The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-02
What it amounts to.

The Freedmen's Bureau is the Nations
right arm, gently but firmly outstretched 10
keep the peace between these warning classes.
Its principal objects are three: 1. To save
the blacks from famine, abuse and massacre
2. To set them at work. 8. To see that thew
are kindly treated and fairly paid for their Ia
Dor. 1t is gigantic ENTERPRISE. and bas
achieved marvellous success. Hundreds of
thousands are now industrious and. comforta-
Bile laborers, with roofs over their heads and
food IN their cabins, who would have been
proving, thieving, hunted. famishing yaea-
bonds III the absen .e of the Bureau, It has
patiently and generally disabused the Blacks
OF the mott IN that they are to share their mas
ters' lands and goods; it has planted schools,
lnculcated obedience and diligence, and been
foremost in all the good that has lately befall-
en- the South. If three million bales of cot
{ ton are made this year--and we judge that
there will be-the Freedmen's Bureau will
have given us at least one-third of it, worth
not less than $l00,000,000 in gold ,dls
Yet the President has vetoed the bill pro-
viding for the continuance and greater eff
ficiency of this Bureau. We deeply regret
this; and we think he will live to regret it ey-
en- more keenly. For this Veto will be under
stood by all that is brutal and ruffianly at the
South as giving license to any abuse and op-
preston of the Blacks that White nalipnitv
derstood as proclamation of license to the
meaner Whites to wreak their malice or their
lust upon the hapless and betrayed Blacks.
There are thousands of innocent persons now
living whom this Veto consigns to painful
p death before the close of the current year.
or course, the Freedmen's Bureau is anom-
alous. There is no dispute as to that. Nav,
more; it indicates a blind, roundabout way Of
doing partial justice, when complete Justice
was with the Presidents consent5 easier and
safer. Three lines in the Federal Constitu-
ton, abolishing and inhibiting all laws and Or
dinances that bestow or withhold privileges
because of Color, would be worth several
Freedmen's Bureaus. Justice-Equal Rights
the recognition of his Manhood-these the
ex-slave wants-not coddling and petting-
Say, If you will, that he must read before he
can vote; but then don't let White villains
burn his poor schoOlhOuse. Say, II YOU will.
that he must have property before he can vote
but be very careful that the law secures to
him all he, earns, and gives him every needed
facility tor maintaining his rights. II YOU de-
ny him the right of suffrage because of his To-
norance, look well to it that you do nothing
calculated to perpetuate that ignorance, and
that you incite him to learn by profering him
reimbursement as the reward OF his diligence
and requirements. In short, make your laws
rigidly just, then abolish your soup-houses.-
But until then--u.a l&is d. .'l8Sf
Mr.. johnson has made grave mistake
He has relieved those who elected him of a
great responsibility by taking it ON his own
shoulders. Hereafter, whatever wrongs NAV
be inflicted upon or indignities suffered by the
Southern Blacks, will be charged to the Presi-
dent, who has left them naked to their enc
mics. Time will show that he has thereby
precluded true and speedy restoration of the
South, and inflicted more lasting misery on
her Whites than on her Dlacks-[N. Y. Trib.
une. ra Ha az Ag-I