The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1867-05-17
State Of the Country.
MR.. BUCKALEW IN DEFENCE
OF SUMNER.
Remarks in the Senate, March 10th, 1867,
upon the supplementary Military Recon-
struction Bill.

Al bllN tNptllN ulibll NilC f'ulIlNliltI-
tai Reconstruction" bill, on the 10th of
March last, Senator Sumner took deci-
dcd ground against military recon-
struction," declaring that the Southern
States 80 reconstructed would be open
to the imputattn of being born of the
bayOnct. lie contended that the whole
subject was within the power of Con-
grcss and could be arranged without
military interference. He offered Il
substitute for the bill under discussion,
covering all the provisions of the mill
tary and supplemental bills and the
constitutional amendment; declaring
that schools, free to all coOrs, should be
maintained by the States, and excluding
the Southern States from the Union I'M
til Congress should approve their Con-
stitutiOns and become satisfied that the
people thereof are loyal and well dis
posed to the Union. In his speech he
declared, emphatically, hat no legisla-
ton of Congress should be considered a
.hnaIity, and that, until the Southern
people had fully satisfied TIE Radical
| party, on every point, legislation would
not cease. and the excluded States would
not be admitted to representation. Sew
cral OF his Radical colleagues wishing
to create the impression that the mill
tary bill was intended as a tnality-
criticised his remarks, WhereupOn Scna-
tor Buckalcw delivered the following
remarks in Summers defence
Mr.. BUCKALEW. rise to express
. tht, p,,iniAt, thnt thn
sachusetts is not open to criticism for the
sentiments which he has expressed upon
this occasion, nor for the position which
he has assumed. The former are justi
fled by facts, which are open and knowl
to all ; and the latter is II necessity i'm
posed upon him rs the representatives o
Il special class of people in the country
He says that these States to be callcC
into being under the provisions of tht
: and IL prior bill will be States born of
the bayOnet; in other words, of militia
ry power. This figure of speech repre-
scnts nothing but the actual, honest, no
torious, indisputablc truth. The section
of country about which our Legislation
is now concerned, is by act of Congress
/ divided into five military departments
and over each of these is, or is to be
placed an officer not less in rank than
brigadier general Of the Army of tn
United States, with power to take juris
dictiOn not only of civil affairs but t
exercise criminal jurisdiction, to insti
tutc military tribunals, both courts
martial and military commissions, 70
y the trial and punishment of oiten
i ders, and with no limitation upon tn
e power OF the military dictator set owe
the district, except that when he prQpC
u n tn l-n lft,, 1 n11 In a
= to the President of the United State,
F.. That is the condition of things now Q,
n tablished by the act to which this bill
y II supplement-.
u Now, sir, what does this bill do?
d provides in section of country thu
IS subjected to military rule the most III
lc limited, for the organization OF civ
governments, State governments an
y how? The military commander OF til
district is to appoint whomsoever i
plcascs to act under whatsoever rules i
may prescribe, according to his ow
- pleasure, his own unregulatcd will, {
agents and officers to execute the pla
of reorganization proposed. And thes
his appOintccs, owing no obedience
- ANY known law, and without rule
IN regulation for their conduct other tina
S. that which he shall prescribe, are to pr
n, cecd to enumcrate the inhabitants,
u rather to register the electors amoI
- them, preliminary to, what? Why, 81
to their exercise of the most valuab
and fundamental privilege of freemC
the institution Of government fl
nc themselves. And for any abuse
IiSS power, for any fraud, for any CORFU
rs ton, for any outrage, for any mi5co
Ia duct whatever, this bill and its pred
- ccssor are utterly destitute of any pr
Y vision for punishment.
ed And then what next? After the
to turns are made to this military col
iii mandcr he has control Of the assel
OF bling of the convention by which Il co
stitution is to be formed. All sub
qucnt proceedings up to the time VIII
the plan Is consumated, so far as 1t c
4 be consummatcd in the State concern'
- is TO be under his absolute control. n
rs we are told in this debate that it "
dy hc improper for IL to insert any regu
H. tion whatever to prevent fraud or
E, cause thi. proceeding to be regular, G
,r,, ciont. and fair to the citizen. We "