The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1866-03-01
2oItital.
FREEDMEN'S BUREAU BILL
Vetoed by the President.
HIS MESSAGE TO TIL Il SENATE.

HIS MESSAGE TO THE SENATE.
WAsmNGToN, February l9ih.
To tie Senate ofMe United States:
| have examined with care the
bill which originated in thc.S nate,
and has been passed by holh llou-
ses OF Congress, to amend an act
entitled "An act to establish II
bureau for the relief of freedmen
and refugees, and Tor other purpo,
ses"
Having with much regret come
I, to the conclusion that it would not
be consistent with the public wei
fare to give my approval TO the
measure, return tie bill TO the
Senate with my ohjcc'ious to its
becoming a law. l might call tc|
mind, in advance of these ohjec-
Itions, that there is no Immediate
necessity for the proposed measure.
The net to establish q bur,au for
the relief of freedmen and refugees,
which was approved in the month
of March last, has not yet expired.
1t was thought stringent and ex-
tensive enough for the purpose in
view. Before it ceases to have
effect, further experience may as.
sist 10 guide us to n wise conclu-
sion as to the policy to be adopted
in time of peace.
| have, with Congress, tho
strongest desire to secure to the
freedmen the full enjoyment OF
their freedom and their property,
and their entire independence aid
EQUALITY, in making contracts for
their labor. But the bill before
me coutaius provisions, which, in
my opinion, arc not warranted by
the Constitution, and are not well
suited to accomplish the end in
view. The bill proposes to e'tab
lish, by authority Of Congress, a
military jurisdiction over all parts
of the United States, containing
refugees and freedmen. 1t would,
by its very nature, apply with most
force to those parts of the United
States, in which the freedmen most
abound, and it expressly extends
the existing temporary jurisdiction
of the ireedmen's bureau, viii.
greatly enlarged powers, over those
States in which the ordinary course
of judicial proceedings have been
interrupted by the rebellion. The
source from which this military
Jurisdiction is to cmanate is nonC
other than the President of thu
United States, acting through thu
War Department. and the Com
missioner of the Freedmen's Blu
reau. The agents to carry ont thi'
I,nilitarv Jurisdiction, are 90 De Sc
i....S.I efthcr rom the army, or from
civil life. The country is to be di-
vided into districts and sub-dis-
Itricts, and the number of salaried
agents to be employed may be
equal to the number of counties OF
parishes in all the United States
where the freedmen and refugees
are to be found. The subjects ovel
which this military jurisdiction is
to extend in every part of the Uni,
ted States, include protection to
all employees, agento and officers
OF this bureau in the exercise ofthc
duties imposed upon them by the
bill. In eleven States, it is fur
ther to extend over all cases af-
fecting the freedmen and refugees,
Disseminated against by local law,
custom or prejudice. In those
eleven States the bill subjects any
white person, who may be charged
with depriving a freedman Of
any civil rights or immunities be.
longing to white persons, ITO i'm
prisonment, or fine or both, with,
ont, however, defining the civil
rights and immunities which are
thus to be secured to tho freedmen
10y. military law. This military
Jurisdiction also exterds to all
Questions that may arise respecting
lcontrac s. The agent who is thus
to exercise the Office OF a Military
Judge. may be stranger, entirely
lignorart OF the laws of the place,
and exposed to errors ofjndgment
to which all men are liable. The
exercise of power over which there
is no legal supervision, bylso vast
a number Of agents, as is contem'
plated by the bill, must, by the
very nature of man, be attended by
caprice. injustice and passion
The trials, having their origin un'
der this hill. are to take place with.
ont the Intervention of a jury, and
without any fixed rules OF lay Or
evidence The rples. on which Of
fenses are to be heard and, deter
mined by the numerous agents, are
snch rules and regulations as the
lpyaeidentll through the War de-