The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-06-23
COLUMBIA.
Saturday Morning, June %, 1855.


think would be enough Tor any NOR
tai, but it seems not in our progress
sive age. The Abolitionists for many
years had been afflicted with nigger
on the brain, and the present radicals
connected with them by some tie of
kindred, caught the complaint and
have been suffering more recently
from it,. With them, however, it has
been more deeply. seated, for, not
withstanaing;the trepanning process
of Drs. Generals Grant and Sherman,
by which it WAS thought the root of
the disease was thoroughly eradicated
by the emancipation OF the nigger,
that pressed 50 heavily in the modi-
cum of the brain possessed by their
philanthropists, yet, SO inveterate
had the disease become, it merely as
sumed a new form and broke out in
the no less alarming symptoms of
bureau ON the brain.
The first surgical examination
proved directly that this disease was
intimately connected with the former,
the eternal niger being still mixed
up with it. The ''nigger" per- Sc was
removed, and the new disease was
given the name of "Freedmen's Bu-
reau," which, FOR the past year, has
been SO prevalent Mt the South, bat
which, however, did not so seriously
injure or aff1ict its immediate sub
jects as it did the poor niger upon
whom it had fastened itself. In fact,
recent rigid examination of the
character of this disease and its
effects, by two surgeons (Steedman
and Funerton) appointed by the Pre-
sident, brought to light that those
who exhibited the most violent symp-
toms lourished immensely, while
the victims were the negroes on
whom it was universally thought the
new feature-of the former complaint
would have most salutary effect.
But this disease of "bureau on the
brain, it is now found, will not con-
fine itself to the freedmen. In more
Northern latitudes, it was some time
ago proposed, whether seriously or
in jest we have not learned, to have
"woman's bureau" to protect the sex
in their rights and privileges. Again,
we had the proposition in Congress to
establish a photographic bureau in
order that the Government should
take that great interest under its pro-
lection and management-an
extensive and lucrative field for q new
class Of bureau agents. The Postmas-
ter-General. however, it is hoped, has
squelched this new symptom of bu-
reauism-he having assured Congress
it would be unwholesome to the body
polite. The latest but certainly
most powerful, and therefore the most
dangerous symptom, is that present
ed in the introduction into Congress,
the other day, Of bill to create
national bmreau Of insurance. This
would be fertile field for commits
sioners, agents and appraisers in
every city and town in the United
States to cultivate with profit, the
victims in this case being assuredly
the insured. This Congress is also
approaching o railroad Bureau; as in
defiance of the rights of the respective
States to regulate the charters of rail-
road companies, they assume to usurp
the right by national enactments, thus
to great extent controlling their ma
nagement. The next bill introduced
will doubtless be to create q notiouo,
1utl''oad bureau: so stockholders had
better look ont. Are we not right in
asserting that the national disease,
under the inoculating system of the
present Congress, bids fair to become
bureau on the brain?"
But, seriously, whitherare we drift
ing? Heretofore, this National Go
vernment was one of well-detined
limits and powers, the rights of States
guaranteed, and the rights and inte-