Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1866-04-19


and property. 1t gould have no operation
in Massachusetts,, New York, Illinois, or
most of the States of the Union. How ute.
gosterous, then, to charge that unless some
State can have and exercise the risht To
punish somebody, or 10 DENY somebodv a
civil right on account of his color. it's rights
as a State will be destroyed. 1t is mani
fest that unless this bill can be passed.
nothing can be doae to protect the freedmen
In their liberty and their rights.
We'll may we exolaim, in view of these
acts Of the President, in his own language,
when discussing a veto Of President Blu
chanan: 20, consistency thou art a Jew
81 much to be admired, but rarely to be
In the view Of these facts, who is il that
is breaking down the barriers of the States,
aud making strides toward centralization7--
Is it Congress, by the passage of this bill,
or the President, who, without law, is AFRO
eating to himself far greater powers than
any conferred by this bill?
Let it not be said that the President exer-
c'ses these vast powers by virtue of the war
power: He told US in his annual message
that the war was over, and whether over or
not no incidental powers are vested by the
constitution in the President, either as
resident or Commander. in Chief Of the
Army, That instrument gives Congress
power to-
int, ms ssssu, 81 laws necessary and proper for carrying
vested by tue Constitution in the Government Of The
o." "''' VI !" any DEPARTMENT OR OFFICER THERE
The President 10 required in carrying cut
his powers to act in obedience to law-the
very thing which he refuses to do. IN
he says the tendency of this bill must
ne to resuscitate the spirit ofths rebellion. "
what assumption in one who denies the
authority to punish those who violate United
States laws under color Of State authority
q doctrine from which the rebellion sprnnp.
and IN entire harmony with the declarations
OF Mr.. Buchanan, that there was no mower
to coerce o State. But, sir, cut of the
mouth Of Senator Andrew johnson T will
prove that President Andrew johnson has
violated the spirit ofthe Constitution, If
not Its letter, in vetoing this bill. 1t will he
remembered that the bill passed both
Houses OF Congress by more than two-thirds
majority, the vote in the Senate being, yeas
50 to nays IL, and, in the House, yeas III,
nays 80. | will read from the remarks of
Senator Andrew johnson on the veto of tbe
homestead bill by Mr.. Buchanan :f+f
The President Of the United States pHKsuMrs-vs. air
two Houses OF Congress. in violation o,i M. sn;,;i, !,
m nv, h !. eusr o. .he Go, Institution, that this measure shall
any dlIerence in The spirit Of the Constitution wbetbe r
a measure ls sanctioned By u two-thirds vote before lis
fd1saSS OF aiterxardt When a measure has been
vetoed by the President, the Constitution requires that
j. snaIIn ne recossldered and passed by a two-thirds vote
hxHc9rivs' there was a twethirds vote in favor of this
p t ne vote was 10 tos in this body. The. two
HOUSES nave SAID that this bill is constitutional and right.
~ the other House, rejecting the popular sen,;men, If
ue nniion, thc vote was i12 TO 5l-ten more than the
s a%% ,nhsn majority which the Constitution requires;
ssy i,is agaInst. the spirit Of the Constitution for the
T ,Uin , to say, No, you shall not have this measure;
l wi" 'ake vi the chances of vetoing it'n
Whatever may have been the opinion of
the President at one time as to good faith
requiring the security Of the freedmen in
their liberty and their property, It is now
manifest from the character of his obiec.
tons to this bill that he will approve no
measure that will accomplish the object
mat the second clause Of the constitutional
amendment gives this power there can be
no question. Some have c~ontended that it
gives the power even to confer the right of
Suffrage. have not thought so, because I
nave never thought suffrage apy more ne.
cessary to the liberty Of a freedman than
OF a non.voting white, whether child or
female. But his liberty under the Consti.
tuition he is entitled to, and whatever is ne
cessary TO secure It to him he is entitled to
have be it the ballot or the bayonet. If the
Pill now before us, and which goes no fur
ther than to secure civil rights to the freed.
man. cannot be passed, then the constitutional
amendment proclaiming freedom to all the
inhabitants of tho.land is a cheat and a
delusien.
l. cannot better conclude what I have TO
say than ia the language of Mr.. johnson on
the occasion of the veto of the homestead
bIlI' when, after stating that the fact that
tue PRESIDENT was inconsistent and changed
his opinion with reference to a great meas.
ure and a great principle is no reason why
a Senator or Representative whe had acted
understandingly should change his opinion,
he said
~ hope the Senate and House of Representatives,
who have sanctioned this bill by more than n two.tbirds
majority, will, according to the Constitution, exercise
their privilege and power, and let the bill become n law
can people.