Year: 1866

and finally abrogated throughout the Who'll


country, by an amendment Of the Constlei


tion of the United States, and practically il


eradication has received the assent and con


currence of most OF these States in which


at any time had existence. .


| am not therefore, able to discern in tn,


country anything to justify an apprehension


that the power and agencies of the Freed


mems Bureau which were effective for th


protection of the freedmen and refugee


during the actual continuation Of African


servitude, will now, in time of peace, ant
after the abolition of slavery ,Frove made


quatc to the same proper ends. IL am cor
rect in these views. there can be re necessity


for the enlargement of the powers of the bu
reau, for which provision is made in the bill


The third section of the bill authorizes .
general and unlimited amount of support t.
4 the destitute and suffering refugees and freed
men, and their wives aud children. bt


Succeeding sections make provision for thu
rent or purchase of landed estates for freed
men, and for the erection for their benefit o
suitable buildings for asylums and support
and the expenses to he from the treasury Of
the whole people


The Congress of the United States ha,
never heretofore thought itself competent tc
establish any laws beyond the limits of the
District of Columbia, except for the benefit
OF our disabled soldiers and sailors II has
never founded schools for any class of our
/ own people, not even for the orphans OF those
who have fallen in the defense of the Union,
but has left the care Of their education to the
much more competent and efficient control oi
the States, of communities, of private asso.
cations and of individuals. 1t has never
deemed itself authorized to expend the public
money for the rent or purchase of homes for
the thousands, not to say millions, of the white
race who are honestly toiling from day to
day for their subsistence.


A system for the support of INDECENT per.
sons in the United States was contemplated
by the authors Of the Constitution. but can
any good reason be advanced why, as a per.
manent establishment, it should be founded
Tor one class or color of our. people more than
for another? Pending the war many refugees
and freedmen received support from the Gov
ernment, but 1t was never intended that they
should henceforth be fed clothed, educated
and sheltered by the United States. The
idea on which the slaves were assisted to free
dom was, that on becoming free they would
be Notwithstanding population. ANY legisla-
tIon that shall imply that they are not expect
ed to attain self sustaining condition must
have tendency injurious alike to their char
acter and their prosperity. The appointment
OF an agent for every county and parish viii
create an immense patronage, and the ex-
pense of the numerous officers and their
clerks, 10 be appointed by the President will
be great IN the beginning, with tendency
steadily TO increase. The appropriation asked
by the FreedmeRs' Bureau. as now estsb-
lished, for the year 1866, amounts to Sill
145,OV0- Ii may be safely estimated the cost
to be incurred under this pending bill will
require double that amount, more than the
entire sum expended in any one year under
the administration Of the second Adams Ii
the presence of agents in every parish and
county Is 10 be considered as war measure.
opposition. or even resistance, might be pro
yoked, so that TO give effect TO their iuriscic.
ton, troops wouid have TO be stationed within
reach OF every one OF them. and thus a large
standing force be rendered necessary Large
appropriations would therefore be required 10
sustain aud enforce military jurisdiction in
/ every county and parish from the Potomac to
the Rio Grande.


lhe cendlsonof our fiscal affairs is encour-
aging but In order 10 sustain the present
measure OF pubic confidence, it is necessary
that we practice not merely customary econo-
my, but, as far as possible. severe retrench-
Dent.


As
the 9TH section OF the bill proposes to take
away land from its former owners, without
any legal proceedings being first had. contra
ry to that provision of the Constitution which
declares that no person shall be deprived of
life, liberty or property without due course Of
law II does not appear that lands 10 which
this section refers may not be owned by mi
nors or persons Of unsound mind, or by those
who have been faithful TO all their obliga-
tons as citizens of the United States If any
portion of the land is held BY such persons it
y not competent for any sathoriiy to deprive
them of 1t. ii, on the other hand, it be found
that the property be liable to confscasion.
even then IT cannot be appropriated to public
purposes until by due process of law it shall
have been declared forfeited to the govern
ment. sks 81 n


There are still further objections to the
bill, on grounds seriously affecting the class
OF persons 70 whom it is designed 10 bring
relief 1t will tend to keep the mind of the
freedmen In q state of uncertain expectation
and restlessness, while TO those among whom
he lives It will be q source of constant and
vague apprehension. Undoubtedly the freed
men should be protected, but they should be
protected by the civil authorities, especially
by the exercise of all the Constitutional pow
ers of the Courts of the United States and of
the States. His condition is not SO desperate
as at first may be imagined. He is in a por
tlon OF the country where his labor cannot
well be spared. Competition for his services
from planters, from those who are construct
ing or repairing railroads, or from capitalists
in his vicinity, or from other States, will ena-
BILE him to command almost his own terms
de also possesses perfect right to change
his place OF abode, and if, therefore, he does
not hnd IN one community or State mode of
living suitable to his desires, or proper re
muneration for his labor, he can move to an
other, where labor is more esteemed, and better
rewarded.


In truth, however, each State, induced by
its own wants and interests, will do what is
necessary and proper to retain within its
boundaries all the labor that is needed for
the development of its resources. The laws
that regulate supply and demand will main.
tain their force and the wages of the laborer
will be regulated thereby. There is no danger
that the great demand for labor will not ope-
rate in favor of the laborer Neither is suff-
cient consideration given to the ability of the
freedmen to protect and take care. OF them
selves. 1t Is no more than justice to them
to believe that as they have received
their freedom with moderation and forbear-
ance, SO they will distinguish themselves by
iheir industry and thrift, and soon show to the
World that IN the condition of freedom they
are self sustaining and capable of selecting
their own employment and their own places
OF abode, and OF insisting for themselves on a
proper remuneration and of establishing and
maintaining their own asylums and schools.
1t is earnestly hoped that instead Of waiting
always. they will, by their own efforts, estab-
siish tor themselves condition of respect for
their liberty and property. Its certain that
ihey can attain to that condition only thro,,h