The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-04-05
where It Is intended 70 operate.

i DO not propose 70 consider the pol
icy Of this bill. To me the details .
the bill seem iraught with evil. Tb,
wnite race and black race Of the Sontl
have hitherto lived together under tn,
relation of master and slave: capits
I owning labor! Now that the relation
lie changed and as 10 ownership, cap
lital aud labor are divorced they
stand now each master ofitself, and il
this new relation. one being necessar,
to, the other there will be alnew ad
ljustment, which both are deeply 10,
terested in making hafmonious. Each
has equal power in settling tho terms
and if left to the laws that regulate
capitalaDd labor, tits confidently be.
iieyed that they viii satisfactorily
work out the problem. Capital, It Il
true, has more intelligenee, but labor
is never 80 ignorant as not 10 undcr.
stand its own interests mot to know
it's own value, and not to see that cap.
ital must pay that value. The bill frus.
trates this adjustment. 1t intervenes
between capital and labor, and at.
tempts to settle questions of DO.
litieal eoonomythrough the agency Of
numerous officials whose interest il
will be to foment discord between the
two races; for, as the breach widens,
their employment will coDtinne, md
when it is closed their occupation will
terminate. I qg
In all our history, in all our expe-
rience. as q people living under FEEDER.
al and State laws, no such system as
that contemplated by the details ol
this bill, has ever before been proposed
or adopted They establish for the
security Of the colored race, safeguards
which go infinitely beyond any that
tho General Government has ever pro-
vided for the white race. In fact, the
distinction Of race and color is, by the
bill, made to operate in favor of the
colcred andagainst the white race
They interfere with the municipal
Legislation of the States, with relations
existing exclusively between a State
and its citizens: between inhabitants
of the same State, and the absorption
OF power by the General Government
which, if acquiesced in, must sap and
destroy our federative system OF limit
ed powers, and break down the bar,
riers which preserve the rights of the
States. 1t is another step, or rather
stride, towards Capitalization and the
concentration of all legislative powers
in the National Government.
] The tendency of the bill must be tc
resuscitate the spirit of rebellion and
toarrest the progress of those infu
ences which are more closely drawing
around the States the bonds of union
and peace. My lamented predecessor
in his proclamation of the lst of Jan.
uary, 1863, ordered and declared that
all persons held as slaves within cer-
tain States and parts of States therein
designated were, and thenceforward
should be free; and further, that the
executive government of the United
States. including tie military and ma
val authorities thereof would rccog
nize and maintain the freedom of such
persons. This guaranty has been ren.
dcred especially obligatory and. sacred
by the amendment of the Constitution
abolishing slavery throughout the Uni
ted States. Therefore fully recognize
the obligation to protect and defend
that class ofour people whenever and
wherever it shall become necessary,
and to the full extent compatible
with the Constitution of the United
States.
Entertaining these sentiments it on.
y remains for me to say that l will
cheerfully cooperate with Congress
in, any measure that may be necessary
for the preservation Of the civil rights
of freedmen as well as those of all 9TH
or classes of persons throughout the
United States by judicial process un-
der equal and impartial laws, or .con.
formally with the provisions of the
federal constitution. / Inow return the
bill to the Senate, and regret that in
considering the bill and joint resolu-
tions, forty.two in number, which
have been thus far submitted for my
approval, ! am compelled to withhold
my assent from second measure that
has received the sanction of both houses
of Congress.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, D. G., March 27, 1866.