The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-03-01
Message Of the President Vetoinq
the Freedmen's Bureau Bill,
and His Objections to it.
) SCH OFF


wAsHlKaToK, Feb. 10.
The President has sent the following Message
~ Congress
70 the Senate of the Uni,ed States:
have examined with care the bill which orig :
lated in the Senate and hss been passed by thu
WO Houses of Cong t'ss, 10 amend an act emit
led "An act TO establish a bureau for the re.iei
i freedmen and refugees, aud for other purpos
s." Having with much regret, Come tn tb,i
-, nc lusion that it would MT be consistent wiz
the pubic welfare to give my proval 10 -tha
measure ! return the bill to the Senate, with IN
Injections to MS becoming a law.
/ might call TO mud in advance of these Oh
jeotions, that there is no immediate necsssIt (
or the proposed measure. The act to establls (
4 bureau tor the relief of freedmen and reiu rec ,
which was approved in tbs month OF March las I,
nas not yet expired. 1t was thought s.rnKen
and extensive enough tor the purpose in view.
Before It cesses to have effect further experience,
may assist to guide US 10 wise conclusion a.
~ the policy to be adopted in lime of peace
nave, with Congress, the strongest desire to Sc
cure to the freedmen the full euipyment OF then
freedom, and their property, and their entire in
dependence and equality in making our CON
rracts for their labor. But the bill before m.
contains provisions which, ia my opinion, az.
not warranted by the Constitutio and are no
we'll suiteu to accomplish the end in view.
This bill proposes 10 establish by the authority
IT Congress military Jurisdiction over all parts
"fthe Uuited States e0ntainining refugees aDo
freedmen. 1t would by its very nature appl,
with most force TO those parts OF the Unite
States in which the freedmen most abound, an.
1t expressly extends to the existing temporary
Jurisdiction OF the freedlnens bureau, with great
Iy enlarged powers over those States IN which
the ordinary course of judlcial proceedings has
oeen interru pied by the rebellion.
The SOU CO from which this military iurisdlc-
iOn ID I" emanate is none other than the Presi
dent of ths Usitsd States, SsGing through the
War Department ard the Commissioner of thr
Freedman's Bureau. The agents to carry on
his military Jurisdiction are to be selected eth
rr from he army or from civil lite. the cou.-
try is to be divided into districts and sub-ulr-
tricts, and the number of salared agents to Dr.
employed may be equal 10 rhe number OF coun-
lies ~ parishes in all the United States where
freedmen and refugees are To be found. The
.ubjecs over which this military jurisdiction he
20 extend III every part of tue United
State include protection to all employees, agen,s
and officer. of this bureau in the exercise oi The
duties imposed upon them 10y the bill III the eleV-
FL states. | Is further to extend over all case
affectlng freedmen and refugees discumIuated
against by local law, custom or prejudice in
those eles en- States. The DILL subjects any viii e
person who may be charged with deprlving Il
a freedman OF any civil rights or im.n1niiies be-
longing to white persons, TO imprisonment or
fine, or both, without, however defining the CIV
II rights ana im.nunIties which are thus TO be
secured TO the freedmen by military law. The
military jurisdiction also extends to ali ques
lions that may arise respecting contracts. The
agent who is thus 10 t exercise the office OF d
military Judge, may be a stranger, entirely "
norant OF the laws of the place and exposed L.
the errors of judgment to which all men a g liza
0ie. The exercise OF power, over which here
is no legal supervision, by 80 vast a number
agents as is contemplated in the bill, must b.
no n IN hn ~ lad hu ot- 81
caprice, injustice and passion Tue trials hRv-
ing their orig under This bill are to take place
without the intervention OF jury and witlou
any fixed rules of law or evidence The rules
on which offences are to be heard ana derermln-
ed by the umerous agents are such rules Huu
rs the Preslden', through the War
Department, snail prescribe. No prev ious pre-
eminent Is required nOi any indictment charg-
ing The commission OF crime ~ dInst the la =,
bur the trial must proceed on charges aud spec
lfications. The punishment will be not
what the law declares, but such as 4 court mar
tial may think proper, and from these ar itrary
there lies 40 appeal, no wri of error
tn any of the courts i'll which the Constitution
of the United States vests exclusively The JUDI
ciel power of the country. Whlie the territory
aud the class ot actions aud officers thai are
made eubiec; to this measure are exclusive,
IA hill lIselt hnuid il -hec4me law, VIII nave
40 imitapon 10 point OF time, but will torn a
par OF the pernanent egsiaGl III OF The cnnngTv.
cannot reconelie system ii mil airy jurlsd C.
ION 81 fh,s k'nd with he word, OF the G n-Grds
ton, which Il car { a "Np psr-en shalt be
fetd 10 a.swsrtor pas rs i, i,sr wa t.i
nous crime, unless On ii pres sntmenI lndiut-
mem ut grand jury. ex cpl ~ case arising ia
tie land aud naval t"rces, of III tine militia whea
in acrua service IN time of r or pubiIc dan
ger, and that in all criminal pr,secu; tons .tuz
accused shall enjoy The RIGHT to speedy and
pubic triai by an IMP trriai jury Of the STATE ~
district herein the CRIME shalt have been com.
mirted." The ssiesu srds which tue wisdom
ana experience OF ages taught our ia hers 10 ga
tabiish. as securities for the projection of the
innocent, the punishment IT the guAty. and rhs
q Ial admins ration otjustIre, are to be Sc,
aside ana for the sake ri d m,se vigor1ns in
,erpnsii ion III behalf OF justice we are TO maze
the risk CT the many acis OF Ir1usttce that would
necessity follow iran al almost countless
uumber OF agents established il evefy parish oI
county H. nearly > third ~ the States at the Un-
IN, over whose decision there is to be M super
rlsInn or control by The Federal courts. The
power tn Il would be thus placed in the hands OF
Ihe President lie such as in time of peace certainly
ushl never TO be trusted to any man.
II il Ue asked whether the action OF such u tri-
QUAIL within Il Siale Is garranted a measure
/ war, bt Question Immediately presents iIeeii
: be'h he's we engaged IN war. Lei us NOT un-
necessarily disturb the C, mmerce and dit aud
industry OF the country by declaring I" The Amer
eau people and The word mat he Unped State:
re .IIli Ia Il c..ndi ION of ,ivIl war. Al pre,en
here Is NO par of cur country in which tie au-
no ny Of he United States /, disputed Offences
may be commit I'd oy ndlvGd uas shU'd not
soIk q forfeiture OF The ilghts OF Inc came Conn
muultles The county fas entered, or is fefuru-
rg state nf peace and Iadustry, aud lhe re-
"a i,uu ie in al end. III measure, therefore,,
ems to be as Inc"n>istrn. with the uai c"Dd
ION 0t the country 81 IT is at variance with lh5
{ onAli'usi'.n ri The L niied States
frt,Tn al lU,.ra
exsmine HE bill IN deTa it is open Ia weigh,y ob
j c;I"ns. la time oi wal 1t was eminent prUpe
tnat We sDoud provide tor hose who we're pass
ing suddenly from condition OF bondage la II
ate III freedom This b,li proposes 10 make rnt
freedmen Bureau, eei abllshed by act oi 1866, A.
ne ot many great ana ex'ranrdlhary U'lEsauy
,near III es 10 suppress a itTnndaLe reUeiioD, p
pc manent branch % The pubic commentators,
alth IIs p1wers greafiy enlarged. have 40 re-
son supp"se e, ai.d d not uudei . and It 10 bt
alleged, thar he act of March, 1865, has proved
dehrien. tor the purpose t'r v hich " was passed
al that time and i..r a Considerable perioo
the Government OF the United State
remained nnacknnwiedged III most vi the Slaier
whose inhabitants had been involved in the re-
bellion. The institution of slavery for the militia
ny destruction (which the Freedmeh's Bureau
was called into existence as all auxiliary force,
has been already effecg ually and finally abrogn-
ted rhro'out the whole country 0y an amendmen
o the constitution Of The United States, and prac-
tically Its eradication has received he assent am
concurrence OF most OF thuee States IN
.ehch al any tim II had existed nm not, there.
lore, able I discern III the country anything
justify spprei. ensl"n thar the powers and agel-
cIer of he Freedmen Bureau which we're effect.
i've I r the protection OF freedmen aud refugee.
during The actual contibuatIcn of hostilities auo
Of African servitude will now in a lime OF peace
and at'er the abolition Of slavery prove made
luate To the same proper ebdr. II am corres
n these views there can be no necessity tor H.
-nla cement OF the powers OF the bureau TO
which provision is made in The bill.
The third section III the bill auiho, ICES a gel.
raj ted amount II supplie- 10 the deeli-
ute refugees and freedmen and their wiyes.sid
children. The succeeding -ec.ions make DR.,
vision for The rent 81 purchase OF landed estast.
"r free Omen, al inr The erection, TER heir ben
sfl % vi abie bui uugs rs YUM and choo.
"a expense TO De Diet a5td tor1 me treaeufy-
he whole people. The pgre-. 81 the Un,.e,
Sta es has Eeye heretofore III q ht iiteii comp
eat Ia establish any laws be, ond the limits lai
ne DIS rici of Columbia, except tor he bench
, ffilr drSbtp0 sttid lt 20 T.