Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-03-02
THE FREEDMENs BUREAU Bill,
LET THE PEOPLE JUDGE. pa.
Extracts from Sen. Trumbulls Speech
Delivered January 10, 1856.

Extracts from Sen. TrumbulPs Speech,
. Delivered January 10, 1856,
Ea DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT. ''-.
Now, sir, what was the object Of the
Freedmen's Bureau, and why was it es-
tablished? 1t was established to look
after a large class of people who, as the
results of the war, had been thrown up-
OH the hands of the Government, and
must have perished but for its fostering
care and protection. Does the Senator
mean to deny the power Of this Gov
circumstances? The Senator must Of
ten have voted for appropriations to
protect other classes of people under
like circumstances? Whenever, in the
history of tho Government, there has
been thrown upon 1t a helpless popula-
ton which must starve and die but for
its care, the Government has never fail
ed to provide for them. At this very
session, within the last thirty days, both
Houses of Congress have voted half a
million of dollars to feed and clothe
people during the present winter. VINO
were they? Many of them were Indi-
ans who had joined the rebellion and
had slain loyal people of the country
Yes, sir, We appropriated money to feed
Indians who had been fighting against
US. We did not hear the Senator's voice
in opposition to that appropriations
What were the facts? It was stated by
our Indian agents that the Indian tribes
west of Arkansas, a part of whom had
joined the rebel armies and some the
Union armies, had been driven from
their country; that their property had
been destroyed; and now the conflict of
arms having ceased, they had nothing
to live upon during the winter; that
they would encroach upon white settle
ments; that unless provision was made
for them they would rob, plunder, and
murder the Inhabitants nearest them
and Congress was called upon to appro-
pirate money to buy them food and
clothing, and We did it. We did it for
rebels and traitors. Were we not bound
to do it?
Now, sir, we have thrown upon us
four millions of people who have toiled
all their lives for others; who, unlike
the Indians, had no property at the be-
ginning Of the rebellion; who were new
er permitted to own anything, never
permitted to eat the bread their own
hands had earned; many of whom are
IiSuhS Va SuppOity III tlic
midst of a prejudiced and hostile popu-
lation who have been struggling to
overthrow the Government. These four
millions of people, made free by the acts
of war and the constitutional amend
ment, have been, wherever they could,
loyal and true to the Union; and the
Senator seriously asks, what authority
have we to appropriate money to take
care of them? What would he do with
them? Would he allow them to starve
and die? Would he turn them over to
the mercy of the men who, through
their whole lives, have had their earn
ings, to be cnslaved again? 1t is not
the first time that money has been APP
propriated to take care of the destitute
and suffering African. For years it has
been the law that whenever persons of
African descent were brought to our
shores with the intention of reducing
them to slavery, the Government should
if possible, rescue aud restore them to
their native land; and we have appro-
priated hundreds of thousands of dol
lars for this object. Can anybody deny
the right to do it? Sir, humanity rs
we'll as the constitutional obligation to
suppress the slave trade require it. So
now the people relieved by our act from
the control OF masters who supplied theil
wants that they might have their servi-
ces have right to rely upon US for as.
sistancc till they can have time to pro-
vide for themselves. '.
CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY.
The Freedmen's Bureau is not intend
ed as q permanent institution. 1t is only
designed to aid these helpless, ignorant,
and unprotected people until they can
provide for and take care of themselves.
The authority to do this, so far as legis-
lative sanction can give it, is to be found
in the action of n previous Congress,
which established the Bureau; but if it
were u new question, the authority for
such Bureau, i'm my judg-
ment, is given by the Constitution it.
self; and as the Senator'S whole argu-
ment goes on the idea of peace, and that
all the consequences of the war have
ceased, shall be pardoned, trust, if
refer to those provisions Of the Consti-
tuition which, in my Judgment, author
izc the exercise of this military jurisdic-
tion-for this Bureau is q part of the
establishment, not simply dur
ing the conflict of arms, but until peace
shall be firmly established and the civil
tribunals OF the country shall be restor-
VA Wilh ~h n-SuluhCC IlhNu tHGf i1suy
peacefully enforce the laws without OPP
position. .. ..t. ..r.s Z :.
The Constitution of the United States
declares that Congress shall have the
authority "tD declare war and make
rules concerning captures on land and
water" to raise and support armies, "
1" to provide and maintain navy,n "to
make rules for the government and reg
ulatiOn of the land and naval forces" !"
" to provide for calling forth the militia
to execute the laws of the Union, sup
press insurrection, and repel invasion, !"
and to make all laws which shall be
necessary and proper for carrying into
the foregoing powers" 1t
also declares that 1.-THE citizens of each
State shall be entitled to all the privi-
leges and immunities of citizens in the
several States," and that "the United
States shall guarantee to every State i'm
the Union a republican form Of govern
ment.' Under the exercise of these
powers the Government has gone thro'
a four years conflict. 1t has succeeded
in putting down armed resistance to its
But did the military power
which was exercised to put down this
armed resistance cease the moment the
rebel armies were dispersed? Has the
Government no authority to bring to
the authors of this rebellion
after the conflict of arms has ceased no
authority to hold as prisoners, If neces-
sary, all who have been captured with
arms in their hands? Can it be that the
moment the rebel armies are dispersed
the military authority ceases, and they
are to be turned loose to arm and organ
ize again for another conflict against the
Union? Why, sir, it would not be more
preposterOus on the part of the traveller,
after having, at the peril of his life, sue
ceeded in disarming a highwayman by
whom he was assailed, to Immediately
turn round and restore to the robber his
weapons with which to make q new as
sault.
And yet this is what some gentlemen
would have this nation do with the
worse than robbers who have assaiIed
its life. They propose, the rebel armies
being overcome, that the rebels them
selves shall be instantly clothed with
all the authority they possessed before
the conflict, and that the inhabitants OF
States who for more than four years
have carried on an organized war
against the Government shall ut once
be invested with oil the powers they
had ut its commencement, to organize
an ~ A.