ildren had fled and left the land
a waste, and he had, as is the fact, thousands of persons hanging upon
his army dependent upon him for supplies; if it was believed that it
would be cheaper to support these people upon these lands than to buy
provisions to feed them, might we not do so? May we not resort to
whatever means is most judicious to protect from starvation that
multitude which common humanity requires us to feed?

"Nor, sir, is it true that no provision has been made by Congress for
the education of white people. We have given all through the new
States one section of land in every township for the benefit of common
schools. We have donated hundreds of thousands of acres of land to all
the States for the establishment of colleges and seminaries of
learning. How did we get this land? It was purchased by our money, and
then we gave it away for purposes of education. The same right exists
now to provide for these people, and it is not simply for the black
people, but for the white refugees as well as the black, that this
bill provides."

Said the President: "The appropriations asked by the Freedmen's
Bureau, as now established, for the year 1866, amounts to $11,745,000.
It may be safely estimated that the cost to be incurred under the
pending bill will require double that amount."

Mr. Trumbull replied: "A far larger sum, in proportion to the number
that were thrown upon our hands, was expended before the creation of
the Freedmen's Bureau, in feeding and taking care of refugees and
freedmen, than since the establishment of the Freedmen's Bureau. Since
that time, the authority of the Government has been extended over all
the rebellious States, and we have had a larger number of refugees and
freedmen to provide for, but in proportion to the number I have no
doubt that the expense is less now than it was before the
establishment of the bureau."

"The query again presents itself," said the President, "whether the
system proposed by the bill will not, when put into complete
operation, practically transfer the entire care, support, and control
of four million emancipated slaves to agents, overseers, or
taskmasters, who, appointed at Washington, are to be located in every
county and parish throughout the United States containing freedmen and
refugees."

"I scarcely know how to reply to that most extravagant statement,"
said Mr. Trumbull. "I have already shown that it would be a great
abuse of the power conferred