The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-03-31

president, be placed unuef cOmmlSSione
and assistant commissioners, TO be detailed
from the army" And the act does no
specify either the rats Or tie color OF the per
sons SO detailed from the army 10 rule th'
nation through the freedmen's bureau.
Section tive empowers the commissi iner t.
divide each district into sub districts, (no
less than county or parish and to assign it
each sub-district at least one agent, eithol
citizen, officer of the army, or enlisted man.
The section goes on to say, "each assistant
commissioner may employ not exceeding six
| clerks; and each agent of a sub-distric
| (being one or more for each sub>district, a,
suits the pleasure of the commissioner
may empty two clerks" Ard SO in the IL
districts the clerks will amount to IL; and in
the sub>distrctS the agents will amount to a
least as many thousand as there are counties
and parishes in the nation; and their clerks
to double that number, besides the employees
mentioned in the bill.
And the same section provides that the
president, through the war department and
commissioner, shall extend military jLrisdit
ton over all the employees, agents and officers
oi this bureau, in the exercise OF all the
duties imposed or authorized by thi. act, or
the act to which this act is supplementary.
And here will draw your attention TO that
part of thsir duties especially imposed and
authorized by the eighth section of the bill,
thus: ''Aud i. shall be the duty of the
officers and agents ofthis bureau (all Of them,
great ard small, to tax" jurisdcti, n of and
hear and determine all offences committed
arainsi he provision, of this section and also
OF al cases affecting negroes, r:.ulat.oeS,
freedmen refugees. or other persons Who are
Disseminated against, in any Of the par,icU-
lars mentioned in the preceding section Of
this act under, not the constitution and laws,
but under such rules and regulations q th c
president of the United States. thror gh the
war department, shall prescribe
These some "t the enorrn,ties Of Tie
vetoed bill, framed in the wantonness Of
partisan power in contempt OF the written
constitution. and in open violation OF the
historical options and tr;.di,ionary faith OF
the peOpis of the United States.
As all these thousands IF officers, agents
and employcs of the bureau may, a. the dis>
c-eiiou of ihe president, DC detailed from the
army. 1t Is plain that evcry man Of them may
he AL enlisted man Of the army, and wiiite or
black. as may best suit III. fancy o: tie de-
failing officer.
Only imagine such military organization,
with a despoiic head al The seat of govern>
rnrnl, and despotie members pervading the
whole mass oi the community and exhibits
ing its power in organized form, in every
county and par,sh. and the president bouni,
tv Trumhu!f. bill, to extend n,;l ta-y pro-
lection over them, against every etfor! 10
restrain. hy legal aud civil means, Il. wan
ionness OF their arbitrary power.
Think yoa that tie people Of the United
States ar. already so far degraded into pass
I've obedience IS tc submit; iame!y to sucn
a'rocious outrage. even i: sane !oaei by the
unan mo,s 7oice Of y iacsious congress, and
approved By d spbservient president? Ne,
verily. They are no, ye; rcadySo abandon
their constitution and rcnouuce al hope Of
lega. liberty, BY giving over their lives, liber-
ties aad properties TO be disp j,ed OF al ih
capy,c. OF petty officers and agents OF petty
sub dirIsion OF tie war depa- ncnt. called
bureau. They viii iu'is. upon their legal
rights aS freedmen aud American citizens
they W.. demand the D'Dtcctiol OF the laws
of ,ieir country; aud if charged with crime,
or Gra~u into controversy about property or
contracts they viii insist upsn court a.d
ju-y, and will refuse TO be tried by any Iot,y
de- pot, detailed from the army whether lie
be white or black.
Constitutional government and liberty by
law are worth fighting for. We have just
them against one Sc, OF tra.itors, and / make
no doubt that the people will be as ready, Il
need he, to resist in the same way anF other
se, OF raitors who seek 10 destroy the legal
government By insidio-s art fee rnd u "
usurpaiion.
An eminent publici.;, (Mi'l.) On representa-
tive government gives IL IS b s opinion that
representative institutions dep. II tor their
p.r.nauency .pon the readiness of the reope
To fight for them in case Ut heir being en-
sangered II TOO li,le Ya.pcd for this. :bcy
seldom obtain footing at ali, and. II they do,
ar. almost sure ~ be oyerthrurn as soon a
the head of the government or any party
leader who can muster force FOR cOnp ds
mum is willing TO ran some small risk Tor
absolute po' e..
think it fortunate thing for the c)uttrv
IN Il the radical faction is 50 3emen-ed ~ 10
pick quarrel with the president becausd he
refuses to be ;heir instrument 20 Jverturn The
constitution and substitute in it, place a Tll:.
rary dsspotism. aud to stake their political
fortunes upon the mons,rouS vices and toilies
Of the IrumbIll sill. For, in doing SO. ;hey
do bu, insure their own defeat, and co4se-
uuentl,. til" rest, r..iias OF law, order aud
peace, and revival ot na:ional respect for
legal goycrnmcn; aud national love for
liberty 5y law.
Even the emancipatel ne; roes. for WI ose
sake it is pretended shat this wrong is done.
will 10: long fail 10 see the hypocrisy and
fraud ,t the TRANSACTION. They will see that,
while ,heT are cAjoled with the pretence oi
liberty and equality before the law, this
wirhed bill su j-ct5 them to the power oi
military overscers, excludes them from all
legal protection, denies them the right tn ap.
peal 10 the courts of law for redress oi
grievances, and requires the agents and
officers of the bureau to take jurisdiction o
All cases which concern them and theiI
.,t,cecstS.
Very respectfully, your friend and fellow
citizen,
(SisLel) EDWARD BATES.