interrupted by the rebellion.
The source from which this military iuris
diction ia to emanste is none other than the
president of the United States, acting through
the war department and the commissioner of
the freedmen's bureau. The agents to carry
out this military Jurisdiction are to be select
ed either from the army or from civil life
The country is to be divided into districts
and sub districts, and the number of salarisd
agents to be employed may be equal to the
number of counties or parishes in all the
United States where freedmen and refugees
are to be found. The subjects over which
this military Jurisdiction is TO extend in ev-
cry part of the United States, include protec
ton 20 ell employees, agents and officers of
this bureau in the exercise of the duties i'm
posed upon them by the bill. In eleven
states it is further to extend in all cases af
fecting freedmen and refugees Disseminated
against by local law, custom or prejudice
In these eleven states the bill subjects any
white person who may be charged with de-
priviug freedman of any civil rights or i'm
munities which are thus to be secured TO the
freedmen by military law. Thus military
Jurisdiction also extends to all questions
which may arise respecting contracts. The
agent who is thus to exercise the Office of a
military Judge may be stranger, entirely
ignorant of the laws of the place, and expos
ed to the errors of judgement to which all
men are liable. The exercise of power, over
which there is no legal supervision, by SO
vast number of agents as is contemplated
by the bill, must, by the very nature of man,
be attended by acts of caprice, injustice and
power.
The trials having their origin under this
bill are TO take place without the interven.
ton OF q 1rry, and without any fixed rules of
law or evidence. The rules on which often
CTS are TO be heard and determined nv the
numerous agents are such rules and regula.
tions as the president. through the war de-
partment, shall prescribe. No previous pre-.
sentiment is required nor any indictment
charging the commission of a crime agains.
the laws bat the trial must proceed ON
charges and specifications. The punishment
will be not what the law requires. but such
as a court martial may think proper ; and
from these arbitrary tribunals there lies no
appeal, no writ of error to any OF the courts
In which the constitution of the United States
vests exclusively the judicial power of the
country. While the territory and the class of
actions and offences that are made subject to
TINS measure are extensive the
bill itself, should it become law, will
have no Limitation in point of time, but will
form part OF the permanent legislation of
the country.
Icannos reconcile . system of military iur.