Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-07-25
The Preaident's Veto Of tho Freed.
mems Bureau Bill.

WASHINGTON, July l6.
The following is the Presidents veto Of
the Freedmen's Bureau bill:
To the House of Representatives:
A careful examination Of the bill passed
by the two Houses Of Congress, entitled
IAN Act to continue in force and to
amend an Act to establish a Bureau for
the Relief of Freedmen and Refugees, and
for other purposes" has convinced me that
the legislation which it proposed would
not be consistent with the welfare Of the
country. and that it falls clearly within
the reasons assigned in my message Of the
10th OF February last, returning, without
my signature. a similar measure, which
originated in the Senate. It is not my
purpose to repeat the objections which
urged It, they are all yet fresh in your
recollections, and can be readily examined
as part of the records Of one branch of the
national legislature. Adhering to the
principles set forth in that message. I now
reaffrm them and the policy therein indi-
Gated. The ground upon which this kind
of legislation can be justified is that Of the
war making power. The Act Of which
this bill is intended as a successor, was
passed during the existence OF war BY its
own provisions. 1t is to terminate one
wear from q cessation of hostilities and
declaration Of peace. It is therefore yet
in existence, and it is likely it will con-
tinue in force as long as the freedmen may
REQUIRE the benefits Of it's provisions. II
will certainly remain in operation as a law
until some months subsequent to the meet
ing of the mex, session of Congress when,
If experience shall make evident the neces-
sity Of additional legislation, the two
Houses will have ample time to mature
and pass the requisite measure. In the
meantime, the question arises why should
this war measure be continued beyond the
period designated in the original Act, and
why in time Of peace should military tri-
bunals be created to continue until each
State shall be fully restored to its constant
relations to Government, and shall be duly
represented in the Congress Of the United
II was manifest, with respect to the Act
approved March Sd, 1866, that providence
and wisdom alike required that jurisdic-
ton over all cases concerning the full en-
ioyment of the immunities and rights OF
as well as protection Of person
and property, should be conferred upon
some tribunal in every State or district.
Where the ordinary course Of judicial pro-
ceedings is no longer interrupted the
Courts, both State and Federal, are in full,
and successful operation, and
them every person, regardless OF
ace and color, is entitled to and can be
The protection granted TO white
,i,izens is already conferred by law upon
he freedmen. Strong and stringent guards
way of penalties and punishments are
around his person and property,
nd it is believed that ample protection
rill be afforded him by due process Of
aw, without resort to the e~Spedient of a
tribunal. Now that the wal has
zen brought to a close the necessity no
exists for such tribunals which had
heir origin in the war. Grave objections
0 their maintenance must present theu-
elves to the minds Of all dispassionate
Independently Of the danger to
representative republics of comforting upon
he military. in time Of peace, extraordi-
airy powers so carefully guarded against
y the patriots and statesmen Of the ear
er days of the Republic, so frequently
lie ruin OF governments founded upon
same free principles, and subversive
{ the rights and liberty Of the citizen.
he question Of practical economy COM
lends itself TO the consideration Of the
,w-making, power. With an immense
ebt already burdening the incomes of the
Industrial and laboring classes, a due re-
ard for their interest, so i~nseparably con-
!ected with the welfare Of the country,
hould prompt US to rigid economy and
etrenchment, and influence US TO abstain
rom all legislation that would unnecessa-
lily increase the public Indebtedness.
by this rule of sound political wis,
lon l can see no reason for the establish
nent of the military jurisdiction conferred
ipon officials of the Bureau by one quar-
er section Of the bill. BY the laws of the
States and different States, compe-
.ent Courts, Federal and State, have
been established and are now in full
practical operation. By means Of these
,ivil tribunals, ample redress is af-
'orded for all private wrongs, whether
10 person or property, Of the citizen with
,ut denial or unnecessary delay. They
Ire open to all without regard to color or
ace. l feel well assured that it will be
better to trust the rights, privileges and
mmunities Of citizens to tribunals that are
established and presided over by compe.
tent and impartial Judges, bound bG fixed
rules of law and evidence, and where the
night of trial by jury is guaranteed and
than TO the caprice or judgment
Of an officer OF the Bureau, it is possible,
may be entirely ignorant Of the principles
that underlie the just administration OF
law. There is danger, too, that conflict
Of jurisdiction will frequently occur be-
tween civil Courts and these military TIL
each having concurrent jurisdic-
ton over the person and cause Of action
The one Jurisdiction administered and con-
.rolled by civil law-the other by military
Iaw. How is the conflict to be settled
md who is to determine between the two
tribunals when it arisess In my opinion
{ is wise to guard against such conflict by
eaving to the Courts jurisdiction Of all
,ivil rights and the redress Of all violence.
The fact cannot be denied that since the
cessation of hostilities many acts OF NO
ence-such, perhaps, as had never been
witnessed in their previous history-have
occurred in the States involved in the late
.ebellion. I believe, however, that public
sentiment will sustain me In asserting that
,uch deeds Of wrong are not confined to
particular State or section, but are
manifested over the entire country, DEM
onstrating that the cause that produced
them does not depend upon any particu-
lar locality, but is the result Of the agita-
ton and arrangement incident to long and
war. I may urge upon your con-
sideration the additional reason that recent
developments in regard to the practical
operations Of the Bureau, in many Of the
States show that in many cases II is used
by its agents as a means Of promoting
their individual advantage. and that freed
men are employed for the advancement Of
the personal ends of the officers instead Of
their own improvement. By the provis-
ions Of the act full protection is offered
through the District Courts CT the United
States to all persons injured, and whose
privileges as thus declared are in any m
naired. and very heavy penalties denoun-