Year: 1866

| y SaaA'


General Rousseau-who was elected as
a Republican, from Kentucky-in late
speech on the Freedmen's Bureau: said f:
/ ask the members of the House, in view
of their oaths to support the Constitution,
if they can possibly confer these powers
on the mere agents Of the Freedmen's
Bureau; lieutenants, if you please, and
captains in the army, or citizens, not of the
proper locality. but gatherers of crumbs
falling from the tables of politicians all
over the country? | need not go into a


argument to show how far this bill is un-
constitutional. The whole bill, root and
branch, is without warrant and against the
organic law. At one blow it sweeps away
the constitution and laws of Kentucky,
courts, juries. justices of the peace, sheriffs,
and every body who denies to the negro
the civil rights laid down in this bill all
these are liable to be arrested by the agents
of this bureau, and fined and imprisoned,
not exceeding fine of 81 900 and impris-
onment for one year. Our ministers OF
the gospel who refuse to solemnize mar
riage between whites and blacks, that they
are sworn not to solemn'ze, may be arrested
and taken before the agents of this bureau.
Our justices of the peace, who will not al
low negroes to testify in their courts, may
be treated in the same way. A Judge Of
any court, while trying cause, may be
taken from the bench and imprisoned for
one year by the agents, the subalterns of
the Freedmens Bureau, and fined 81 900.
Now, sir, l ask gentlemen here if they
can vote for a bill of this sort? Can We
not secure all the rights of the negroes
without thus outraging the feelings of the
people of the Southern States, and also of
the people of the northern States in con-
sequence of the condition of things which
this bill would create I think we are
bad off if we can not. Sir, this class of
legislation will prove injurious to the race
it processes to shield and protect. You
raise a spirit of antagonism between the
black race and the white race in our
country, and the law-abiding will be pow
erless to control it. And if you get this
feeling excited up to a certain point, and
the whole of one race shall be thus arrayed
against the other, you may send there all
the armies you can raise, you may send
soldiers into every county and every pre-
cinct in the States, but you will never be
able to prevent violence and bloodshed
there When men become bent on mis-
chief, as the operation of this bill will be
sure to make them, you can not raise force
enough to prevent it. l do not state this
by way of threat speak of 1t as a fact
which we owe it to ourselves to consider


Now, | wish to state fact that came
within my own knowledge, for the infor-
nation of this House. In my town, the
city Of Louisville, the commercial metrop-
oils of the State, we had man placed at
the head of the bureau there who had some
queer notions, which men generally get
who have particular duty to perform,
duty involving prejudice, hate and bitter
ness. He considered every man in the
country who did not believe as he did to
be his enemy, the enemy of the Govern
ment, and the enemy of the negro. What
was the result of his course? lie would
arrest any man, no matter whom, the most
inoffensive and the most loyal, on the er
porte statement of negro. And when
the man was brought into his presence, he
would turn to the negro making
the statement, y and say, Brother"
or "Sister," s it might happen, "what has
this man been doing to you?" And then
he would take the testimony of the negroes
against him, and sitting as court he
would punish him by fine and imprison-
ment, or by fine alone, ordering him to lie
imprisoned "unless the fine was paid"
Now these are things l have from the
most reliable authority.


And l will mention another case A
mau by the name Of Blevins, in my town,
came home one evening and found his
wife engaged in some controversy and col
lison with negro woman who had been
her servant; not enc who had belonged to
her as her slave. He took part with his
wife, as think any gentleman ought to
have done, whether his wife were right or
wrong. The negro woman complained to
this agent of the bureau, and a couple of
negro soldiers were sent there to arrest
him and his wife. And because one of
his little giIls had said something in the
matter, an order was also sent for her ar
rest. The man came to me, supposing
that might be able to assist him ask
ed the post-commander how it was that
such things were allowed. lie said -
"This Freedmen Bureau, it is said is over
us all what can do?' / replied: 'If
commanded this post, would know who it
was who ordered the military to arrest the
people withoutmy knowledge, and | would
stop it. While l was commandant, would
do my duty. If the authorities did not
Ike it, they could send me away" Early
the next morning ] went to the comman-
danfs headquarters, and there | found
NJ. Blevins and his wife and children,
Sc king protection against the Freedmens
Bureau, acting on the complaint of the ne>
gro woman.


Now, sir, | told the agent of that bu-
reau then just what thought and felt in
reference to this matter. | said to him,
eff you want to protect the freedmen of
this community am with you heart and
soul will stand by you in all just meas
ures but if you intend to arrest white
people on the er pdrte statements of ne>
groes, and hold them to suit yorr conyen>