Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1866-03-08
Mr.. Trumbull's Review of the Veto.


Rarely has more dignifed, cogent,
conclusive argument been addressed
to either House of Congress than Mr.
TrumbulPs review of the Presidents
Message vetoing the Freedmen's Bu.
reau bill. Col. Forney's Chronicle gives
the following summary Of its PROPOSE.
tions:
/. That the bill itself was inspired
by the annual message Of the Presi.
dent OF the United States, delivered to
Congress at the commencement of the
present session. That message, it will
be remembered, expressed desire up.
on the part of the President to secure
all men in their rights, and to protect
the freedmen in all the privileges guar
anteed to them under the Emancipation
Proclamation and, in the Judgment
of Mr.. 1'rumbull and Mirty+sir Senators
tcho roted ,cith hiac for IL on the 25th of
January, the provisions of this bill
were eminently calculated to accom-
plish these objects.
2. That it was not, as the Presi-
dent AYERS, an original measure, but
simply an amendment to the bill under
which the. Freedman's Bureau is now
acting, and which had the sanction of
the Executive himself as well as the
approval of the great majority of the
loya people of the country. AS an
amendment, it removes many of the
Objectionable features of the Bureau
as now organized, simplifying its ram
lfications and making 1t more efficient
y. That 1t was not intended as u
permanent part OF the administrative
policy of the Government-one of its
sections expressly stating, on the con-
trary, that it shall remain in force un-
I'll otherwise provided by law" Just as
all other laws Of Congress are suppos-
cd to do. The wonder is that the Presi-
dent ever thought Of making such an
objection to il AS this. No such idea
ever entered the mind of any person
who supported and voted for it.
4. That, instead of being an ex-
travagant aud unnecessary expense to
the Government, it has indirectly saw
cd us millions Of dollars which would
otherwise have been wasted.
B. That the Bureau did not contem-
plate feeding, clothing and educating
the refugees and freedmen, but was
rather intended to assist them in doing
all these things for themselves.
q. That, instead of it being design
cd exclusively for negroes, more Whites
have, in some sections and in many in
stances, been benefited by it than
Blacks, and that the proportion of
Whites still needing its assistance is
equal to that Of the negroes.
7. That there was an immediate ne
cessity for the passage Of the bill, be-
cause the original act creating the Bu-
rcau expires Ivy limitation in the month
of May, 1866.
s. That, instead Of establishing
military jurisdiction over all parts OF
the United States containing refugees
and freedmen, it SIMPLY extends it over
the officers and employees of the bureau
And that in accordance with the rec
concentrations of Gen. Grant, in his re-
port to the President OF his tour through
the South, transmitted to the Senate
with message few weeks ago, it
makes the Bureau part of the War
Department OF the Government.
0. That the bill did not contemplate
the appointment of agents and other
officers in every county or parish, ex-
cept the President should, in his judg-
ment, deem such appointments neces-
sary.
10. That what the President terms
the unconstitutional features of the
bill, comforting arbitrary powers upon
the officers Of the Bureau, go no furth-
er than the President himself and the
officers Of the army acting under him
have already gone and that it is com
petent for Congress 10 provide all rules
and regulations for the government OF
the army and navy, TO which all are
subject, from the Commander-in.Chei
to the humblest soldier or sailor.
III. That, if the Rebellion is in all
respects at an end, the President is
still exercising the war power, such as
the suspension of the writ of habeas
corpus, contrary to the Constitution
which expressly states that this shall
only be suspended in time Of invasion
or rebellion and, as we have no inva
sion, and the writ is not in operation
in portion of the States, we must
have rebellion.
IL. That, according to the census
of 1860, there were not four million d
slaves in the United States, aud tha
instead of this being a measure to feed
clothe, and educate four millions 0
freedmen, the report of Gen. Howart
shows that at no time was there NOR,
than one hundred and forty-seven thou
sand persons under the care of the Bu
reau, Jityserea hoasand Of ,ehom icer
W'hife refugees.
l3. That, according to the sworl
statement of Gen. Fisk before the Com
mittee on Reconstruction, of the tweu
ty-iive thousand persons fed by the Bu
reau in Tennessee, @eenteen Mensam
fire hundred acre White refugees.
IA. That, instead Of the freedmel
receiving protection from the civ
Courts of the Southern States, and b,
ing secured by them in his rights, thes
States have, almost without exception
enacted through their legislatures law
with reference to the freedmen as inf;
nous and oppressive as the black cod
of Slavery.
Is. That, if the Presidents view
: regarding the representation of tn
late Rebel States in Congress is co
9 rect, then all the legislation of I'll
. past five years is null and void.
, Such were the main points in Sen;
, tor Trumbull's speech, set forth wit
! unusual power and eloquence.
Al