Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-02-01
Long step Forward.

A Long step Forward.
The order of General Grant, defining
the military authority of the United
States in the late rebellious States,
should reassure our friends who fear
that the Government is to ready to i'm
peril the public peace by delivering the
whole authority of those States uncon-
ditionally into the hands of n class
which can not be expected to use it in
good faith.
The Generals reply to the request
Of Governor Parsons, of Alabama, that
the national forces should be with
drawn and the local militia armed, is
also significant and sensible. 1t is as
follows:
"For the present. and until thors is full
security for equitahly maintaining the rights
and safety Of all classes Of citizens in the
States lately in rebellion. would not recon.
mend the withdrawal Of the United States
troops from them. Tho number of interior
garrisons might be reduced but a movable
force sufficient IN insure tranquility should
be retained. While such force in retained
in the South. doubt the nrop-iatv Of put
ting arms in hhe hands ofthe militia.
The bill Of Senator Trumbull's con-
tinuing the Freedmen's Bureau and
extending its operations to every part
of the country in which freedmen are
to be found ia large numbers, is the
complement Of these military orders.
1t will undoubtedly be approved by the
President and become law. This is
another Of the plain signs that neither
the President nor Congress wish to
make haste unwisely, and should GER
tainly tend to temper the acrimony
of debate upon the general subject.
Senator Trumbull's bill recognizes
two vital and fundamental truths of the
situation. First, that the National
Government means to protect and se-
cure the personal liberty which it has
conferred; and second, that it is essen
tial the freedmen should become land
holders. Without thatprovision every
other device will be futile.
At this moment, it should be remem-
bered, the freedmen, excepting those
settled upon the sea islands by General
Sherman, and whose freehold Mr.
Trumbulrs bill confirms, are without
land and without the means Of buying
it, They are helpless in the midst of
a population which 10 generally hostile
to them, and they have no chance of
livelihood except from the landowners
who may chose to employ them. Any
landholder may say to them: "You are
free to go. ! do not wish to employ
you. Get off my land" That all viii
not and do not say this, is true. But
vast numbers do. And the laborer ha:
no remedy. He must "move on" ant
beg, steal, or starve. The tragedy of
his situation can hardly be exaggera
, ted; and although the feeling agains
him may mellow with the lapse of time
and although tho necessities ofthe cas-
will gradually persuade the landholder
. not to quarrel with their bread and but
, ter, yet meanwhile, under these winte
skies, and among those wintry heart.
the suffering OF the freedmen is terribl
. and incalculable, and the duty Of tn
' country is plain and imperative.
a The freedmen are placed by Geners
8 Grants timely order under the protec
!, ton of the military power. But tha
0 power can not feed them, nor hous
), them, nor enable them to work and b
|, paid for working, Mr.. Trumbulrs bi
O authorizes the President to reserve 70
, them 100000 acres Of good, unoccr
pied land In Florida, Arkansas, an
|. Mississippi. Each laborcr or family
v to have forty acres at rent agreed ur
!. on by the Commissioner and the freet
0 men. Afterward the tenants may bu
It the land at price to be named by til
s. Commissioner and approved by th
.d President Meanwhile the paupt
in freedmen are to be provided with sue
d, lands as the United States may buy
I'd any district, and necessary schools an
m asylums are to be built upon them
~ while as tho paupers become productiy
n laborers the land may be sold to the
under fair conditions.
70 The necessity Of immediate and d
ct cisive action upon the subject Is urger
Give the freedmen land from viii,