Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-02-26

DcleNe tlils; una bueh other c0n1ItiOiS as the
judgment of this Congress may indicate
should at once be presented 70 the people Of
the rebel States, in order that they may know
what we expect Of them, and that they may
no longer rest under the dclusion that restor
alton will follow their clinging TO the repu.
dated theories Of an Executive who has
abandoned the principles upon which he was
elected aud betrayed the party tha. placed
him in power.
10 .hem anythiag Is better than unres'
and uncertainty; like the criminal in the
box, no moments are to them 80 long as
those between the verlic; Of the jury and the
sentcsce Of the court.
Mr Speaker, ] have but one word - add
IN reerence to the bill before the House. II
is dmonnced as measure Of despot..m,
placing in the hands Of the military obsolu.e
powr over eight or ten millions Of people
] adult that it is bill strong in lis proyis-
los. am for one as desirous of presery-
! ilsrs ne sacred rights Of tie citizen as any
other man in this House can be. believe
tie privilege Of the writ # ha5eas corpus
should be bel sacred and inviolate as fax as
i can be. 1t has been held sacred for too
many centuries to be trifed with lightly at
this time. But, Mr.. Speaker, we are told,
and from the overwhelming evidence addu,
ced we are compelled to believe, that in these
ten insurgent Statee life, liberty, and props
erty are unsafe. The civil governments or
ganized there manifest their hostility TO this
government and to loyalty as much now as
daring the war. II is therefore the bounden
duty Of the Federal Government, at all cost,
tc protect the life, liberty, and property OF lis
ciizens and until we can DO .La, by the Or
g,nizat.on Of loyal civil governments we are
rrreant of our duty, to them, and to our
slves if we do not place oyerthem the strong
aud OF military power. The concurrent
testimony, so far as | have been able to read
he letters and examine the reports, is that
N ihose.Stat neither TIE life. liberty. nor
property Of loyal men IS safe. Now. if that
be true, inasnnch "a they have no civil gov
ernments in those States recognized by the
aw-riaking power Of the nation, we have the
fight, ard il is eur du,v, to place over them
temporary military governments.
| Gentlemen who are supporters Of the
President need not be so much alarmed at
bis military rule in the Southern States
fn;il the lst any Of August 1866, all of
lose States were virtually controlled By the
/ Military power Of this Government. They do
| Mt know that long after the surrender Of the
/ reel army in 1865, along through the early
| pI OF 1866, even up to August, the gener-
aips our Army were issuing orders contra>
veing the enac.ments Of the Legislature OF
tho Southern States, expressly declaring
by general orders that the processes and
malates of this Government should be
obeed rs against the laws Of those States
and lie judgements OF their courts. Gen
erai lrsnt himself i believe, On the lst of
Jul lSG6, issued general order to all his
niili.sy commanders ia those States 70 a rest
and I'D men who had been charged with
crime in all cases where the civil courts
eithereglected or refused to punish them.
GesieH Sickles in 1866, in South Carolina,
and Geeral Terry. in Virri, ia, each SET
aside statutes of those States by general
trd'rs: which orders were indorsed at the
tir by the President, and that long after
thqre,ended governments were organized
brhe Presidents and in full operation.
mis- military law is no new thing to these
reel States. They have only been relieved
fran il five or six months, and these have
bten ad months to the Union men of that
county. Who in this House. on this side or
tie oaer, believes that if military laws had
b-enn force in New Orleans on the 30,h OF
Julyle6G, they would have had that scene
of wolesale murder that transpired on that
day Who believes that had it not been for
photographic dispatch sent BY Andrew
.loison to Lieutenant Governor voorhees,
onhe 2sth Of Jaly, those murders would
hae been committed by rebel officers? By
tn dispatch he declared that the military
pser OF the Government should be used
fSthe purpose OF entorcil the DEGREES and
nnda.es Of the rebel civil authorities in
lit city, and with that encouragement those
ilrders were committed.
Now, desire 10 say that ii is because Of
{ interference of the President of the Ul.i-
d States with the military law which exist
those States tha. this bill is rendered NEG
isary. In my judgment if We had to-day
Executive who was desrous of enforce
ig the laws of the United States to protect
oyal men in those States. instead Of defend
ng the rebel element. this bill would not be
feeded. Those people are yet in a state Of
anasi rebellion at least. 1t is true. they have
laid down their arms; but they have no
civil government that is worthy of recoy-
milton anywhere as such. As was said bv
the gentleman from Pennsylvania. Mr..
kelley,l the President of tie United States
himself has declared that those governments
are OF no binding force upon the people Of
the country until they are recognized by the
law-making power Of the country. the Con-
gress OF the United States. Such assent has
not yet been given, and trust it will never
be given, to single one of these govern.
ments organized in the interest Of the re>
bellion.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, believing as DO that
this measure is essential to the preservation
OF the Union men of these States. and be>
leyin9 that their lives, property, and liber.
ties cannot be secured except through
military law, am for this bill. But say
now frankly 10 the distinguished gentleman
from Pennsylvania, who has charge of it.
that hope something may be devised and
added to it whereby the loyal people in the
Southern States may divest themselves OF
this military law by organizing civil govern
ments that snail recegize the manhood Of
all men in these States. Let there be such
an enabling act as will secure to loyalty and
loyal men the controal Of affairs. and then
relieve them from the temporary power of
the military authoriety Of the Government,
as provided in the bill.
MIR. Speaker We have but few days
more in which to pass this bill, or any
measure affecting this subject, and have i,
become a law over the apprehenied veto Of
the President. Hence, regret that have
occupied even so much of the time of the
House as have upon this subject.
1t is important, in ny judgement, that
this should pass, because ii it doee no, do
not see how it is possibl for us consistently
to pass any measure before tie beginning Of
the second session Of the ensuing Congress.
which will be in December next. We ough,
not to legislate upon matter of such vital
importance to the country with any OF the
loyal States unrepresenied on the floor
Therefore, it is Of the utmost Importance
that We should now have such legislation as
will protect these people, not only tenepora-
rily, but such as will give them at least an
opportunity Of returning again to the L ion
with all the rights Of representation in both
Houses. Let US discharge our duty here
fearlessly and firmly, and leave conseoueu