The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-03-20

bearance of Congress as the only SAFE
guard of liberty. Our Constitution will
become, simply, grant of legislative
power to Congress.
The power usurped and exercised to
exclude representatives, to disfranchise
States and people, to prescribe test oaths
and other tests in subversion of equal
government, is fitting prelude to that
despotism which frowns from the brow of
a revolutionary Congress.
1t is strange that Constitution suited
to twenty-five millions Of white people,
producing prosperity when obeyed, and
misfortune only when violated, should
now be deemed insufficient for three mil
lions of negroes.
While all theseaproposed Constitutional
amendments have been kept in abeyance,
and Congress has been specializing with
the temporary suspension of the relations
of the South to the Union, until the pub
lie mind should become familiar with and
tolerate the permanency of the suspen-
sion, an important measure was being
matured as an entering wedge for all
these revolutionary schemes.
The Freedman's Bureau Bill, recon
mended by its charitable appearance and
ostensible humanity, and besides having
precedent in operation in the South, was
brought forth; bill to establish military
jurisdiction over all parts of the United
States containing refugees and freedmen;
to create large and permanent standing
army; to require salaried agents without
number in every State, county and parish
in the Sonth; to invest the agents with
supreme power over the negro, and over
all questions between the negro and citi-
zen, ana to try all white persons who
might be charged with ofense against the
negro, upon negro testimony, without in
dictment of jury, and without any fixed
rule of law or evidences ,and to inhict such
punishment as the bureau agent might see
proper, and in which proceedings there
was no appeal to any court. The power
of the bureau was to be supreme over
State Constitutions, State officers and
courts and laws, and to be administered
by that class who would seek livelihood
in such oecupationl All the negroes
were to be fed, clothed and supported by
the General Government.
Out of the Treasury of the United
States was to be paid the expenses of
erecting schools, houses and asylums, and
negro churches and hospitals; $and the
lands of the residents were to be taken
away and given to the negro.
Every section of the bill was viola
tion of the whole scope and purport OF
the Constitution, and was, in effect, bill
to enslave and impoyerish the white peo-
pie of the South, and to establish in the
general views, the negro race, and at the
expense of Northern labor. This bill to-
tally ignores the Southern States as be-
ing in the Union, and the Southern people
as having any rights under the Corstitu-
ton. With this bill as law and in op
Grafton, and followed up by the .Constitu-
tional amendments proposed, the work OF
disunion would be complete and perma-
nent. sf G f,4I
1t would have prostrated the whole ag-
ricultural system Of the South, destroyed
its commerce and the revenue of the Gov
ernment, and increased the public debt
perhaps one hundred millions of dollars
yearly. By the veto of thisbill the plans
of the disunionists are for the time being,
broken up. The work of the whole ses-
sion has come to naught, and their mo-
tives are exposed to the public view
President johnson mas denounced these
workers of disunion in the following Ian.
guage: 81 have fought traitors and trea.
son in the South. / opposed the Davises
and Toomses, the Slidells,l and long lisi
of others, whose names need not repeat
and now, when / turn round, at the Other
end Of the line, I find men, care not by
what name you call them voice-scal
them traitors who still stand opposed te
the restoration of the Union Of the States
And I am free to say to you l am still fol
the preservation of this compact, an
still in favor of this great Government Of
ours going on and following out its own
destiny IA voice-'givs us the Names.
A gentleman calls for THEN names; vel
suppose l should give them. A voice
we know them. look upon them,
repeat it, as President OF citizen, as mucl
opposed to the fundamental principles 0
this Government, and believe they are al
much laboring to prevent or destroy then
as were the men who fought against us
| "A voice, what are their names?'] sa,
Thaddeus Stevens, of Pennsylvania, tire
menduous applause;] | say Charles Sum
ner, [great applause;] [ say Wendell
Phillips and others OF the same stripe
all among them" M ~
That their leaders brought on this war
that while one danger to the Union ha
been thwarted, another equally great i
threatening from the Abolitionists of tn
North, must excite the reflection of ever,
lover of his country. If the Hartfor,
Convention has merited the odium O
three generations, may not this Congress
merit and will i not receive, at the hand
| of the people, an Immortality Of infamy
Freedom, Union, peace and prosperity
are being sacrificed on the altar of negr
| fansticism. I a -
Both our interests and common patri
otism demand that the people shall OPP
pose the scheme of their leaders, To de
stroy eleven States and hold them in vas
salage; to make negro pauper- -infrmar,
out of. the South, and poor fund out 0
1.-THE Treasury of the United States; t
place the negro on an equality with tn
white man; to give TO reasonable fac
ltion the negro race as an immense engin