The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1866-04-05

are charged This extraordinary power
to be conferred upon agents irresponsible
to the government. and to the people
to whose number the discretion o
the commissioners is the on.'
limit. and in whose hands such authori-
ty might be made 4 tcrribl. engine o
wrong, oppression and fraud. The stat
utes regulating the land and naval force
of the United States, the militia. and exc
cution Of the laws are believed to be ade
quate for any emergency which can occur
in time Of peace. If it should prove 9th
erwise Congress can at any time amend
those laws in such manner as. while sub
serving public welfare. not to leopard tho
rights. interests and liberties Of the people
The seventh section provides that
4 fee Of ten dollars paid to each comnis-
sioner IN every ease brought before him
and a fee of five dollars to his deputy, iol
each person he or they may arrest and
! take before such commissioner, with such
other fees as may be deemed reasonable by
such commissioners in general. for per
forming such other duties as may be re-
quired in the premises. All these fees arc
to be paid ont Of the treasury Of the Uni-
ted States. whether there is q conviction
or not. but in case Of conviction they are
not to be recoverable from the defendant
Il secns ID ne that under the influence
Of such temptations. bad :nen might con-
vert aue law. however beniicent inio an
instrument Of persecution and fraud.
By the eighth section Of the bill the
United States courts, which set only in one
place for white citizens. must nj grate with
the marshal and district attorney. and nee
essarily with the clerk, although he is not
mentioned, to any point of distance upon
the order of the President, and there hold
4 court for the purpose of the more speedy
arrest and trial Of persons charged with a
violation OF this act, and there the Judge
and officers of the court must remain. up
on the order of the President, for the time
therein designed.
The ninth section authorizes the Prc,i-
dent. or such person rs he may empower
for that purpose, to employ such part OF
the land and naval forces of the United
States. or the militia, rs shall be necessary
to prevent the violation anl enforce
the due execution Of this Act
This language seems to imply 4 rerma-
nent military force, aud that il is 70 be
always at hand, aud whose only business
it is to see the enforcement Of this meas
ure over the vast region where 1t Is inten>
ded TO operate. do not propose TO con
slider the policy of this bin. To me the
details Of the bill are fraught with evil
The white race aud the black race of the
south have hitherto lived together under
Tie relation Vi maStcr ana slave-capital
, owning iabOr.-now that relation is chang
ed, and, as to ownership capital and labor
are divorced They stand how each mas
ter vf itself in this new relation. one being
NECESSARY 10 the other. there Will be new
adj justment, in which both are deeply in
terested, in making harmonious. Each has
equal power in settling the terms, and if
left TO the laws that regulate capital and
labot, il is confidently believed they will
satisfactorily work out problem. Capi-
tai. it Is true, has more Intelligence, but
labor is me- es 50 ignorant rs not TO under
stand It's own iutercsts-not 70 know It's
own value, as rot TO SIC that capital must
pay that value.
This bill illustrates tbs adjustment. 1t
intcrvcnes between capital and labor, and
attempts to settle questions of political
economy through the agency Of numerous
officials, whose interest it. will be to fer
mcnt discord between the two races. For
as The breach divides, their employment
will continue, and when it is closed. their
occupation will end.
In all our history, in all ear experience
as people living under Federal and State
law; no such system as that contemplated
by the details OF this bill. has ever before
been proposed or adopted. They estab
lish for the security Of the cclorcd race
safeguards which 60 infinitely beyond any
that the general Government has ever pro-
posed for the white race. In fact, the
distinction of race and color is, by the bill,
made to operate in favor of the colorcd.
and against the white race. They inter
fere with the municipal legislation Of the
States, with The relations existing eAclu
sively between State aud Its citizens. and
between inhabitants of the same State.
and the absorption and assumption OF
power by the General Government, which
if acquiesced in must sap and destroy our
federative system Of limited powers, and
break down the barriers which preserved
the rights Of the States. ltis another step
or rather stride toward Capitalization,
and all legislative powers in the national
government. The tendency of the bill
must be To resuscitate the spirit of rebell-
ion. and to arrest the progress Of those
influences which are more closely drawing
around the States the bonds of Union and
peace.
My lameuted predecessor, in his procla>
nation of the lst of January, 1868,
ordered that all persons held as slaves
within certain States and parts of States
therein designated, then aud theneetor>
ward should be free; and further that the
Executive Government Of the United
States. including the military and naval
authorities thereof, would recognize and
the freedom of such persons =
This guarantee has been rendered espec-
tally obligatory and sacred by the amend !