Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-03-15

Practical Working of the Frecdmens Bureau.
We published some days ago letter of Major
Henry a. Lawrence Agent of the Freedmen's Blu
reau at Fayetteville, North Carolina, in which he
recorded his experience in dealing with the plant
ers and the negroes on the question OF labor In
that letter, the humane and conslderate behaviour
of the white population was contrasted most I'M
favorably with the sullen, idle and Improbable
habits of the blacks. We have the pleasure to-
day, of presenting to our readers another commu-
nication from the pen of Major Lawrence, written
before the Presidents veto of the Freedmens Blu
reau BILL but containing the most effective and
rnanswerable arguments against that measure 1t
must be kept in mind that Major l.. is in full COM
munion with the Republican party, and has been
a constant member of it ever since 1T was organ1-
zed His letter is as follows
FAYETTEVILLE, N. c., Feb. A. 1866
confess am tired out and half worn ont with
the annoyances of my position and need rest; and
am far from having any sympathy with the
views that seem to prevail IN Congress that am
unwilling to be even an humble instrumental aid
ing to carry them out. Whilst there was, and
could be- no law but military law, or rather all
thority, the bureau necessity to some extent.
But to continue it after the States shall have given
the blacks their civil rights seems to be the very
reverse of sound policy, considered simply with
reference to that. 1t will engender hatred toward
the blacks on the part of the whites a favored
class to whom extra legal protection is given by
the Federal Government-hatred toward the Gov
eminent itself, which, by this system, pronounces
the people regardless OF justice, and brands courts
and bar and iuries, in advance, ready perjurers
It substitutes for learned i'll the law, and
to administer it-for trial by jury and right of
appeal-the decision of men who, in many cases.
if not most, will know nothing of law; who will
often be preiudiced, and some, Judging from the
past will be corrupt 1t will lnclte IN the blacks,
to some extent, q sense of independence of the
local laws-sanction their distrust of them, the
courts and the people, and certainly cannot
tend to educate them in the duties of citizens.
Instead of allaying, it will beget jealousy and
ill-will between the races to a greater degree
than now exists and finally produce the
very evils it is intended to guard against.
And how such system can be exercised except
temporary military necessity in a conquered
country I cannot conceive. 1t is liable to all our
old objections to the Fugitive Slave law" and,
unlike that will be ever present, eVer-acting
evil; and its provisions are very incomplete for
the end proposed, unless it is assumed that mill
tary authority is to remain paramount. For in
stance, can fine $50 and imprison him
thirty days; but case of murder of q black, the
district or department military commander must
order trial by cOurt-martial Upon conviction, the
case may of course, go to the Secretary of War
for review. Such trial is in progress now at
Raleigh. If this system is to be retained after
the States shall be reconstructed whenever that
may be-and If this is repubhcansm Self-gov-
eminent, / shall despair of being able to
comprehend the first principles of political science
But if State should establish such judicial sys
tenn [ think the Federal Government might well
be called upon to enforce its guarantee of repub-
hcan government to the people of that State J.
think it would be less outrage upon the princi7
pies of self government and upon the Constitution
to treat the South conquered territory and
govern it by orr territorial system, than to do
what is proposed to be DONE and in that case Mr..
Sumner might secure juries composed equally OF
white and black men. felt ashamed for myself
as an American and for my Government, when
q few days ago, Judge Buxton of the Supreme
Court of this State called at my office to inquire
as to the extent of the jurisdiction he would be
permitted to exercise in Il term he about to
hold