Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1866-03-31

capital and labor are divorced. They
stand now each master Of itself In this new
relation, one being necessary TO the other,
there will be new adjustment which both
are deeply Interested 10 making harmonious.
Each has on equal power in settling the
terms and IL left to the laws that regulate
capital and labor,it is cconfdenlly believed
this will satisfactorily work out the pro
blem. Capital, it is true has more intelli.
gence, but labor is never so ignorant as
not to understand its own Interests, not to
know its own value, and not 10 see that
capital must pay that value. This bill frus-
trales this adjustment 1t intervenes be-.
tween capital and labor, aud attempts 10
settle the question of political economy
through the agency of numerous officials
between the two races, for as the breach
widens their employ ment will continue, and
when it is closed their occupation is gone
10 oil our history, in all our experience as
a people living undtr federal aud stae laws,
no such system as that contemplated by the
details OF this bill has ever before been pro-
dused or adopted They establish for the
security Of the colored race safeguards which
60 infinitely beyond any that the General
Government has ever proved for the white
race. In fact the distinction of race and color
is, by the bill, made to operate in favor OF the
colored and against the white race. They inter-
fere with the municipal legislationof the States
with relations existing exclusively between
State and its citizens or between the inhabi-
tants Of the same State and the absorption
Ond assumption of power by the General Gov
erument, which, If acquiesced in, must destroy
our eeeratve system of limited powers and
break down the barriers which preserve the
rights Of the States. 1t is another step, or
rather stride, towards this Capitalization and
contraction Of oil the legislative powers in the
Datoua government.
The tendency of the bill must be to resus-
citate the spirit of rebellion and to arrest the
progress of those Influences which are more
closely drawing around the States the bands of
union and peace. My lamented predecessor.
in his proclamation Of the 1st OF Jauuaay, 1868,
ordered and declared that all persons held as
slaves within certain States and parts OF States
therein designa ted. were, and thepceforward
should be free, md further, that the Executive
Government OF the United States, including the
military and naval authorities thereof would
recognize and maintain the freedom of such
persons This guarantee has been rendered
especially obligatory aud sacred by the amend.
ment OF the Constitution abosbing slavery
throughout the United States. ! therefore
fully recognize the obligation to protect and
deiead that class of our people, whenever and
wherever ii shall become necessary, aud to the
full extent compatible with the Constitution
of The Uuited States.
Eutertaining thess sentiments, ii only re-
mains for me to say that l will checrfuy CO.
operate with Congress in any measure that
may be necessary Tor the preservation of the
civil rights OF freedmen, nswell as those classes
of persons throughout the United States by
judicial process, under equal and impartial laws
or couiormably with the positions of the federal
Constitution.
l now return the bill to tho Senate and re-
gret that in considering the bill aud joint rsso.
lutions, forty-two 10 number, which have been
thus far submitted for my approval, am
compelled to withhold my assent from
second measure that have received the sanction
of both House of Congress.
Signed, ANDREW JOHNSON,
WASHINGTON. D c., March 27 1866.