The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-02-22

of landed estates for freedmen, and
for the erection, for their benefit
of suitable buildings for asylums
and schools, the expenses to be de,
frayed from the treasury of the
whole people. The Congress of the
United States has never heretofore
thought itself competent to estab,
hsh any laws beyond the limits OF
the District of Columbia, except
for the benefit of our disabled sol
diers and sailors. 1t has never
founded schools for any class of our
people, not evenfor the orphans
of those who have fallen in defence
of the Union, but has left the care
of their education to the much more
competent control Of the States, of
communities, of private associations
and of individuals. II has never
deemed itself authorized to eXpend
public money for rent or purchase
of homes for the thousands, net to
say millions. of the white race, who
rre honestly toiling, from day to
day, for their subsistence.
A system for the support of in
dignantpersons in the United States
was never contemplated by the
authors of the Constitution. Nor
can any guod reason be advanced
why, as a permanent establishment
it should be founded for one class
or color ofour people more than for
another Pending the war many re-
fugees and freedmen received sup
port from the Government, but it
was never intended they should
henceforth be fed, clothed, educat-
ed and sheltered by the United
States. l''.'.' --' I"'.'' ,-......@
The idea on which the slaves were
assisted to freedom was that OH be-
coming free they would be self
sustaining population, and any leg
islation that Shall imply they are
not expected to attain self fsus-
tanning condition, must have q ten
dency injurious alike TO their char
acter and their prosperity. The
appointment of an agent for every
county and parish will create an
immense patronage, and the ex-
pense of the numerous officers and
their clerks to be appointed by the
President, will be great in the be-
ginning, with a tendency steadily
to increase. ~ '., J."-rH.s r. 4
The appropriations asked by the
Freedmen's Bureau, as now estab-
lished for the year 1865, amount to
$11,745,O00. 1t may be safely es-
timated that the cost to be incur
red under the pending bill, will re-
quire double that amount, more
than the entire sum expended in
any one year under the administra-
tion of the second Adams. If the
presence of agents in every parish
and county is to be considered as a |
war measure, opposition, or even
resistance, might be proposed so
that, to give effect to their jurisdic-
ton, troops would have to be sta
toned within reach of every one Of
them and thus alarges landing force
be rendered accessory. .. 4. -u
Large appropriations would there
fore be required to sustain and en-
force military jurisdiction in every
country parish from the Potomac
to the Rio Grande. The condition
of our fiscal affairs is encouraging,
hutin order to sustain the present
measure of public confidence, it is
necessary we practice not merely |
customary economy, but, as far as
possible, severe retrenchment.
In addition to the objections al
ready stated, the fifth section of
the bill proposes to take away land |
from its former owners without any
legal proceedings being first had;
contrary to that provision of the
Constitution which declares that
no persons shall be deprived of life
liberty or property without due
process of. law.
1t does not appear that the lands
to which this section refers may
not be owned by minors or persons
of unsound mind, or by those who
have been faithful to all their oblig-
ations as citizens of the United
States. If any portion Of the land
is held by such persons it is not
competent for any authority to de-
prive them Of it. If, on the other
hand, it be found that the property
is liable to confscation, even then
it can not be appropriated to public
purposes until by due process of
law it shall have been declared for
feited to the Government.
There are still further objections