The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-02-21

which declares that mo person
hall be held to answer for capital or other
wise infamous crime, unless on q present.
ment or indictment of grand jury, except |
in cases arising in the land or naval forces,
Dr. in the militia when In actual service In |
time of war or public danger" and that lin |
all criminal prosecutions the accused shall
enjoy the right to . speedy and public trial
by an impartial jury of the state or district
wherein the crime shall have been commit.
ted" The safeguards which the wisdom and
experience of ages taught our fathers to es-
tablish as securities for the protection OF the
innocent, the Punishment of the guilty, and
the equal administration of justice. are to be
set aside and for the sake of a mole vigorous
interposition, in the hope of justice, we are
to take the risk of the many acts of injustice
that would of necessity follow from an almost
countless number of agents established In eV-
cry parish or county, in nearly third OF the
states of the Union, over whose decision there
is to be no supervision or control by the ieo-
eral courts.
The power that would be thus placed In
the hands of the president is such az IN time
of peace certainly ought never to be ensrust-
ed to any one man.
If it be asked whether the erection OF such
a tribunal within a state is warranted as
measure of war, the question Immediately
presents itself whether we are engaged In
war Let US not unnecessarily disturb the
commerce, credit and industry OF the coun-
try by declaring to the American people and
the world that the United States are still In
q UVnd;tio. Of civil war
At present there lie no part of our country
in which the authority Of the United States
is disputed. Offences that may be committed
BY individuals should not work a forfeiture
of the rivhtS of aptira communities The
country has entered upon, or is returning to
a state of peace and Industry, and the rebel
lion is, in fact, at an end. The measure,
therefore. seems to be as Inconsistent with
the actual condition of the country as it is at
variance with the constitution of the United
States.
If, passing from general considerations, we
examine the bill in detail, it is open to
weIghty obi ections. In time of war, it was
eminently proper that we should provide for
those who were passing suddenly from a con-
dition Of bondage to state of freedom. This
bill proposes to make the freedmen's bureau,
established by the act of 1865, one of many
great and extraordinary military measures to
| suppress formidable rsbellion-a perman-
| ent branch of the put administration, with
its powers greatly enlarged. 1 have no rea-
son to suppose, and do not understand it to
be alleged, that the act of March, 1865, has
proved deficient for the purpose for which it
was passed, although at that time, and for a
considerable period thereafter, the govern
msnt of the United States remained uuac-
knowledged in most of the states whose in
habtsnts had been involved in the rebellion.
The institution of slavery, for the military
destruction of which the treedmen's bureau
was called into existence as an auxiliary
force, has been already effectuslly and finally
abrogated, through the whole country, by an
amendment of the constitution of the United
States, and practically it's eradication has
received the assent and concurrence of most
OF these states In which it at any time had
existed. | am not, therefore, able to discern
IN the country anything TO justify an appre-
| hension that the powers and agencies of the
! treedmen's bureau. which were effective for
| the protection OF the freedmen aud refugees
| during the actual continuation OF hostiiIties
/ and OF African serTitude, will now, in a time
of peace, and after the abolition of slavery,
| prove inadequate to the same ends. IT | am
correct in these views, there can be no neoes
sity for the enlargement of the powers of the
| bureau, for which provision Is made IN the
bill.
! The third section of the bill authorizes q
general, unlimited amount of support 10 the
destitute and suffering refugees and freed
men, and their wives and children. Succeed
! ing sections make provision Tor the rent OF
| purchase OF landed estates for freedmen, and
| for the erection for their benefit of suitable
buildings for asyiums and schools, the ex.
| penses to be betrayed from the treasury o.
the whole people. The congress Of the Unit
! ed States has never heretofore thought itsel
conn etent to establish any laws beyond thu
| limits of the District of Columbia. except fol-
the benefit of our disa bled soldiers and sail
ors. 1t has never founded schools for any
! class of our own people, not even for thu
orphans of those who have fallen in the de
d! fence of the Union !; but has ieft the care oil
their education to the much more competent
and efficient control of the states, of commu
| mites, of private associations and of lndvi
duals. 1t has never deemed itself authorize &c
to expend the public money for the rent OF
purchase OF homes for the thousands, not II
say millions, of the white race, who are hon
estly toiiing from day to day for their sub
sistence A system for the support of indi
gent persons in the United States was neve
contemplated by the authors OF the constitu
ton +; nor can any reason be advanced why
as a permanent establishment, it should b,
founded Tor one class or color of our people
more than for another. Pending the war
many refugees and freedmen received sup
port from the government, but it was never
intended that they should henceforth be fed
clothed, educated and sheltered by the Unit
ed States. The idea on which the slaves
were assisted to freedom was that, on beoom
ing Free they would be sef-sustaining pop
ulation. Any legislation that shall imply
that they are not expected to attain self
sustaining condition must have a tendency
injurious alike to their character and theil
prosperity.
The appointment of an agent for every
county and parish will create an immens
patronage, and the expense of the numer
Gus officers and their clerks TO be appointed
by the president will be great in the begin
ming, with a tendency steadily to Increase
The appropriations asked by the freedmen