The Richmond palladium., 1866-02-22
BY Telegraph - the Associated Press ]
THE FREEDMEN'S BUREAU BILL.
Vetoed by the President.
His Message to the Senate.
WARRINGTON. Feb. le.


Of Congress, 10 amend entitled 8 An act to
tablish bureau for Ia. relief Of eedmen and refa-
gees, aud for other purposes"
Having with much regret come 70 ths conclusion
that it would not BE- consistent with the public welfare
10 give my approval 70 the measure return the III
to the Senate with my objections to it. becoming
law nj ghi call 70 mind, in advance Of these objec
tions that there Is no imm-iats necessity for the
proposed measure. The act 70 establish bureau for
the relief Of freedmen and refugees, which aP-
proved in the month OF March last, has yet
pjred. Il thought stringent and extensive enough
for the purpose in view Before it to have ef
feet, further experience may assist 10 guide 70
wise conclusion to the policy to be ai"P;ed in
time Of peace.
have, with Congress, the strongest desire to Sc
cure to the freedmen the full enjoyment Of their free
dom and their property and their entire independence
and usity, in making contracts Tor their labor But
the bill before me contains provisions, which, IN
opinion. are warranted by the Constitution, and
are not well suited TO accomplish the end in view. The
bill proposes establish by authority OF Congress,
military jurisdiction over all parts OF the l uIted
States, containing refugees and freedmen. 1t would,
by its very nature apply with most force to those
parts of the United States IN hich the freedmen most
abound, and it expressly extends the existing tempo
rary jurisdiction of the Freedmen's Bureau, with
greatly enlarged powers over those states IN hIch
the ordinary of Judicial proceedings have been
interrupted bv the rsbelhnn The source from which
this military jurisdiction is emanate other
tina President Of the United States acting thro'
the War Department, and the Commissioner OF the
Free,lmen's Bureau. The agents to carry ont this
military jurisdiction, TO be selected either from the
army, from civil life The country IS to be divided
districts and sub dist tricts aud the number OF
salarei agents to be employed may be equat to the
number of counties parishes in all the United
States, where the freedmen and refugees are 10 be
found. The subjects over which tins military lurIs-
dicton is extend in every part of the nted States
include protection all employees, agents. and officers
of this bureau in the exercise Of the duties imposed
upon them by the bill. In eleven States, il IS further
1Fat
refugees, Disseminated against by the local law,
prejudice In those eleven State. the bill sub
lects any white person who may be charged with de-
prying freedman of any civil rights or immuntes
belonging to white persons, to Imprisonment or fine.
or both, without, however, defining the civil rights
and minunItleS which are thus to be secured 10
the freedmen by military law. This military juris
dicton also extends to all questions that may arise
respecting contracts The agent ho is thus TO exer
else the Office OF Military Judge, may be stranger,
entirely ignorant of the laws of the place, and
posed TO errors of judgment TO which all men Ii
able. The exercise of power over which there is no
legal supervision by so vast number OF agents,
is contemplated by the bill, must by the very nature
of man. be attended by acts OF caprice injustice and
passion. The trials, having their origin usder tins
bill, to take place without the Intervention OF
jury, and without any fixed rules of law evidence
The rules on which offences be heard and deter
mlLded by the numerous agents, are such rules and
regulations the President through the War Depart
ment shall pres crbe. No previous presentment i,
required, any Indictment charging the commits
sion OF a crime against the laws, bat the trial must
proceed charges and specifications. The punish
ment will not be the law declares, but such
court martial may think proper and from these ar
bitrary tribunals there lies appeal, writ OF err
any of the courts in which the Constitution Of
the United States exclusively the judicial power
Of the country, while the territory and the class of
actions and otenses that are made subject to this
measure. are so extensive.
The bill itself, should 1t become law, viii have
limitation in point OF time but will form part of the
permanent legislation of the country. cannot recon
Gle system of military jurisdiction Of this kind, with
the words OF the Constitution which declare that mo
person shall be held 10 answer for capital or other
wise infamous crime, unless presentnent or in
dctment of Grand Jury, except in arising in
the land naval forces, in the militia when
tua service, time of public danger" and
that in all criminal pre- seeutions, the accused shall
enjoy the right to speedy and public trial by i'm
partial jury of the State district wherein such crime
shall have been commtted.' The safeguards. which
the wisdom, and experience of ages taught faith
to establish securities for the protection OF the
innocent the punishment of the guilty and the equal
administration Of justice to be set aside; and for
the sake OF more vigorous nterposlton IN behalf OF
Justice, to take the risk of the many acts of
injustice that would, of necessity, follow from al
countless Der of agents established in every
parish county III rearly third OF the States of
the Cnion over whose decision there is to be
pervision control by the Federal Courts. Tie pow
that would be thus placed in the lands of the Pres
dent is such as IN times of peace certainly ought
to be entrusted to any If 1t be asked
whether the creation of such tribunal within State
is warranted as measure OF war, the question imnle
diately presents itself, whether still engaged
in Let not unnecessarily disturb the
merce and credit aud industry of the country, bv de-
claring the American people and the world that the
United States still in condition of civil At
present th-r IS no part Of our country in which the
authority of the United States is disputed. Ofenses
that be committed by individuals, should
work forfeiture of the rights of the communi
state of and industry and the rebellion is in fact
at end. The measure, therefore, seems TO be
ncon with the actual condition of the country
1t Is at with ihe Constitution of the United
States. IT, passing from general considerations. we
mine the bill in detail it open weghty ohicc-
tions In time of war it was emineutly proner that
fl,1r1V tla
" from condition of bondgs 10 a state of freedom
But this bill proposes TO make the Freeimens Bureau
established by the act OF 1865, of many great
and extraordinary military measures to suppress a
formidable rebellion, permanent branch of the pub
lie a ADMINISTRATION, with It's power greatly enlarged.
have no reason to suppose, and do not under
stand to be alleged that the OF March, 1863 has
proved deficient for the purpose for which il pass
ed although at that time nd for considerable per-
iod thereafter, the Government Of the United StteS
remained uuscknowIedged in of the States whose
inhabitants had been involved in the rebellion.
Tue institution of slavery. for the military destruc
ton of which the Freedmeu's Bureau called into
existence auxiliary has been already effectuav
and finally abrOgated throughout the whole country
by amendment Of the Constitution of the United
States and practically its eradication has received the
assent and concurrence of NEST of those States which
at any time had existed. not, therefore, able
discern in the country ANYTHING TO Justify an aupre-
hension, bat the powers and agencies Of the Freed
mems Bureau which were effective for the protection
of freedmen and refugees during the actual contin-
nation of h0sttes and Of African servitude, will
in a OF peace aud after the abolition Of slavery
prove inadequate 20 the 81 me proper ends II
correct in these views, there De necessity for
the enlargement of the powers Of the Bureau for
which provision - made IN the bill.
The ttird section OF the bill authorizes General and
unlimited amount of support TO the desii-
suffering refugees and freedmen and their
and children Succeeding sections make provision
for the purchase of landed estates for freed
and for the erectitn for their benefit of suitable
buildings for asvuus and schools, the expenses 10 be
defrsved from the treasury Of the whole people.
The Congress of the United States has here
tofore though itself competent 70 establish any laws
beyond the limits Of the District Of Columbia cept
for the beueS nf disabled soldiers and sailors II
has never founded schools for class OF
people not for the orphans of those who have
iaien in defense of the Union but has LEFT the Of
their education the much more competent control
the States of committees OF private associations.
and of individuals II has deemed itself author
ize 10 expeud the public nonsy for tie rent pur
chase Of bones for the thouss nds not millions,
Of the white who honestly toilug from day
Gsv for their subsistence.
A system for the support Of indignant persons in
the United States never conte mplaed by the
,hors of the Constitution; any good reason
De advanced why, permanent establish nent it
should be founded for class color Of our people