Year: 1866




tion or not. but in case of conviction thev
are to be recoverable from the defendant.
1t seems to me that under the influence
OF such temptations bad men might con-
vert any law, however beneficial into an
instrument of persecution and fraud.


BY the 8th section of the bill United
States Courts which sit only in one place
for white citizens, must mi CRATE with the
Marshal and District Attorney, and, nee
essarily, with the Clerk, although he is
not mentioned, to any part of the district
upon the order of the President and
there hold Court for the purpose of the
more speedy arrest and trial of persons
charged with violation of this act, and
there the Judge and officers of the Court
must remain upon the order of the Presi-
dent for the time therein designated.
The ninth section authorizes the Presi-
dent, or such person as he may empower
for that purpose, to employ such part of
the land or naval forces of the United
States, or Of the militia, as shall be nee
essary to prevent the violation and enforce
the due execution of this act. This Ian,
guage seems to imply permanent mill
tary force that is to be always at hand,
and whose only business is to be the cn-
forcemcnt of this measure over the vast
region where it is intended to operate. q
do not propose to consider the policy
of this bill, 10 me the details of it
are fraught with evil. The white race
and the black race of the South have
hitherto lived together under the relation
of master and slave-capital owning la
Dor. Now that relation is changed, and,
as to ownership, capital and labor are di-
vorced They stand now each master Of
itself. In this new relation, one being
necessary to the other, there will be q
new adjustment, which both are deeply
interested in making harmonious. Each
has equal power in settling the terms, and
if left to the laws that regulate capital
and labor, it is confidently believed that
they will satisfactorily work out the prob =
lem. Capital, it is true, has more intel
ligence, but labor is never so ignorant as
not to understand its own interests, not
to know its own value. This bill frus-
trates the adjustment. 1t interferes be-
tween capital and labor, and attempts to
settle questions of political economy thro'
the agency Of numerous officials, whose
interest it will be to fomcnt discord be-
tween the two races for, as the breach
widens, their employment will continue,
and when it is closed their occupation
will terminate .....y .. T.,


In all our history, in all our experience
as people living under Federal and State
laws, no such system as that contemplated
by the details of this bill has ever before
been proposed or adopted. They establish
for the security of the colored race safe
guards which 60 infinitely beyond any
that the general government has ever pro-
vided for the white race. In fact, the
distinction Of race and colorcd is, also, re-
cognized. They even interfere with the
municipal regulations of the State, with
the relations existing exclusively between
the State and its citizens, or between the
inhabitants of the same State,--an ab-
sorption and assumption of power by the
general government, which, if acquiesced
in, must SAP and destroy our fcderative
system of limited powers, and break down
the barriers which preserve the rights Of
the States. 1t is another step, OF rather
stride, towards Capitalization aud the con-
ccntration of all legislative power in the
national government The tendency Of
the bill must be to resuscitate the spirit
of rebellion and to arrest the progress Of
those influences which are more closely
drawing around the States the bonds Of
union and peace. ...-.-.


My lamented predecessor, in his proc
lamation of tine lst of Janary, 1868, Or
dered and declared that all persons held
as slaves within certain States and parts
of States therein designated. thencefor-
ward should be free, and fnrther, that
the Executive government of the United
States, including the military and naval
authorities thereof. would recognize and
maintain the freedom of such persons.
: | therefore fully recognize the obligation to
protect and defend that class Of our peo-
pie whenever and wherever it shall be-
come necessary, and to the fullest extent
compatible with the Constitution otT
Entertaining these sentiments. it only
remains for me to say that | will cheer
, fully cooperate with Congress in any meas
| ure that may he necessary for the preser-
vation of the civil rights of the freedmen,
} as we'll as those of all other classes OF
persons throughout the United States. by
judicial process under equal and Impair
tial laws, or conformably with the provis-
ions of the Federal Constitution g1ilf
9 now return the bill to the Senate,
and regret that in considering the bills
| and joint resolutions forty-two in mum
! Der that have been thus far submitted for
my approval, | am eompclled to withhold
! nv assent from second measure that has