Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-02-21
VOL. XX--NO. 42.

gees and freedmen in the rebellious States,
| and supposed such measures would har-
monize with the views of the Executive,
who had declared in his message that Con-
gress should do its duty in according equal
and exact justice to all men. Mr.. Trumbull
was greatly surprised that the bill designed
for such purposes should be returned as un-
constitutional. Having an active part in
the passage of the bill, he felt called upon
to vindicate himself from having urged The
bill so unconstitutional, and at variance
with the condition of the country as this is
declared to be. The said bill was not an
original measure, and did not enlarge the
powers Of the freedmen's bureau. It was
merely amsndatory of the act already
existing. It does little more than give
sanction of law to what is already being
done without any statute or provision. The
freedmen's bureau already exists. Courts
are held by the ffeedmen's bureau through
out the country where that bureau
has any operation under military
authority; laws inconsistent as believed with
safety Of the government or incompatible
with military operation are set aside at this
time in all these States. The object of the
bill was to continue in existence the Freed
mems Bureau not permanently. All such
intention was disowned during the discus
sion OF the bill. No time is specified in the
bill as to when it shall cease TO operate. nor
Is IL customary to insert such clause in any
law, but 1t was declared that it should
operate until otherwise provided BY law.
Il is not intended that the bill shall 20 into
states and control the domestic affairs of
those States. 1t is simply designed to pro-
vide, not for 1900, 900 of emancipated slaves
or refugees, bat only for the INDECENT, so
that they could become self sustaining.
Thousands of Union men were driven from
their homes all over the South this was
particularly the case in Tennessee. They had
neither food nor clothing; theyfocked around
our armies during the whole progress of the
war, and were fed by our supplies, so also
were the freedmen While these people
were hocking around our armies, on the
third of March, 1865 Congress passed a law
to systematize the clothing and feeding of
these destitute negroes, and place them un-
der the charge of special department of
the military establishment called the Freed
mems Bureau. There are still on our hands
some OF these destitute people, who must be
provided for. There has been saved to the
government millions Of money by the es-
tablshment OF system through which en-
pioyment has been found for these people.
An amendment, has been adopted to the
Constitution declaring that slavery sbould
not exist. By virtue Of that enactment hun
dreds of thousands of slaves have become
free In the midst Of a hostile population,
without any Of this worlds goods, and with
out supplies of any kind. Something must
be done to take care of these people. The
Freedmen's Bureau has not had Jurisdiction
ever these 100000 of people. It's work has
been confined TO a very small compass, and
this measure, which comes to us denounced
as unconstitutional, as a great public char
lty, IS designed only to find employment for
these destitute, poor, ignorant and unpro-
vided people, who are few in number COM
pared with the great number of blacks in
the whole country, and not simnIv for
freedmen but for refugees. More white
refugees, in many instances, have received
support and supplies from this Freedmen's
Bureau than blacks have.
The President in his veto message saws
the act which was passed to establish the
bureau for the relief of freedmen and
refugees in the month Of March last has
not yet expired. BY the terms Of the act il
was TO continue during the war and one
year thereafter. So far as the conflict of
arms Is concerned, all admit the war ceased
when the last rebel army laid down his
arms. That was some time in May, when
the rebel army in Texas surrendered. l do
not hold that the consequences Of war are
over, but the war Of the rebellion is over,
and this bureau must expire in Nav next.
according to the terms of the act of March
1865.
line President says it was thought strin-
gent and extensive enough for the purpose
IN time Of war. At that time most of these
states were under rebel control, and the
lreedmen's bureau could only take iuris-
dlctlon OF such freedmen and refugees as
came within the lines of the army. When
the war progressed, and the slaves of Texas.
Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia.
Virginia and North Carolina were made
free by the constitutional amendment, was
1t not proper that the freedmen's bureau
should be framed as to embrace the des-
titute of these States as well as for those
who had come within our lines when the
I'LL was enacted. The President
says the bill proposes 10 establish
military Jurisdiction over all parts of the
United States containing refugees and freed
men. The bill contains no such clause. 1t
Is Misrepresentation of the bill The bill
says the President shall extend military
jurisdiction and protection over all employ
ees and officers of this Bureau in the exer-
else OF the duties imposed by this act. This
bill makes the Freedmen's Bureau part Of
the War Department 1t makes it officers
and agents amenable TO the rules and arti-
cles of war. Does that extend military ju-
risdictiOn over the whole eoantry Did
anybody suppose the whole country where
they were was under military Jurisdiction
The bill extends military jurisdiction no
where; it merely places under military
jurisdiction those persons belonging to the
Freedmen's Bureau who nearly all Of them
are now under military Jurisdiction. The
next objection of the Presidents which Mr.
Trumbull noticed was that the country is
to be divided into districts and subdistricts
and a number of salaried agents 10 be
employed equal to the number of counties
and parishes in the States where refugees
and freedmen are to be found. He denied
that it was necessary to appoint any such
number, notwithstanding that it was pro-
vided in the bill that they might be ap-
pointed. TO appoint such number, he
said, would be an abuse of the power en-
trusted to the President
Mr.. TRUMBULL continued in reply to
the objection that this bill establishes mill
tary Jurisdiction in civil cases and denying
that it created any military jurisdiction
whatever, Notwithstanding the officers of
the Bureau were officers of the army, now
holding military commission by authority
of the President. A short time since in
Georgia two citizens were arraigned for
crime before military commission. These
culprits being found guilty, were sentenced
to death and hung by direct approval of the
President himself Was it unconstitutional
to do by virtue of the law of Congress what
is being done every day without one? In
this connection he referred to several or
ders affecting persons and property in the
Southern States.
reviewed the objectionthat the act would
establish a permanent rank of public ad-
ministrators having greatly enlarged pow
ers. He denied that its establishment was
permanent, or that its powers were greatly
enlarged. He proceeded to show the rela-
tive degree of power confded to the two
bills, and the nisapprehensiOn under which
he presumed that the President had labored.
He declared that not one fortieth part of
the four millions of freedmen had over re-
ceived the aid Of the Bureau, and quoted
from Gen, Howard report to show that but
%, 900 negroes had been aided, and $4,000
whites, and that number was constantly
decreasing. He alluded to the testimony of
General Fiske, Assistant Commissioner for
Tennessee, showing that less than 200 or
phan children and aged persons were the
only negroes receiving aid and of twenty-five
thousand prisoners fed IL, 800 were white.
The effect of the bureau he asserted, was to
decrease the cost of supporting both freed
mems and refugees. II had invariably had
this effect. In reply to the suggestion of
the President that while the freedmen
should be protected, 1t should be through
the civil power Of the Courts, he referred
to the enactments of the Legislature of
Mississippi. which prohibited holding or
leasing OF land by freedmen, and in other
respects infringing on their natural rights.
In some localities they were not permit