The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-07-18
20 OF THE FREEDnES's "'
VII" REAL BILL.

o OF THE fREEDnEN
vi" REAU BILL
=, byec Of Representatives,:
" ~ careful examination of the bill p. asSea
\ car" .mn Houses of Congress, entitled
!! "s a. continue in force ana 10 amen"
~ "' - establish bureau for the re-
~ a. r,ccdmcn and refugees ana Tor
rel {" ',scs " has convinced me that the
"1cL r"'i Which il proposes would not he
'D,. with the welfare of the country,
r.s>,'y':,. c,lIs clearly within the reasons
4 .o' ""i IN my message Of the 18th OF
.,'.s"'" last. returning without my sigma
zoo .%.,,;lar measure, which originated
80 q, senate. 1t is not my purpose to re-
,fr objections which ! then urged.
u" ,r, vet fresh in yonr recollection,
I.,, ID. readily examined as a part OF
aa' ' '''.ri> Of one branch Of the National
.e ,,..~c. Adhcring to the principles
4-,,-,l in that message, now rcailrm
- srd Tie line Of policy therein indi-
s' ~.''n,.lv ground upon which this kind OF
,..run can hc justified is that OF the
...,,,nc power. The act of which TINS
s...s rntTilllCu ~ illltlIidt'lN wa" l''''>'
.. Tie existence Of the war. By rs
,~yi,ions il is 10 terminate within
...r from tie cessation Of hoSnlltlcS
,,l. declaration of peace. 1t is there
VET in existence, and il is likely that
nj. continue in force aS long rs the
,-.cn may require the benefit OF Us
SONS. Ii viii certainly remain III
...:,,ua asa law until some months SUD
....,, 90 the meeting of the next session
r.,rrr<S. when, if experience shall make
g.., the necessity of additional lcgl>la-
Ir,wo Houses will have ample time
r.,.rr and pass the requisite measures.
,..,. meantime the questions ARISE, why
.f,ai> war-mcasurc be continued be-
;... rry;od designated in the original
and wlv. in time of peace, should
r,a~,. tribunals bc created TO continue
..r rgrA State shall be fully restored
~. constitutional relations to the Go
.,,.rpt, and shall hc duly represented in
.. r,r,r,.>> Of the United States p 1t was
..,.:,,.>, with respect 10 the act approved
r,-rN 2. lNG5, that prudence and wisdom
H., rrguircd that jurisdiction over all
.,.., concerning the free enjoyment OF the
.I> ana I4-t.kN va 'i'iENh"''l5 49,
...la, HE protection OF person and pro
..,ry. should be conferred upon some tri-
..,,.II in every State or district where the
binary course Of judicial proceeding was
....rr,;,rd hv the rebellion, and until the
me should lie fully restored. AT tha:
-.r,ihrrc.urc, an urgent necessity existed
..r-lr ia>>agc Of some such law. Now,
viewer. war has substantially ceased the
n..inary coUr>" of judicial proceedings Is
Dr., ,aLrr Interrupted; the courts, both
safe and Federal, are in full, complete,
... successful operation, and through them
,.rry person, regardless of race and color,
.,,nt.tlcd to, and can hc heard. The pro
...r.au granted TO the white citizen Is al
-atlv conferred 10y law upon the freed
,..a; strong and stringent guards by way
d, 'nualricS and puni>hncnt> arc thrown
.."eM his person and property, and ii is
n.)tgycd that ample protection will he al
.rirl him by due process OF law, without
,r,lrt /" the dangerous cNpcdicnt OF
"mi!.lary tribunals now that the war
..t> been brought to Il close. The ne
.u,>iiy II" longer existing for such tri-
.gaal>, which had their origin in
,nc war grave objections to their continu-
aacr must present themselves TO the minds
So. all rejecting and dispaSsionatc men.
lul,pcudcntly of the danger in rcprcScn-
atiyc republics of comforting upon the
military in time OF peace extraordinary
,uHcr>->o carefully guarded against by
'..r patriots and statesmen of the earlier
.,ty> uf the Republic, 80 frequently the
ruin ot Governments founded upon the
same free principle, and SubvcrSivc of the
lights and liberties of the citizen, the
question OF practical economy earnestly
uommcud> itself 10 the consideration OF
IN. Iaw-making power. With an immense
debt already burdcning the incomes of
tire Industrial and lahoring classes, a due
regard for their interests, 50 inScparably
,oulrrtrd with the welfare of the country,
>.nIl prompt us to rigid economy and re-
treatment, and influence us To abstain
from all legislation that would unneccsSa-
@1g increase the public indebtedness.
Tested by this rule of sound political wis
doom, can see no reason for the establish
m-nt Of the military jurisdiction con
'rrrrl upon the officials Of the Bureau by
the fourteenth section of the bill.
By the laws of the United States, and
If the different States, competent courts,
Federal and State, have been established,
AID aIr now in full practical operation.
By means of these evils tribunals, ample
redress is afforded for all private wrongs,
whether to the person or the property OF
the citizen, without denial or unnecessary
delay. They are open 10 ALL without regard
10 roIor or race. | feel well assured that
Il Will he better 10 trust the rights, privi-
lrcc>, and immuniticS Of the citizen to tri-
tHHalS thus established, and presided over
~ competent and impartial judges, bound
ty fixed rules of law and evidence, and
where the right of trial by jury Is guaran-
tccd and secured, than 10 the caprice and
Judgment of an officer OF the Bureau who,
u is possible, may be entirely ignorant of
IL" principles that mdcrlie the just ad-
m0.i>tratiou Of the law. There is danger,
t"o, that conflict Of jurisdiction will fire.
gHrntlv arise between the civil courts and
iAc,c military tribunals, each having con-
current Jurisdiction over the person AMI
Tie cause of aCtiou-thc one ludicature
administered and controlled by civil law,
tie ether by the military. How is the con-
Net 10 he settled, and who is to determine
"rlwrcu the two tribunals when it arises
Ia lay opinion it is wise to guard against
>.ca conflict by leaving to the courts and
'lrjc> the protection of al civil rights
and the redress Of all civil grievances.
The fact cannot be denied, that since
til" actual cessation OF hostilitics, many
act. or yiolcncc-Such perhaps as had :
never been witnessed in their previous his
,ory--hayc occurred in the States involved
ia the recent rebellion. | believe, how
r'"r, that public sentiment will sustain me
80 Tie assertion that such deeds Of wrong
are not confined to any particular State or
Section bat are manifested oycrthe entire