The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1866-07-27
THE LAST VETO.
The FreedmenS Bureau Bill.
DIRECTIONS or TINE PRESIDENT TO
ITS BECOMING 4 LAW.
Message froBa iIe President 10 the E0use
of Representatives.
WASHINGTON, July 16, 1866.

me following Is the Veto MeSSageoI
the President communicated to-day to
the House of Representatives
A careful examination Of the bill
passed by the two Houses Of Congress,
entitled 'fAn act to contiune i'll force,
and to amend an act to establish q bu
rtau for the relief Of freedmen and re-
fLgees and for other PURPOSES has
convinced me that the legislation
which it proposes would not be consis-
tent with the welfare Of the country,
and that it falls clearly within the rea-
sons assigned inmy message OF the 18th
Of February last, returning without
my signature a similar measure which
originated in the Senate. Ii is not my
purpose to repeat the objections which
then urged. They are yet fresh in
your recollection, and can readily be
examined as a part Of the records Of
one branch OF the national legislature.
Adhering to the principles set forth in
that message, now reatiirm them and
the line OF policy therein Indicated
The only ground on which this kind of
legislation can be justified, is that Of
the war making power. The act, Of
which this bill is intended as amenda-
tory, was passed during the existence
Of the war. BY its own provisions tits
to terminate within one year from the
cessation of hostilities and the declara-
ton of peace. Ii j., Therefore, yet in
existence and it is likely that it will
continue III force as long as the freed
men may require the benefits Of its
provisions. 1t will certainly remain
in operation as a law until somemonths
subsequent 10 the meeting Of the next
session IF Congress, when, if expert
ence shall make evident the necessity
OF additional legislation, the two
Houses will have ample time to ma-
| ture and pass the requisite measures
In the meantime the questions arise,
why should this war measure be con-
tinued beyond the period designated
in the original act, and why in time of
peace should military tribunals be ere
ated to continue until each State shall
be fully restored to its constitutional
relations to the Government and shall
be duly represented in the Congress Of
the United States. 1t was manifest
with respect to the act approved March
5, 1868, that prudence and wisdom d
like required that jurisdiction over all
cases concerning the free enjoyment of
| the immunities and rights of citizen
ship, a. we'll as the protection Of per-
son and property, should be conferred
upon some tribunal in every State or
district where the ordinary course Of
judicial proceedings was interrupted
by the rebellion, and until the same
should be fully restored. At that time,
therefore, an urgent necessity existed
for the passage of such IA law. Now the
war has substantially ceased. The or
/ dinary course Of judicial proceedings Is
no longer interrupted. The Coarts,
both State and Federal, are in full,
complete and successful operation, and
through them every person, regardless
/ Of race and color, isentitled to and can
be heard. The protection granted t0the
white citizen is already conferred by
/ laws upon the freedmen. Strong and
stringent guards, by way of penalties
and punishmentS, are thrown around
his person ond property, and it is be-
leved that anple protection will be
afforded him by the due process Of law
/ without resort to the dangerous eXpe-
I dent of "military tribunals" Now
( that the war has been brought to Il
/ close, the necessity no longer existing
/ for such tribunals, which had their ORR
/ gin in the war, grave objections to their
continuance present themselves to
( the minds ofau rejecting and di@pas-
sionate. Independently o. the danger
/ in representative republics OF confer
ring upon the military in time OF peace
/ extraordinary powers, 50 carefully
/ guarded against by the patriots and
statesmen Of the earlier days Of the Re
/ public, so frequently the ruin Of Gov
ernmentS founded upon the same free
( principles, and subversiye OF ,he rights
and liberties of the citizen, The ques-
/ ti0n Of practical economy earnestly
commemds itself to the consideration
( of the law-making power. With an
+ immense debt already burdening the
incomes of the industrial and Iaboring
Glasses, a due regard for their interests,
50 inseparabiy connected with the wei
fare ofthe country, should prompt US
TO rigid economy and retrenchment,
and influence Us to abstain from all
legislation that would unnecessarily
increase the public Indebtedness. Test
cd by this rule Of sound political Wis
/ dom, can see no reason for the estab-
lishnent of the military jurisdiction
conferred upon the officials of the bu-
reau by the l4th section of the bill
BY the laws of the United States and
of the different States, competent
courts, Federal and State, have been
established, and are now in practical
operation. By means of these civil
tribunals ample redress is afforded fol
all private wrongs, whether to the per