Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1866-04-12
Senator Jobnson on Yetoes.

It is not often that an individ ual is so
unfortunate as to give in advance the best
reasons for not doing thing that he
afterwards, in spite of thoss reasons,
actually performs. Yet such an indi-
vidual is Precedent johnson. His review
of President Buchanan's veto of the
Homestead bill, meets, one after another,
precisely the objections he has seen
proper to urge against the Civil Rights
Bill. We cannot refrain from copying
some Of Senator Johnson.s speech on
Mr. Buchanan's veto:
Both Houses of Congress-, in 1859, as
in 1866, had passed bill BY more than
twothirds vote, President Buchanan
then, as President Johnson does now,
vetoed the bill President johnson then
denounced Buchanan's veto in no very
choice or sparing terms., How he could
afterwards urge objections against q
measure which he then regarded "a so
trivial, dictatorial, inconsistent and IN.
constitutional, 10 for his recently made
friends and admirers to explain. We
cannot. s
Mr.. johnson discussed President
Buchanan's veto somewhat ga follows:
An EXECUTIVE VETO A SMALL AFFAIR.
Notwithstanding the veto message
upon this homestead bill is a long one.
and presents many arguments aud state~
ments as reasons for the veto, / am free
to say that the message has not wrought
the slightest change in my mind. The
fact Of these reasons being sent here, by
the President of the United States, it 10
true, entities them to consideration; but
their aolidity and sonndness are 10 be
examined Just the same as il they had
been presented by anybody else; and
the mere fact OF @ President Of the Uni
ted States vetoing bill makes no change
In my mind as to its propriety and con
stitutionality, unless be presents reasons.
and arguments which, If presented by
Others, would have the same effect
A.PERsoNAL SLAP AT OLD BUCK.
The argument upon the unconstitu-
tionality By the President is simply ab.
surd, not to say ridiculous, after the
long established usage of the Govern.
ment, receiving tie sanction of nearly
every President IF the United Sss.es.
General jackson earnestly looked
forward to the day when the public
lands would eease to be q source al pub.
lie revenue, and pass into the hands Of
the honest clliigator 1t was his
anxious desire Tor the time to come
when every head of a family IN the
United States would be domiciliated,
and have an abiding place for his wife
and for his children Whether consid-
erstious so rational, 30 humane, so
Christian, has ever penetrated the brain
of whose bosom has never yet
swellcd With emotions for wife or child
rem, is for an enlightened public to de.
termine.
HOW SENATOR'S SHOULD TREAT. A VETO.
1 always have q respect for a man who
ellis the place Of the President of the
United States. irrespectipa of party, and
it would be very natural for me to have
more respect for President Of my own
party than for one of opposite politics
But does the fact Of the President o
speaking change the natureI and chafac~
ter of great principles and TRUTH Does
Il make wrong right or right wrongf If
there Is great fundamental principle
IN this measure, connected with the
Government end the great canss of hu-
manity, the fact that he withholds his
approval does not change. ny opinion;
but If there were forty Presidents, With
| forty assistants, to write OFT svetoes, I
would STAND BY this bill and give it the
sanction Of my vote and support.
DETERMINATIONS BETWEEN FOREIGN AND
HATfvE cIrIzESs.
Il am constrained to say that ! look
upon the objection to the bill as mere
quibhle on the part of the President, and
as being hard pressed for some excuse
| in withholding his approval of the meas
nre; and his illusions to foreigners in
| this connection looks to me more like
| the odcQpkdndssas Of the mere poiticion
and the .demagogue, than q grave and
SQUAD reason to be offered by the Presi.
dent Of the United States in a veto mess.
| age upon 30 important Q measure az the
homestead bill. ,s-sn
TIE JEWEL ooEsIsTENcx.
Ihave often heard that this world 10 all
a. Aeeting show; that 1t 10 constantly
changing 90 men are changing These
are changing Gnd revolutionary times.
"Oh, c0naistencyl thou aft
n jeweliE much TO be- admired bnt rarely
10 be found Perhaps che President o.
\ Aha TfmsfnA Hfnfae IN fnss far ndrnucoa q,