Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-04-27
9aliffeal.
SENATOR TRUMBULL ON THE
VETO.


after the President syeto, ON Wednesday
the 4th. The correspondent of the 'Adver
tiser writes
| The entire interest of Congress was cen
tered in the Senate to-day, the floor being
occupied fer nearly two hours. and a half By
Senator Trumbull in review OF the Presi-
dent S late veto message and N support o.
the Civil Rights Bill The speech isconced
ed by everybody to be one of the few great
speeches of recent years, and is commented
upon by members of all political views as q
masterpiece Of clear and concise logic
A brief outline Of the speech with some
notice Of the speaker IS thus given by the
Salem Register:
Judge Irumbull is an eminent jurIst, hay
ing been for five years on the bench of the
Supreme Court Of Illinois, and, in the U. s.
Senate, Chairman Of the judiciary Com
mittee He reviewed in detail the Presl-
dent S objections and answered them salts
factorily to the friends Of the bill He show
ed bv decision of Chief-J ustice Marshall
thata citizen Of of the United States IS q
citizen of any individual State. He showed
by precedents in our history that naturaLi-
Zation need not be by individuals, but may be
collective. as when all the whites of Tex
as, or Florida, or Louisiana were made
| citizens. He agreed that States are repre-
sented in either house of Congress and
through their Legislature, and that Con-
| gress must therefore ascertain whether these
Legislatures are loyal He quoted the Pres
ident against himself, contrasting passages
in his best considered speeches while Sena-
tor, with his present positions. lie showed
further that the President had done, with
out authority, in the South, precisely what
this bill proposes to do by law, and demon
strated that his course in the South was a
proof of the necessity and wisdom Of the bill.
Mr. Trumbull thus commenced
AIy. PeStdeRt,- | fully share with the
President of the United States the regret
| EXPRESSED that he was unable to sign the
bill to protect all persons In the United
States in their civil rights, and secure the
means for their vindication. 1 regret 1t on
my own account, because the just expecta-
tions raised when the bill was presented to
the President before IT'S iatTcdgctlQn into the
i Senate have been disappointed. / regtet II
on the President 5 account, because 1t IS
calculated to ALLEVIATE him from those who
elevated him to power, and would gladly
have rallied around his administration to
sustain him in the principles upon which be
was elected But above all, sir, / regret II
for liberty S sake, to secure which to our
selves and our posterlty this Government
was founded. Yet, if the bill is unconstltu-
tional or unjust tG the whole people.
would not have had the President approve
it. That its provisions are not unjust to
the whole or any portion OF the people, nor
unconstitutional, shall endeayor TO show
BY a candid and dispassionate examination
ofthe President S various objections.
He begins these objections with the very
! first lines Of the bill, which declare that all
persons born in the United States, and not
subject to any foreign power, excluding In,
dians not taxed, are citizens OF the United
States. The bill, as originally introduced
did not contain this provision. 1t was be-
lieved by myself and many others .hat all
patiye-born persons, since the abolition OF
slavery. were citizens of the United States.
This was the opinion Of Mr.. Bates, the At
torney General Of Mr. Lincoln admlnistra-
ton: the opinion adopted by his admlnlstra-
ton, and acted upon since by all depart
mepts of the executive department, including
the Secretary Of State, who has issued pass
ports to persons of color, recognizing them
/ as citizens 1t was he opinion expressed
by lIr Marcy, when Secretary Of State,
that all persons born in the United States
/ were citizens Of the United States, not re-
ferring, Of course, TO slaves, slavery at that
time existing in the country
The president does not object to this
declaration In the bill as unconstitutional.
He does, however say that 1t does not
purport to declare or confer any other right
Of citizenship than Federal citizenship.
MIR Trunbull then made several quotations
to show that Mr.. johnson was in error in
respect to law and fact in his statements:
tsTbe r,ower TO confer the right Of State cit
lts- wit n
eraI States as the power to confer the right
of Federal citizenship IS with Congress. The
right of Federal citizenship, thus to be
conferred on the several excepted races,
before mentioned, is now Tor the first tImc
proposed to be given By law.
By these various treaties, resolutions, ano
acts of Congress, it viii be observed that
Frenchnen and Spaaiards Mexlcans and
Indians. have at different times been made
citizens OF the United States; and among
them some Of the very classes mentioned II
this bill: and vel the president tells US that
this right of Federal citizenship is now fol
the first time proposed to be given by law
THE. PRESIDENT S DILEMMA ANSWERED.
'IR" saws the President, 'as is claimed
by many, all persons who are native born
already are, by virtue of the Constitution
citizens of the United States, the passage
Of the pending bill cannot be necessary tC
make them such That is true; but is tho
President to learn now for the first time
that rule to be found in the very horn-be0kE
of the law, that an act declaring what tho
law is one Of the most common Of acts pass
ed BY legislative bodies? When there Il
any question as to what the law Is, and fol
greater certainty, it is the most common
sking in the world to pass a statute decIar
ing it. May opinion is, such was the oplin
ion of the attorney general, such my opinion
ofthe present Secretaryof State; such tht
opinion of Mr. Lncen's administration II
all It's departments; such | believe to be tht
prevailing opinion in the United States, tha
all native born persons not subject to
foreign power, arcs by virtue OF their pirth
citizens of the United States, But somt
dispute this; but hence for greater Ger
tainty,, it is proper to pass this law; ant
the fact Of its being declaratorY act is nov
made a reason for disappearing it by th'
president.
But if such is not the law, says thu
President, the grave question presents it
self, whether, when eleven ct the thirty-si
States are represented in Congress at tht
present time, it issound policy 70 make GU
entire colored population, and all other ex
cepted elasses citizens Of the United States
This is a standing objection ID oil the vetC
messages of the President, not urged, j
seems, against all bills, for the Presiden
tells us in his message that he has signec
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