The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-04-06

this article of the Constitution there Is AT
present any necessity for the exercise of
all the powers which this bill contcrs.
: Slavery has been abolished and at present
nowhere exists within the jurisdiction OF
the United States nor has there been. nor
Is it likely there will be any attempt TO
revive it by the people of any State. If.
however. anv such attempt shall he ma'le
it will then become the duty of the Gen
eral Government to exercise ANY and all
Incidental powers necessary and proper TO
maintain inviolate this great law of free
dom.
The fourth section of the bill provides
that the officers and agents of the Freed
mems Bureau shall be empowered TO make
arrests. and also that other officers may he
specially commissioned for that purpose by
the President of the United States 1t
also authorizes Circuit Courts of the
United States and the Superior Courts OF,
the Territories to appoint without limita
ton. Commissioners. who are To he cIlarg-
cd with the performance of qua>i-Iudicial
duties.
The fifth section empowers the commiS-
Sioncr~ 50 TO he selected bv the court TO
appoint in writing one or more suitable
persons from time to time. to execute war
rants and other processes desirable by the
/ bill. These numerous official agents are
made To constitute a sort of police. in ad-
dtion TO the military. and are authorized
TO summon a pose c0ntdth>. and even to
call to their aid such portion of the land
and naval forces of the United States. or
of the militia A> may be necessary Ia the
performance OF the duty with which they
are CHARGED This extraordinary power
is to be conferred upon ag mis- irre>pon>-
| bic to the Government and 10 the people.
| in whose number the discretion of the
Commissioner is the only limit. and in
whose hands such authority mi "ht he maic
terrible engine of wrong. oppression and
fraud The general statutes regulating
the land and naval forces of the nitcd
States. the militia. and the execution ol
the laws. are believed 10 be adequate tor
any emergency which can occur i'll ti,nc
ot peace. If ii should prove otherwise,
Congress can 1T any tim" amend those
laws in such manner a., while >uh~ervinr
the public welfare. will not ieopar,lizc the
rights. Interests and liberties of the people.
The seventh section provides that Il fee
OF 81" shall a. paid 10 each Commissioner
in every c:l>,. brought before him. ami a
fee OF ~ 10 lii deputy or deputies Tor each
person hc OF they may arrest and take be-
fore ANY such Commissioner. with >ich
other fees ~ may bc deemed reasonable lv
such Commissioner IN General iur perform
im@ such other duties ~ mav bc rc,;umcti
in the premises All til,>c ices ar, to bc
p:lid out of the Treasury of the | micd
States whether thcrc i Il conviction or
moi. bui iii case OF con.icii"m til,.y arc to
hr recoverable from The defendant Ii
seems to me that under the influence oi
such temptations ba'i men mi.hi convert
ANY law. however beneficial. INTO an IN
instrument OF persecution and fraud
iiv the eighth section ot the I'LL nilcI
States Courts which Ill only in one place
for white citizens. must Iii. .riic with the
Nlar>h;ll and District Attorney, and. nee
c>>ariIv. with the Clerk. although he l.
not mentioned. 10 any part oi the district
upon tie order ot the President. and there
hold 4 Court for tie purpo>c OF the more
: speedy arrest anI trial of persons charged
with Il violation ol this act. and there the
Jud"e and officers ot' the Court must re-
main upon the order Of the President for
the time therein dc>i i@natcl,
The ninth section authorizes the irc>i-
dent, or such person rs he may empower
> for that purpose, TO employ >uch part oi
the land or naval forces OF the niicd
States or of the militia H. shall he neccS-
Sarv TO prevent the violation and enforce
/ the due execution OF this act This IAN
guaec seems 10 imply n permanent mill
tary iorc, tina! Is 10 be always at hand.
: and whose only business l. to be the cli-
i. iorcemcnt of this measure over the vast
. region where ii is intended TO operate
l | do not propose TO consider the policy
of this bill To me the details oi the bill
| are traught with evil. The white race
, and the black race OF the south have hitil-
: crto lived under the relation OF master and
: slave-capital owning labor. Now. that
relation Is changed. and ;i> 10 the owner
: ship, capital and labor are divorced They
, stand now each master of Itself In this
T. new relation. one being Necessary TO the
, other, there will be Il new adjustment,
: which both are deeply interested in max
E inc harmonious. Each has equal power
: in settling terms, and if left 10 the law,
| that regulate capital and labor, ii Is con
e iidcntly believed that they will >;lIi>tacto-
: riIy work out the problem. Capital, it l.
e true, has more intcll .ence, but labor /:
. never 50 ignorant ;,> not TO understand II,
!. own interests. not to know its own value
: and not TO see that capital must pay that
c value This bill! illustrates the adjust
e mcnt 1t interiercs between capital IN,
Il labor, and attempts TO settle questions o
n political economy through the agency %
: numerous officials whose interest it will b
t to toment di>cord between the two races
e For. as the breach widen>. their employ
4 ment will continue. and when it Is close,
5 their occupation will terminate. In al
l. our history, i'll all our experience rs Il pco
II pie living under federal and state laws, II,
y such system a that contemplated by TN
o details of this bill has ever before bcel
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