The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-07-25

(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
July II, 1862.
THE UNSIGNED DRAUGHT OF VETO.
Fellow Citizens of the House of Representa-.
tives:
herewith return to your honorable body
10 which it originated the bill for an act,
entitled an act to suppress treason, to
seize and contiscate the property of rebels,
and for other purposes" together with my
objections to become law.
There is much in the bill to which per.
ceive no objection. 1t is wholly prospect
i've and it touches neither person or property
of any particular citizen, in which particu.
lar it is just and proper. The first and
second section provides for the conviction
and punishment of persons who shall be
guilty of treason, and the person who shall
incite, set on foot, assist or engage in any
rebellion or insurreetion against the author
ity of the United States, or the laws there
of, or shall give aid or comfort to any such
existing rebellion or insurrection.
BY fair construction the persons within
these sections are not to be punished without
regular trial. in duly constituted courts, un-
der the forms and all the substantial pro-
visions OF law and of the constitution, ap-
plicable to their several cases.
To this perceive no objection, especially
as such persons would be within the general
pardoniDg power, and also within the special
provision Tor pardon and amnesty contained
in this act.
1t also provides that the slaves of per.
sons confscated under these sections shall
be free. l think there is an unfortunate
form of expression rather than a substantial
objection to this. 1t is startling to say that
Congress can free slave within State,
and yet were it said that the ownership OF
the slave had been first transferred to the
nation, and that Congress had then liberated
him, the difficulty would vanish, and this is
the real case. The traitor against the gen
eral government forfeits bis slaves as Justly
as be does any other property, and be for
feits both to the government against which
be ofends. The government, so far as there
can be ownership, owns the forfeited slaves,
and the question for Congress in regard to
them is, shall they be made free or
sold to new masters? l see no objection
to Congress deciding in advance that THEY
SHALL BE FREE. 10 the high honor of
Kentucky, as l am informed. she has
been the owner of come slaves by escheat
end has sold none but liberated all. hope
the same is true of other States. Indeed
| do not believe it would be physically pos
sible for the General Government to return
persons so circumstance to actual slavery.
l believe there would be physical resistance
to it which would never be moved aside bv
argument or driven away by force. In this
view of it l have no objection to this fea,
ture of the bill.
Another matter 10 these two sections and
running through other parts Of the act, will
be noticed hereafter, perceive no objec-
tons to the third and fourth sections.
So far as l wish to notice the fifth and
sixth sections, they may be considered to-
gether, that the enforcement of these sec.
tions would do no Injustice to the persons
embraced within them, is clear That
those who make causeless war should be
compelled to pay the cost Of it, is too OBJ
viously just to be called in question. To
give government protection to the property
of persons who have abandoned it and gone
on crusade to overthrow that same gov.
eminent, is absurd, if considered in the
mere light of justice.
The severest justice may not always be
the best policy. The principle of seiziug
and appropriating the property of the per-
sous embraced in these sections is certainly
not very Objectionable, but justly discrim
mating application of it would be very Diff
Gcult and to great extent impossible.
Would it. not be wise to place power oil
remission somewhere, so that these persons
may know they have something to save by
desisting and | am not sure whether such
power OF remission is or is not within Sec
tion thirteen without special act of Con-
gress.
think our military commanders, when,
in military phrase they are within the enc
my's country, should in an orderly manner
seize ard keep whatever of real or personal
property may be necessary or convenient
for their commands, and at the same time
preserve in some way the evidence of what
they do.
What l have said in regard to slaves
while commenting on the first and second
sections is applicable to the ninth, with the
difference that no provision is made 10 the
whole act for determining whether a partic
ular individual slave does or does not fall
within the classes defined in that section.
He is to be free upon certain conditions,
but whether these conditions do or do not
pertain to him, no mode of ascertaining is
provided. This could be very easily sup
piled.
10 the tenth section make 20 objection,
the oath therein required seems to be prop
er, and the remainder of the section is cub
stantially identical with law already exist
ing.
The eleventh section simply assumes to
confer discretionary powers upon the exec.
utive, without the law. / have 20 hesita.
tioI to 60 as far in the. direction indicated
| as may at any time deem expedient, and 1