Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1866-03-01

most of the States whose inhabi-
tants had been involved in the re-
belhon. The institution OF slavery,
for the military destruction ofwhich,
the Ereedmen's Bureau was called
into existence as an auxiliary force,
has been already effectuahy and fl
nally abrogated throughout the
whole country by an amendment to
the Constitution Of the United
States, ana practically its eradica-
ton has received the assent and
concurrence of most Of those States
in which at any time it had existed.
| am not, therefore, able to discern
in the country anything to Justify
an apprehension that the powers
and agencies Of the Freedmen's Blu
reau, which was effective for the
protection offreedmen and refugees,
during the actual continuation OF
hostilities and Of African scrvitude,
will now in time OF peace and after
the abolition OF slavery, prove in
adequate to the same proper end.
If am correct in these views, there
! can be no necessity for the enlarge
ment Of the powers Of the Freed
mems Bureau, for which provision
is made in the bill.
The third section Of the bill aU-
thorized a general unlimited amount
Of support to the destitute and suf-
fering refugees and freedmen and
their wives and children.
Succeeding sections make proyi-
sions for the rent or purchase Of
landed estates for freedmen and for
the erection for their benefit Of sui
table buildings, for asylums and
schools, the expenses to be defrayed
from the Treasury OF the whole peo-
pie. The Congress Of the United
States has never heretofore thought
itself competent 10 establish any
laws beyond the limits the District
OF Columbia, except for the benefit
of our disabled soldiers and sailors.
1t has never founded schools for
any class OF our own people, not
even for the orphans OF those who
have fallen in defense Of the Union,
but has left their education to the
much more competent and efficient
control ofthe states OF communities,
OF private associations and Of indi-
viduals. 1t has never deemed itself
authorized TO cXpcnd the public mo-
ney for the rent or purchase OF
homes for the thousands, not to. say
millions of the white race who are
honestly toiling from day to day for
their subsistence. \ system for the
support Of INDECENT persons in the
United State was never contcnpla-
ted by the authority of the C0nstitu-
ton, nor can any good reason be ad
vanced, why, as "a permanent estab-
Iishment, it should be founded for
one class or color Of our people more
than another. Tending the war,
many refugees and freedmen receiy-
ed support from the Government,
but it was never intended that they
should henceforth be fed, clothed,
educated and sheltered by the Uni
ted States. The idea on which the
slaves were assisted to freedom was
that on becoming free, they would
bc a self-sustaining population.
Any legislation that shall imply that
they are not expected to attain a
self-sustaining condition, must have
a tendency injurious alike to their
character and prosperity. The ap-
pointment Of an agent for every
county and parish VIII create an inn
mense patronage, and the expense Of
the numerous officers and the clerks
to be appointed by the President,
viii be great in the beginning, with
a tendency to increase. The appro-
priations asked by the freedmen's
bureau, as now established for the
year eighteen hundred and siNty-six,
amount to 81, 40, 600. 1t may
be safely estimated the cost to be in
Cured under the pending bin will
require double that amount, more
than double the entire sum expended
in any one year under the admins
tration OF the second Adams. If the
presence OF an agent in every parish
and county is to be considered as a
war measure: opposition, or even
resistance might be provoked, so
that, to give effect to their iurisdic-
ton, troops would have to be sta