The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-04-06

1
responsible to the govefnrnent or the peo-
pie, AID to whose number the description
Of the commissioners is the only limit, and
in whose hands such authority might be
made terrible engines of wrong, oppres
sion and fravl. The general statutes re-
guating the lard and naval forces of the
United States, the militia and the execu
tiop of the laws are believed to be adequate
for any emergency which can occur in
time OF peace. If i. should prove other-
wise Congress can, at any time, amend
those laws in such a manner as, while
subscribing the public welfare, not to jeo
pard the rights, interests and liberties of
the people. -..--.-.--.-
The seventh section provides that fee
Of ten dollars shall be paid to each com
missioners in every case brought before
him, and fee Of So to his deputy or
deputies for each person be or they may
arrest and take before any such commits
sioner, with such other fees as may be
deemed reasonable by such commissioners
in general for performing such other
duties as may be required in the premises.
All these fees are to he paid out of the
treasury of the United States whether
there is a conviction or not, but in case o!
conviction, they are TO be recoverable from
! the defendant 1t seems TO me that under
the influence Of such temptation bad men
might convert any law however deficient
into an lrstrumen: Of persecution and
| fraud.
BY the eighth section of the bill the
! United States courts, which sit only in one
/ place for white citizens must migrate with
! marshal and district attorney, and neces-
saIily with the clerk although be is not
mentioned, to any part of the district upon
the order of the President, and there hold
court for the purpose OF the more speedy
arrest and trial of persons charged with
the violation Of this act, and there the
Judge and officers of the court must remain
/ tor the time therein designated The 9th
section authorizes the President or such
! person as he may empower for that pur>
! pose, to employ such part Of the lard or
naval forces of the United States, or of the
militia, as shall be necessary 10 prevent
The violation and enforce the due execution
/ of this act. The language seems to imply
permanent military force that is be al,
ways at hand and whose only business is
! to be the enforcement. of this measure over
! the vast rec ZION where it is intended to OPP
crate. | do net propose to consider the
policy of this bill. TO me the details of
the bill are fraught with evil. The white
race and black race Of the South have
hitherto lived together under the relation
Of master and slave. That relation is now
changed, and they now stand each master
! Of itself. ln this new relation, one being
necessary to the other, there will be new
adjustment which both are interested in
making harmonious. Each has equal
power in settling the terms, and if lett 70
the laws that regulate capital and labor.
it is confidently believed that they will
satisfactorily work on, the problem.
Capital, it is true, has more intelligence,
but labor is never so ignorant as not to
understand its own interests, not to know
its own interests, not to know is own
value, and not to see that capital must
pay that capital. This bill illustrates this
adjustment. 1t interyenes betw cen capt.
tai and labor and attempts to settle the
question Of political economy through the
agency 0: numerous Officials, whose in.
terest it will be to ferment dscord between
the two races, for as the breach widens
their employment will continue, and when
it is closed their occupation will termln
ate. ln all our history, in al! our expert
ence as a people living under federal and
State law 20 such symptom as that con-
templaed by the details Of this bill has
ever before been proposed or adopted.
They establish for the security of the col,
ored race safe guards which 60 infinitely
hey ond any tba, the general government
has ever provided for the white race In
act, the distinction Of race and color is by
the bill made to operate in favor Of the
colored and against the white race. They
interfere with the municipal legislation Il
the states, with relations existing exclu-
sively between a state and its citizens, be-
tween the inhabitants Of he same state
and absorption and assumption Of power
by the general government, which if &C
quesed in, must sap and destroy our fed
erative system of limited powers, and
break down the barriers which preserve
the rights Of the states. 1t is another step,
or rather stride, towards Capitalization
and the concentration of all Legislative
powers in the national government. The
tendency of the bill must be to resuscitate
the spirit Of the rebellion, and to arrest
the progress Of those influences which are
more closely drawing around the states
the bonds of union and peace Ny la
mented predecessor, in bis proclamation
of the first of January. 1868, ordered and
declared that all persons held as slaves
within certain states and parts of states
therein designated, were and thencefor.
ward should be free and further, that the
executive government Of the United
States, including the military and naval
authorities thereof, would recognize and
maintain tie freedom of such persons
This guaranty has been rendered especial
ly obligatory and sacred bv the amend
nent of the constitution ahoishing sla-
very throughout the United States. |
therefore fully recognize the obligation 10
protect and defend that class Of our peo-
pie, wherever and whenever it may become
necessary, and to the full extent compati
! bic with the constitution of the United