Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I move the following amendment: Add at the cudof sectiontwo as follows: and the powerse onferred and the dutiesenjoined by the act herebyamendedshall be applicable to all personsnamedor referred toin this section and all actsor parts of actsinconsistent with the provisions of this act are herebyrepealed and strike outtho remaining sectionsof the bill. Mr. Speaker, I submit that amendment with no design of embarrassing the condition of the freedmen in this country. I do it because I believe it will meet all the requirements necessary and at the same time prevent much trouble in the future. The chairman of the committee who introduced the bill told us the main reason why it was proposed was, that the freedmen, under the proclamation of the President and by military operations, were technically under the provision of existing law, but that because of the action of State legislation and the adoptionof the constitutional amendment 100s of 1,000s besides requiresome protection, which this measure is csigned to remote. The gentleman also informed us that it was necessary to extend the time for the operation of this bill. Now, the amendment which I have sent to the desk. leaving the provision as to the extension of the time unchanged, brings under the operation of the present bill every person who is made free either by State action or by. the adoption of the constitutional amendment, and the only inquiry, therefore, which remains is, whether, under the existing law, there is not an adequate protection furnished to all who are brought within the operation of the law. Now, sir, the administration of this bureau from the time of the passage of the original act to the present has can under the supervision of the War Dept. All the forces which have been required by the head of the bureau have been given by the Government of the U.S.; and I believe GenlHoward makes no comlaint whatever that any aid has been withhel from him by this Government. Under that hill we had authority to give to every freedman possession for a term of years of a certain quantity of land. We have still that land belonging to the Government which can be allotted to the freedmen. There is no reason, therefore, why there should be any additional provisions on the subject, or any additional machinery. We have now all the means for the protection of the freedmen that are necessary, and if we add to the machinery which now exists we only incur additional expense to the Government, and impose upon the people increased and unnecessary burdens. At a time when the country is strug gling under a weight of indebtedness, when its industry is depressed, when its finances are embarrassed, it seems to me we are proposing to do more than is essential or necessary in regard to that class of people in this country. We are inviting them to in olenee rather than to labor and while I believe we should protect them in every civil right, while we should give them equality before the law, I think the policy of the Government should be such as to induce every man to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. Sir, it is a fact well known, capable of being proved at any time, that this Government has issued 1,000s, and I might say millions, of rations to men who might have supported themselves if they had been willing to labor, and I am unwilling to see the charity of this Government thrown away upon the indolent and the undeserving and while I say this I desire to speak in the most respectful terms of the Gentleman who is at the head of the bureau. I believe there is no braver soldier, no purer Christian, no nobler liilanthropist in the land than General Howarld, and ifhe could bepersonally present over the wide area of his administration, I think we mightintrusteverything to his supervision and his care, and find no cause of complaint. But unfortunately the ents of this bureau are not all like him, and a though there are many worthy and deserving men employed in it, there are cases where grand has been committed and wrongs have been done, and I think we should be cautious about extending this system and making it a permanent institution of the country. Another objection which I have to this bill is in reference to the 6th section, which opens the door to fraud on the part of those who are charged with the admiuistration of this bureau. I do not know but the amendment proposed by the honorable Gentfrom Penna lvania [Mr. STEVENS] maydispose of thisobjection, but barely allude to it.for the purpose of showing the haste with which we sometimes legislate. The 6th section provides that 40 acres may be set apart for every occupant of lands occupied under GenlSherman s field order, and that such lands can be procured at an average cost not exceeding 25 dollars per acre. Thus if the Commissioner should have to purchase a quantity of land he might go on and pay $150 peracre to any favorite party, to any person in his interest, or any subordinate might do it, and he might offset it by buying land that could be purchased for 50 cents an acre and which might be utterly worthless. Now, sir, in the course of a few months, before any great injury can be visited upon the country by the failure of our legislation, we shall have an opportunity of determining what may or may not. e necessary by wayofamendment to this bill. You have already a committee of investigation and inquiry into the administration of the affairs of the Freedmens Bureau, and in a few months we shall have a report from that committee. Then we shall know the facts of the history of the bureau, and whether any additional powers are necessary or whether there are any wrongs to be redressed. I therefore think it far wiser for us now to say that we will sim 1y extend the operations of this law for a sing e year longer, bring all classes of freedmen within the purview of its operation, and then postpone the consideration of all else until the next session of Congress. Then, if it shall be necessary, 8 new bill can be introduced embracing the remaining features of this bill, and we can have such legislation as shall be founded upon our experience and proved to be necessary between this time and that. I trust, therefore, that the amendment which I have proposed will be ado ited.