The weekly standard., 1866-03-03

forces, or In the militia when in actual
service In a time of war or public dan
ger, and that in all criminal prosecu-
tons the accused shall enjoy the right
to speedy and public trial by an i'm
partial jury of the State or district
wherein the crime shall have been COM
mitted.
The safeguards which the wisdom
and experience of ages prompted our
fathers to establish as securities for the
protection of the innocent, the punish
ment Of the guilty. and the equal ad-
ministration of justice, are to be set
aside. And for the sake of o more
vigorous interposition in behalf of JUS
tice, are we to take the risk of the
many acts of injustice that would OF
necessity follow from On almost count
less number of agents established in
every parish or county in nearly every
one of the States in the Union, over
whose decision there is to be no super
vision or control by the federal courts.
The power that would thus be placed
in the hands of the first officer is such
as in times of peace certainly ought
never to be entrusted to any one man.
If it be asked whether the creation OF
such tribunal within State is war;
ranted as measure of war, the ques-
ton presents itself, whether we are
still engaged IN war?
Let US not unnecessarily disturb the
commerce, credit and industry of the
country by declaring to the American
people and the world that the United
States are still in o condition of civil
war. At present there is no part of
our country in which the authority Of
the United States is disputed. Offen-
ces that may be committed by indi-
viduals, should not work a forfeiture
of the rights of the community.
The country has returned, or is re-
turning to a state of peace and indus
try; the rebellion is in fact, at an end.
The measure, therefore, seems to be
as inconsistent with the actual condi-
ton of the country as at variance with
the constitution of the United States.
II, in passing from general consider
atoms, we examine the bill in detail, it
is open to weighty objections. In time
of war, it was evidently proper that
we should propose for those who were
passing suddenly from condition of
bondage to q state of freedom; but
the bill proposes to make the Freed
mems Bureau, established by the act of
1866, as one of the great and extraor-
dinary military measures to suppress a
formidable rebellion, a permanent
branch of the public administration,
with its power greatly enlarged. /
have no reason to suppose, and do not
understand it to be alleged that the act
of March 1866, has proved deficient for
for the purT ose for which it was pas
sed, although at that time, and for
considerable period thereafter, the
Government of the United States re-
NAMED sinacknowledged in most of the
States whose inhabitants had been en-
gagged in the rebellion.
The Institution of slavery, for the
destruction of which the Freedmen's
Bureau was called into existence, has
already been effectually and finally alb
rogated throughout the whole country
by an amendment to the Constitution
of the United States and practically its
eradica ton has received the assent
and concurrence of most of those
States in which it had at any time exis-
ted. I am not, therefore, able to dis
cern in the country anything to justify
an apprehension that the powers and
agencies of the Freedmen's Bureau,
which were effective for the protection
of the freedmen and refugees during
the actual continuation of hostilities.
and of African servitude, win not now,
in time OF peace, and after the aboli-
ton of slavery prove inadequete to
the same ends.
If I am correct in these views, there
can be no necessity for the enlarge
ment of the powers of the bureau, for
which o provision is made in this bill
The third sectaon of the bill authorizes
q general agent and an unlimited NUM-
Der OF sub-agents to protect and sup
port the destitute and suffering refugees
and freedmen and their wives and chill
dren. The succeeding sections make
provision tor the rent on purchase of
landed estates for freedmen, and for
the erection. for their benefit of suita-
bic buildings for asylums and schools,
the expenses to be betrayed from the
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