The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-03-01
Our Harrisburg Letter.
HARRISBURG, Feb. 26, 1866.

You are aware that the Legislature ad-
journed on the 10th inst, to meet again
on the 9th inst, (to- morrew) The con-
sequence is, that there is nothing to COM
municate in reference to action in either
the Senate or the House. In the absence
of any Legislative news, must make up
my letter by descanting on other subjects.
The all absorbing topic of conversation
IN political circles is in relation to the
veto of. President johnson of Senator
Trumbull's bill to enlarge the powers of
the bureau of refugees, freedmen and
abandoned lands. So far as ] have been
enabled to ascertain the views of the
Republican party of the State, they are
those of regret that the President has
deemed it advisable 10 oppose the bill by
his veto, thus turning his back upon the
great loyal party to whom he owes his
elevation to the prominent position he now
occupies.
While the loyal citizens, in this vicinity
and from different parts of the Common
wealth, are decided in their expressions of
disapproDation of the veto, they do not
indulge in bitter ordinations. They seem
to manifest sorrow rather than anger, and
are yet hopeful that some measure may
yet be inaugurated, that will meet the
views of the President, and, at the same
time, secure the main requirements of the
vetoed bill. Indeed, Senator Doolittle
(who voted TO sustain the veto) has prom
ised to draw up and present such an one.
If he should succeed, he will deserve, and
most undoubtedly will receive, the thanks
of every loyal citizen in the land.
The vetoed bill was supposed to (and
really did, cover the ground taken by the
President in his inaugural. He there
expressed desire to secure all men in
their rights, and to protect the freedmen
in all the privileges granted them in the
Emancipation Proclamation
There has been the most glaring mis-
representation, by the opposition press
and the secession-sym2 2athizing members
of the present Congress, as to the objects
and tendencies of Senator Trumbull's bill.
The Illinois Senator, in an e.rtenepore speech,
on the question, "shall the bill pass not
Withstanding the objections of the Presi-
dent most completely sustains the large
majority in both houses of Congress who
voted for the passage of the bill He
proves, beyond the possibility of contra
diction, that the bill was in accordance
with the views of the President, as ex-
pressed in his inaugural-that it was not
an original bill, but merely an amendment
to the original bill, under which the Freed
mems Bureau is now acting; and simpli-
tying it in many of its features-that the
operation of the bill was only intended to
be temporary, or until otherwise provided
by law-that, as a measure of economy, it
would save millions to the Government
that its object was not to feed, clothe and
educate the Freedmen, but rather to ena-
large number OF whites were to be ben
Gifted by the provisions Of the bill, as we'll
as negroes, and that, unless some action
be taken by Congress, both these classes
will be left helpless, as the present or
original act will expire by its own limita-
ton, IN the month Of May next,-that it
Only extends jurisdiction over the officers
and employees of the bureau, and not over
the States that officers and agents were
not to be appointed ia every parish or
coun'y, except the President should deem
it advisable-that, sc far as the constitu-
tionality of :he bill is concerned, the Pres
ident's own acts answer his present
objections, in So far that arbitrary powers
have been and arc now being conferred
upon officers of the army and navy, and
thatit is competent for Congress to regulate
these two arms Of the service and further
that the President is still exercising the
war power by suspending the writ of
ha6eas corpus, which he could not do
consistently, il the rebellion is entirely at
an end-that there have been more than
one hundred and forty-seven thousand
persons in care of the bureau, tiJfy-seren
thousand Of whOm scere ,ehite retiuyees-in
fine, that, as to the passage of laws by the
State Legislatures, protecting freedmen,
said laws are as infamous and oppressive as
slavery Itself.
I have thus endeavorad to yIva vo,, n