Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-07-28

it is used by the agents as a means of
promoting their individual advantage,
and that the freedmen are employed for
the advancement of the personal ends
of the officers instead of their own inn
provement and welfare, thus confirming
the fears originally entertained by many
that the continuation of such a Bureau
for any unnecessary length of time
would inevitably result in fraud, cor
ruption and oppression. 1t is proper
to state that in cases of this character,
Investigations have been promptly or
dered, and the offender punished when
ever his guilt has been satisfactorily
established.
As another reason against the neces-
sity of the legislation contemplated by
the measure, reference may be had to
the civil rights bill, now law of the
land, and which will be faithfully execut-
ed, so long as it shall remain unre-
pealed, and not be declared unconstitu-
tional by courts of competent jurisdic-
tion. By that act it is enacted: THAT
all persons born in the United States,
and not subject TO any foreign power,
excluding Indians not taxed are hereby,
declared to be citizens EFF the United
| States, and such citizens of every race
and color, without regard to any previ-
Gus condition of slavery or involuntary
servitude, except as punishment for
crime whereof the party shall have been
duly convicted, shall have the same
right in every state and territory in the
United States to make and enforce con-
tracts, to sue, be parties and give evil
dence to inherit, purchase, lease, sell,
hold and convey real and personal
property, and to full and equal benefit
Of all laws and proceedings Tor the secu-
rity of person and property as Is enjoy
ed by white citizens and sha be subject
to like punishments, pains and penal
ties, and to none other, any law. stat
ute, ordinance, regulation or custom to
the contrary Notwithstanding.
By the provisions of the act, full pro-
lection is afforded through the district
courts of the United States to all per
sons Injured and whose privileges as
thus declared are In any way impaired,
and very heavy penalties are denounced
against the person who wllfulIy violates
the law. need not state that that law
did not receive my approval, yet It's
remedies are far more preferable than
those proposed In the present bill, the
one being civil and the other military.
Bv the 9th section of the bill here
with returned, certain proceedings by
which the lands IN the parishes ef St.
Helena and St. Luke, South Carolina,
were scld and bid In, aud afterwards
disposed of by the tax commissioners,
are confirmed.
| By the seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth
and eleventh sections, provisions are
made by law for the disposal OF the
lands thus acquired to aparticular class
of citizens. While the quitting OF titles Is
deemed very important and desirable, the
discrimination made in the bills seems
Objectionable, as does also the attempt
TO confer upon the commission Judicial
powers. by which citizens of the UNI
ted States are to be deprived of their
property in a mode contrary to that
provision of the constitution which de
clares that ono person shall be deprived
OF life, liberty or property without due
process of law" As a general primer
pie such legislation Is unsafe, unwise,
partial and unconstitutional. 1T may
deprive persons of their property who
are equally deserving objects OF the ma
tion's bounty as those whom by this
: legislation congress seeks to benefit.
The title to the land thus to be portion
ed out TO n favored class of citizens,
must depend upon the regularity of the
tax sales under the law as IL existed at
the time of the sale, and no subsequent
legislation can give validity to the rights
thus acquired as against the original
claimants. The attention of congress
is there fore invited to a more mature
consideration of the measures proposed
liz these sections of the bill.
In conclusion, / again urge upon
Congress the danger of class legislation,
as we'll calculated to keep the public
mind in a state of uncertain expecta-
ton, disqniet and restlessness, and to
encourage interested hopes and fears
that the national government will con
time TO furnish to classes of citizens III
the several states means for support and
maintenance, regardless as TO whether
they pursue life of Incidence or OF
labor, and regardless also of the cOnsti-
tutional limitation of the national an
thority in times of peace and tranquility.
The bill is herewith returned to the
House of Representatives, in which II
originated, for its final action.
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July Is, 1866.