Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-03-30


and at present nowhere exists within the juris
diction Of tue United States, nor has there been
nor is it likely there will be, any attempt to re-
new 1t by the people or the States. II, how
ever any such attempt shall be made, il will be.
come the duty OF the General Government "a
exercise any aud all Incidental powers necessary
and proper to maintain involate the great law Of
! freedom.
The fourth section of the bill provides thai
oihcera and agents of the freedmen's bureau
shall he empowered to make arrests, aud also
mat other officers may bo specially commissioned
iOr that purpose by the President of the United
states. Ii also authorizes circuit courts of the
United Siates and the superior courts of the ter
rl'ories, TO appoint, without limitation, commis-
sloners, who are TO be charged with the per-
iormance Of quasi Judicial dutieg.
Tue nth section empowers the commissioners,
so to be selected by the courts, to appoint iu
writing under their hands, one or more suitable
persons, from time to time, to execute warrants
and other prosecutions desired by the bill
These numerous official agents are made to con
sIitutc sort Of police in addition to the mill
tary, aud arc authorized to summon "poase
commtatus aud even to call to their aid such
portions Of the land and naval forces Of the
United Stntta, or VI tho militia, aB may be me-
cessary to the performance Of the duty with
which they are charged. This extraordinary
! power is to be conferred upon agents irresponsi-
BILE To the Government and TO the people TO whose
number the discretion OF the commissioners is
tue only limit and in whose hands such authority
might be made terrible engine Of wrong, op-
preston and fraud.
The general statues regulating the land and
naval forces Of the United States, the militia,
aud the execution Of the laws, are believed to
be adequate tor every emergency which can oo-
cur in time of peace. II it should prove other
wise Congress can at any time amend those laws
ia such u manner as, while subserviug the public
welfare, not to leopard the rights, interests and
liberties Of the people,
The seventh section provides that fec Of ten
dollars shall be paid to each commissioner IN
every case brought before him; and a fee Of 1--WE
dollars to his deputy or depuues for each person
he or they may arrest and take before any such
commissioner, with such other fees as may be
deemed reasonable by such commissioner in
general for performing such other duties as may
be required n the premises. All these fees are
to be paid out of the Treasury Of the United
States whe her there is conviction or not but
in case Of conviction they are to be recoverable
from the defendant. 1t Seems 10 me that under
iLe influence of suoh temptation bad men might
convert any law, however benehcent, iutO an in-
slrument Of persecution and fraud.
by the eighth section Of the bill the United
white citizens, must migrate, the marshal aud
district attorney, aud necessarily the clerk ale
though he is not mentioned, to any part Of the
district upon the order Of the President, and
there hold court, for the purpose Of the more
speedy arrest and trial Of persons charged with
a violation Of this act and there the judge aud
officers of the court must remain, on the order
Of the President, for the time designated. The
ninth section authorizes the President, or such
person as he may empower for that purpose, to
employ such part Of the land or naval forces Of
the United States, or of the militia as shall be
necessary to prevent the violation and enforce
the due execution of this act. This language
seems to imply an important military force, that
is to be always at hand, and whose only business
il to be the enforcement Of this message over
the vnst region where it is intended to operate.
do not propose to consider tho policy Of this
bill. To me the details of the bill are fraught
with evil. The white race and the black race Of
the South have hitherto lived together under
the relntion Of master and slavc--capital owning
labor Now, suddenly, that relation is changed
aud as TO ownership, capital and labor are d.
vorced. They stand now each master Of itself
in this new relation one being necessary TO the
other
There will be new adjustment which both
are deeply interested in making harmonious
Each has equal power 10 settling the forms, and
il left to the laws that regulate capital and labor,
il Is confidently believed that they will satisfac
torily work out the problem. Capital, it is true,
has more intelligence, but labor is never 80 ig
nOrant as not 10 understand its own interests,
not to know its own value, and not to see that
capital must pay that value. This bill frus-
trates this adjustment, it intervenes between
capital aud labor and attempts to settle questions
of political economy through the Rgeuoy of Du.
merous officials, whose interest it will be to TO-
men disoOTd between the two races so far as
the breach widens their employment will con.
tiuue, Dud when 1t is closed, their occupation
Will terminate in all our history, in all our ex.
perience, as people living under Federal and
STATE law. M such system as that contemplated
by the details of this bill has ever before boev
proposed or adopted to establish for the security
Of the coored race safeguards which 70 infinitely
beyond any that the general Government has
ever provided for tho white race. In fact, the
distinction Of race and color is by tho bill N made
to operate in favor of the colored and against
the whilo race.
They interfere with the municipal legislation
Of the States, with the relations existing exolu-
siyey between State and it's citizens, or he
tween inhabitants Of the same State an absorb.
tuu and assumption Of power by the general
Government which, if acquesced in must sap
or destroy our tederatiye system Of limited
powers, aud break down the barriers which pre.
serve the rights of the States 1t is smother
step or rather stride, towards Capitalization.
aud the concentration Of all legislative powers
! in the national Government. The teudeney of
the hill must be to resuscitate the spirit of re.
belGon, and 10 arrest the progress Of those in
huences which are more closely drawing around
tue States the bonds Of union and peace.
My lamented predecessor, in his proclamation
Of tue lst of January, 1868. ordered and de-
In1u al IbnF oil huf1
certain States and parts OF States therein desie-
mated, were and theuceforward should be free !;
aud further, that the Executive Government OF
the United States, Including the military and
naval authority thereof, would recognize and
maintain the freedom of such persons. This
guarantee has been rendered especially obliga-
tory aud sacred by the amendment Of the Con-
stilution abolishiug slavery throughout tho
United States therefore fully Recognise the
obligation to protect aud defend that class of our
people Whenever and wherever 1t shall become
necessary, and TO the full extent compatible with
the Constitution of the United States.
Entertaining these sentiments, it only remAine
for me to say that will cheerfully co-operate
with Congress in any measure that may be me-
oessnry for the promotion Of the civil rights of
the freedmen, as well as those Of other classes
of persons throughout the United States by iu-
dicial process, under equal and impartial la VS.,
in conformity with the provisions of the Federal
Constitution. now return the bill 10 the
Senate, and regret that in considering the bills
aud joint resolutions, forty-two in nutnber.
which have been thus far submitted for nv an
proval, am compelled to withhold nv sssep,
from second measure that has received tbe
sanction Of both Houses of Congress,
ANDREW JOHNSON.
JonN s. RowBOrHAM alias CHEAP JOHN. ha,
still on hand a large stock of Dry Goods, Trim
mugs, Hosiery, Boots aud Shoes Under Shirt