Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-03-17


for asylums and schools-thc expense to be
betrayed from the treasury of the whole peo-
pie. The Congress of the Urited States has
never heretofore thought itself empowered to
establish asylums beyond the limits Of the
District of Columbia, except for the benefit of
our disabled soldiers and sailors. 1t has never
founded schools for any class for our own peo-
ple-not even for the orphans Of those who
have fallen in the defence of the Union, but
has LETT the care of education to>thc much
more competent and efficient control of the
States. of communities, Of private associations
and Of individuals. 1t has never deemed it.
self authorized to expcnd the public money for
the rent or purchase Of homes for the thous-
ands, not to say millions, of the white race,
who are honestly toiling, from day to day, for
their subsistence "A system for the support
of indigent persons in the United States was
never contemplated by the authors of the Con
stitution; nor Can any good reason be advanced
why, asia permanent establishment, it should
be founded for che class Or color of our people
more tllan another. Pending the war, many
refugees and freedmen received supporto of the
Government, but it was never intended that
they Should hcnceforth be fed, clothed, cduca-
ted and sheltered by the United States. The
idea on which the slaves were assisted to free
dom was, that, on becoming free, they would
be self-sustaining population. Any lcgisla-
zion that Shall imply that they are not expect
cd to attain .seltsustaining condtion, must
have a atcndency injurious alike to their char
acter an{@s their prospects.
I. The appointment of an agent fog every
Count Parish will create an: in,,asnsse
patronage; ahd the expense Of the numerous
officers and their clerks, to be appointed by
the President, will be great in the beginning,
with q tendency steadily to increase. The ap-
preparations asked by she Frcedmen's Bureau,
as now established, for the year 1866, amount
to 81 ,745,O0O. 1t may be safely estimated
that the cost to be incurred under the pending
bill will require double that amount-morc
than the entire sum expended in any one year
under the Administration of the second Ad-
ans If the prcscncs of agents in every Par
ish and Countyis to be considered as war
measure, opposition, Or even resistance, might
be provoked; so that, to give effect to that
jurisdiction troops would have to be stationed
within reach of every one Of them, and thus
large standing force be rendered necessary
Large appropriations would, therefore, be re-
quircd to sustain and enforce military jurisdic-
tion in every County or Parish from the Poto-
mac to the Rio Grande. The condition of our
fiscal affairs is encouraging; but, in order to
sustain the present measure of public conf
dence, it is necessary that we practice no,
merely customary economy, but, as far as pos
sible, severe retrenchnent.
In addition to the objections already 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 dc.
clarcs that no person shall "be' deprived Of
life, liberty OR property, without due process
of law" It does not appear that part Of the
land 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 thei
obligations as citizens of the United States
If any portion of the land is held by such per-
sons, it is not competent for any authority to
deprive them of it. If, on the other hand, it
be found that the property is liable to confisca-
ton, even then it cannot be appropriated TO
public purposes until, by due process Of law,
it shall have been declared forfeited to the
Government.
There is still further objection to the bill,
on grounds seriously affecting the class Of per-
sons to whom it is designed to bring relief 1t
will tend tokcep the mind Of the freedman in
state of uncertain expectation andsrestlcss-
ness, while to those among whom he lives it
will be source Of constant and vague appre-'
honsibn.