The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-02-22
Freednlen's Bureau Bill.
TIE s@aSEEsENT.S VETO.
KEis Reasons Therefor.
To the ,StnGte orMc United States

ameud an act entitled AN act to establish
a Burcau for the relief of freedmen and
refugees, and for other purposes"
Having, with much regret come to the
conclusion that it would not be consistent
with the public welfare TO give my appro-
val to the measure, | return the bill to the
Senate, with my objections to its becoming
law.
NO IMMEDIATE NECESSITY FOR THE MEAS
URE.
| might call to mind, in advance of these
objections, that there is no immediate ne.
cessity for the proposed measure. The
act to establish 4 Bureau for the relief OF
freedmen and refugees which was approved
in the month of March last, has not yet ex-
PRED. 1t was thought stringent and ex>
tcnsivc enough for the purpose in view
Before it ceases to have effect, further ex.
perience may assist to guide us to a wise
conclusion as to the policy to be adopted
IN time of peace.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION.
have, with Congress, the strongest de-
sire to secure to freedmen the full enjoy
ment of their freedom and their property,
and their entire Independence and equality
IN making contracts for their labor But
the bill before me contains provisions
which, in my opinion, are not warranted by
the Constitution, and are not we'll suited to
accomplish the end in view.
MILITARY JURISDICTION.
The bill proposes to establish BIZ the
authority of Congress. military Jurisdiction
over all parts of the United States con-
tanning refugees and freedmen. 1t would
by its yerJ nature, apply with most force
tG those parts of the United States in which
tie freedmen most abound, and it ex-
pressly extends the existing temporary
jurisdiction of the Freedmcn's Bureau,
with greatcly enlarged powers, over those
States in which the ordinary course of jul
dicial proceedings has been interrupted BY
military jurisdiction is to emanate is none
other than the President of the United
States acting through the War Depart
ment and the Commissioner Of the Freed
mems Bureau. The agents to carry out
this military jurisdiction are to be selected
either from the army or from civil life
The country is 10 be divided into districts
and sub districts, and the number of sal
aried agents to be employed nay be equal
to the number Of counties or parishes in
all the United States where freedmen and
refugees are to be found. The subjects
over which this military jurisdiction is to
extend in every part Of the United States,
include protection to all nployees, agents,
and officers Of this Bureau in the exercise
Of the duties imposed upon them by the
bill. In eleven States. it is further to ex-
tend over ali classes affecting freedmen and
refugees Disseminated against by local
law, custom, or prejudice. In those eleven
States, the bill subjects any white person
who may be charged with depriving a
freedman Of amy civil rights or immunitics
belonging to white persons, to imprison-
mcnt or fine, or both. without. however
defining the civil rights and immunities
which are thus to be secured to the freed
men by military law. This military ju-
risdicton also extends to all questions that
may arise respecting contracts The agent
who is thus to exercise the office of a nils
itary judge may be stranger entirely ig:
norant Of the laws Of the place and exposed
to the errors of judgment to which all men
are liable. The exercise of power, over
which there is no legal supervision, by Sc
vast number of agents as is contemplated
by the bill, must, by the very nature of
man, be attained by acts Of caprice, injus
tice, and passion. The trials having their
origin under this bill are to take place with.
out the Intervention of a jury, and without
any fixed rules of law or evidence. The
rules on which offcnses are to be heard and
determined by the numerous agents, are
such rules and regulations as the President
through the War Department, shall pre-
scribe. No previous presentment is re-
quired, nor any indictment charging the
commission of crime against the law
but the trial must proceed on charges and
specifications. The punishishment will
be, not what the law declares, but such as
q court martial may think proper; and
from these arbitrary tribunals there lies nc
appeal, no writ of error, to any Of the
courts in which the Constitution of the
United States vests exclusively the judicial
power OF the country. While the territory
and the class Of actions and offences, that
are made subject to this measure, are SC
extensive, the bill itself, should it become
law, will have no limitation in point OF
time, but will form part of the permanent
! legislation of the country.
cannot reconcile system of military
jurisdiction of this kind with the words OF
the Constitution, which declare that mo
person shall be held to answer for capital
or otherwise Infamous crime unless on q
prcsentment or indictment of q grand jus
ry, except in eases arising in the land or
naval forces, or in the militia when in ac-
tual service in time of war or public dan
ger;" and that, I'm all criminal prosecu-
tons, the accused shall enjoy the right OF
speedy and public trial by an impartial
jury Of the State or district wherein the
crime shall have been committed The
safeguards which the wisdom and experience
OF ages taught our fathers to establish as
securities Cor the protection of the limo.
cent, the puni.Lment of the guilty, aud the
equal administration of justice, are to be
Al