The Union flag. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1865-187?, 1866-03-02
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT
Veto of the Freedmon's Bureau Bill
coScLuDED rRou rIRsr rAor.

Veto Of the Freedmen's Bureau Bill
CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE.
who are honestly tolling from day to
day for thier subsistence. A systcm for
the support of INDECENT persons in the
United States was never contemplated
by the authors of the constitution
MOI can any good reason be advanced
why, as q permanent establishment, it
should be founded for one class or col
or Of our people nor than another.
Pending the war, many refugees and
freedmen received support from the
Government; but it was never intend.
ed that they should l~henceforth be
fed, clothed, educated, and sheltered
by the United States. The idea on
which the slaves were assisted to free
dom was that on becoming free they
would be self-sustaining population.
ANY legislation that shall imply that
they are not expected to attain a
self-sustaining condition must have
q tendency injurious alike to their
character and their prospects. The
appointment of IN agent for every
county and parish will create an I'M.
mense patronage, and tho expense Of
the numerous officers and their clerks
to be appointed by the President, will
be great in the beginning, with o ten
dency steadily to increase.
The appropriations asked by the
Freedmen's Bureau, as now establish.
cd, for the year 1865, amount to Sill,
$4,000. 1t may be safely estimated
that the cost to be incurred under the
pending bill will require double that
amourt-more than the entire sum
expended in any M year under the
administration Of the second Adams.
If the presence Of agents in every
parish and county is to be considered
as a war measure, opposition, or even
resistance, might be provoked, so
that to give effect to their jurisdiction
troops would have to b. stationed
within reach Of every one of them,
and thus u large standing force be
rendered necessary. Large appropri-
tions would, therefore, be required to
sustain and enforce military jurisdic-
ton IN every county or parish from
the Potomac TO the Rio Grande.
The condition of our fiscal affairs is
encouraging, but in order to snstain
the present measure Of public con-
fdcnce it is necessary that we prac-
tise, not merely customary economy,
but, as far as possible, severe retrench.
ment.
In addition to the objections al
ready stated, the fifth section of tho
bill proposes to takeaway land from its
former owners without any legal pro-
ceedings being first had, contrary to
that provision of tho C~ontitution
which declares that no person shall
" be deprived Of life, liberty, or prop
orty without due process of law" II
does not appear that u part Of the
lands TO which this section refers
may not be owned by minors, or per.
sons of unsound minds, or by those
who have been faithful to all their
obligations as citizens of the United
States. If any portion of tho land is
held by such persons it is not compo-
tent for any authority to deprive
them oft. If, on the other hand, il
is found that the property is liable to
eoniscation, even then it cannot be
appropriated to public purposes until
by due process Of daw il shall have
been declared forfeited TO tho Govern.
ment.
There Is still futher objection 10
tho bill on grounds seriously affect
ing the class OF persons TO whom IT
is designed to bring relief. II will
tend TO keep tho mind Of the freed.
mar in q state Of uncertain oxpecta-
ton and restlessness, while to those A.
among whom be lives it will DO source
of constant and vague apprehension.
Undoubtedly the freedman should
be protected, no should be protected
by civil authorities, especially by the
exercise Of all the constitutional pow
ers Of the courts oftho United States
and Of the States. His condition Is
not so exposed as may at first DO inn
ngined. He is in q portion Of the
country where his labor cannot DO
spared. Competition for his services
from planters, from those who ure
constructing apd repairing railroads,
or from capitalists in hiS own yioiDsge