Year: 1864

rnEEDMENS bUhEAU-THE NEGRO POLICY


The House Of Representatives on the 10Th instant
resumed the consideration of the House bill to establish
Bureau of Freedmens Affairs, reported the select
committee on the subject


Mr. KALBFLEIsCH spoke in opposition to the bill.
de thought that the most friends Of these freed
men OF African descent only demand that they be taken
care OF during their infancy freedmen aud whole
some guardianship be placed them during that pc
rod AM this IN bis opinion should be done by the phi
lanthropst and charitable.


these freedmen Che sad) incapable of assuming


the rights and privileges to which they to be entitled
under the emancipation proclamation of the President or
any legislative action and mentally unable to perform
the duties devoving upon them in their social rea


ons and are nsensibe of the fact that they really
freedmen they should be made of it at to tho
fullest extent their perception will admit and to this
end Government might perhaps be justified in lending its
aid not however, by undertaking regulate their affairs
through the agency of Government officials for expe-


enco must have long since convinced the skeptca
that there s no safety in such system by
the bill under consideration Let the intention of it's


trainers nave been ever so pure and honest the proposed
m.hner oil putting the bureau into operation is defective
urjushabe, and faacous from its inception it would
be next to Impossible to find large number of EN-
plo, as would be necessary to honestly and faithfully
carry out the benevolent intentions Of the bill


Ii il is intended to cultivate the conseated or nban
doned lands or plantations and improvements they now
exist aud place these freedmen upon them with an official
to and control their labor and domestic affairs "a
appears TO be contemplated, who doubt for moment


mat t Will institute species of servitude which must
prove in its results than the system of slavery it
seeks to Destroy 1t ought not therefore to receive the
countenance of who is opposed to suppannp one
evil he knows by another he knows not Of and which
prove the greater of the two. .a n


L. on the other hand it is intended to divide the cons
Gated or abandoned lands into small parcels tenements
and all necessary outbudngs will have to be erected for
the accommodation of the freedmen farming utensils
and cattle procured for their Should the Supreme
Court OF the United States decdeas he did doubt it
that nuluu fha ,uIt
hold conscated real estate during the lifetime of the per
son attainted OF treason the ncurg of the expend
ture to carry out the purposes of the bill upon
slight tenure would be madness in the extreme ed
trey and granting even that it could be
legally DONE it is without sembauce of Justification
urge id it's favor.


There does not appear to be any limitation az TO the
amount of money to be expended under the provisions
the bill The general power it conlers issue bonds for
purposes named therein without fixing the amount,
admitting the whole action to be within the scope and
power Of Congressional leg Station which should only
be delegated cases of the most urgent necessity


The proposed project would enable the Federal Govern
men to seze upon lands originally abandoned by their loyal
under circumstances entirely beyond his control
ect class of people who hold them and prescribe
the terms by which they are to be held exercise Of
power despotc than the imperial Government of
Russia within any portion Of it's territory 1t destroys


blow the solemny guarded power Of States their
lands aud Inhabitants and may give to social and political
enemies in remote portions OF the country supreus egs
laton in those matters of State and domestic CONCERN





themselves No portion Of the American people would for
permit their lands to be thus taken from them
and placed in possession Of the negro without
bloody resistance. The descendants e free race who
had been despoed of their rehtfu inheritance prompted
by determination 10 present humiliation
would require for their permanent subugaton military


rec that would imPovefsh our people and leopard our
liberties


The project is dsoyal and unpatriotic mpedment 10
the way OF restoring this happy Union 1t is part
of policy which is attempting the impossible thing that
hr,nn fl.n aarfan
white in the privileges aud duties Of ctzens 1t first


makes them tree by force and tbsDr because they
abect and helpless people they deprive American citizens
without process Of law OF their and place the negroes
possession of them, aud undertake to maintain them
there


The plan proposed by the bill opens the way to great
fraud and places the African freedmen under masters
who can have sympathy with them and are controlled
by Legislative body remote from them Consreas pos
sesses the power to provide this for these esn
cipated slaves who're the power to end Is confined
TO freedmen OF African descent Congress leRislae
to provide wen for the unfortunate whites and the rem
nant Of coored people to he found u the free Sates II
it requires but little ssgacity to forete what results
might be caused IN consequence Of allowing this bill TO
become the entering wedge to system of legislation
which could not be other than deplorabe in its effects
upon our social condition.


Mr. BROOKS also addressed the House in opposition
to the bill lie ssd that the territory on which il is 10
operate s larger than the whole thirteen original
States territory extending from the shores Of the Poto
to the Rio Grande; and bill enactng in Substance
that all connection the
tion bill that his been passed TO be dspossessed of It's
present holders and to be occupied by the black race with
masters from distant country to rule over them The
bill is vast therefore, in its territory, vast in its objects
vast purposes vast IN itS Inventions Ii establishes
new bareau the Government having the seeds in OF
great department. which, we told in quotation
from the Solicitor Of the War Department in the end
likely 10 produce oioer who is 10 have a seat in the
Cabinet and be adviser OF the President The bill too
ia lhmitabe expense No see or foresee what
amount of money is to be expended under It, Modest in
name with its commissioners and it's sub
with its clerks and superntenden,s, yet II bill with
great pretsnslops and great consequences and iab.
ties aud therefore to have vast inueuce on the conn
try Superinendens masters, clerks employ persons
of all kinds and classes to be ported by this b
from one latitude to another under the sunerntepdenca
Of the Government


superior race s under the decree of this H. to
IN conflict with an Inferior the African is TO
be met with the white man the poor humble son of
asute Massachusetts, White taskmsster Slavery there
FORE in this conflict OF Taces not only to be abolished
pat the slave to he abolished also Two races the su
peror and the Inferior cannot live in equality The law
of nature, and especially the law of settlement ON this
Continent shows that Inferior pershes when At


mptng to live on terms Of equality with race shat il
superior. Disease desolatoH and death are therefore
the doom of the hapess negro liz the Of ts CITY
could be taken Of the original slaves who were here when
emancipation decreed in this District thirty per cent
Of them would be found in rheir graves Look At the
novels that surrouod this Capitol Look at Che miserable
assemhages oi eancpsted Africans In this city huddl.d


five or six families in little room, literally roiting with
hisease under your decree Of emancipation Look ho.,
the is being exteminated in your fraedmens camps
the banks Of the Misqaipp great father of waters
sac uL6t spectacle ia there presented Death ia eunr
h.uA anA So AZ