Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-04-18

such case, and all officers executing any
such writ or process, and being convicted
thereof. shall be deemed violators of the
laws of nations and disturbers of the pub I
lie repose. and shall be imprisoned not
exceeding three years or fined Sl,OOO, at
the discretion of the court"
Mr.. Trumbull went on to show. by the
Presidents own acts, and those of his au-
thorised and special agents, that they
had seen and recognized the danger aud
injustice against which the Civil Rights
bill is intended to provide. He showed
that this bill only sought to regulate BY
civil power what the President had In
numerous instance done and was doing
by the military arm, and on his own re-
sponsibility, without authority or right,
except that of force. He showed that
the details of the bill were copied from
the Fugitive Slave law. whose machinery
was always held to be constitutional;
that the seventh aud eighth sections ob
jected to by the President, were taken
literally from old statutes, which had
never before been objected to; and this
done, he reviewed the course OF the
President, ard showed that on almost
every occasion he had acted in the very
spirit of the bill which he now vetoes.
THE PRESIDENTS RELATION TO TIE BILL.
Mr.. Trumbull made the following ex
traordinary statement:
Congress, in the passage of the bill uu-
der consideration, sought no controversy
with the President. So far from iE, the
bill was proposed with view to carry out
what men supposed to be the views of
the President, anil was submitted to him
before It's introduction into the Senate.
am not about to relate private declar
ations Of the President, but it is right the
American people should know that the
controversy which exists between him
and Congress in reference to this meas
ure is of his own seeking.
Soon after Congress met it became ap-
parent that there was difference of opin-
ION between the Presidentand some mem
bers of Congress in regard to the condi-
ton of the rebellious States and the
rights to be secured to freedmen The
President in his annual message had de-
MED the constitutional power OF the gen
eral government to extend the elective
franchise to negroes. but he was equally
decided in his assertion of the right of
every mau to life, liberty, aud the pur
suitof happiness. This was his language:
But while have no doubt that now
after the close of the war, it IS not COM
petent for the general government to ex-
tend the elective franchise in the several
States, it is equally clear that good faith
requires the security of the freedmen in
their liberty and their property"
Feeling the importance of harmonious
action between the different departments
of the government. and an anxious de
sire to sustain the President, for whom l
hal always entertained the highest re-
spect, 1 had frequent interviews with him
during the early part of the session. -
Without mentioning anything said by
him, l may with perfect propriety say
that acting from considerations which
have stated, and believing that the pass
age of a law by Congress, securing equal
ity in civil rights when denied by State
authorities to freedmen and all other in
habitants of the United States, would do
much to relieve the anxiety in the North,
to induce the Southern States to secure
these rights by their own action, and
thereby to remove many OF the obsta-
cles to an early reconstruction, pre-
pared the bill substantially as it now re-
turns with the Presidents objections
After the bill was introduced and printed,
a copy was furnished him, and at a sub
sequent period, when it was reported
that he was hesitating about signing the
Freedmens' Bureau bill he was informed
of the condition of the Civil Rights bill
then pending in the House, and hope
that if he had any objections to any of
- h. rw1t,II v,nalyo fhan1
known to its friends, that they might be
remedied if not destructive of the meas
ure; that there was believed to be no
disposition on the part of Congress. and
certainly none on my part to have bills
presented to him which he could not ap-
prove. He never indicated to me, nor as
far as | know, to any of its friends, the
least objection to any of the provisions of
the bill till after its passage.
After recitiug various acts of the Pres
ident in the Southern States, Mr.. Trum-
bull said:
Is it Congress, by the passing of this
bill, or the President. who without law Is
arrogating to himself far greater powers
than any conferred by this bill! Let it
not be said that the President exercises
those vast powers by virtue of his war
power. He told US in his annual message
that the war was over, and whether or
not, no incidental powers are vested by
the Constitution in the President either
as President or commander-in-chief of
the army. Tue instrument which gives
Congress power to make all laws necessa-
~ and proper for carrying into execution
all powers vested by the Constitution in
the government of the United States. or
in any department or officer thereof
The President is required in carrying out
his powers TO act in obedience to law, the
very thing which he refuses to do.
Finally, Mr. Trumbull said:
But, sir. from out Of the mouth of Sem
ator Andrew johnson will prove that
President Andrew johnson has violated
the spirit of the Constitution, if not the
letter, in vetoing this bill. 1t will be re-
membered that the bill passed both
Houses of Congress by more than two
thirds majority, the vote in the Senate
being. yeas 80 to nays u; in the House,
yeas Ill, nays SO. 1 wilIFead from the
remarks of Senator Andrew johnson on
the veto of the Homestead bill by Mr..
Buchanan
Inc ETeSluen6 Ol Tue Oullou OIaLOS
presumes-yes, sir, say, presumes-to
dictate to the American people and to
the two Houses of Congress, in violation
of the spirit, if not the letter, OF the
Constitution, that this measure shall not
become a law. Why do | say this3 l
ask, is there any difference in the spirit
of the Constitution, whether a measure
is sanctioned by two-thirds vote before
its passage or afterward? When meas
ure has been vetoed by the President,
the Constitution requires that it shall be
and passed by two-thirds
vote, in order to become law. But
here, in the teeth of the Executive, there
was a two thirds vote in favor of this bill.
The vote was thirty-six to two, in this
body. The two Houses have said that
this measure is constitutional and right.
In the other House, rejecting the popu-
lar sentiment of the nation, the vote was
Il2 to 5I-ten more than the two-thirds
msjoriiy, which the Constitution requires;
aud when there is a two thirds vote for a
measure, say it is against the spirit OF
the Constitution for the Executive to say,
mo, you shall not have this measure; /
yuilt faka oil tho ohaneaz Of restoring IL ~