The Van Buren press., 1866-07-07
The Presidents Message on the Amend.

~"~So0o6O OA I0O k14uCuu-
ment.
We make the following extracts from the
Washington correspondence of the st. Louis
Republican of the 22d ult.: -
The Presidents special message to Congress
Vo-uay on the reconstruction amendment was
wholly unexpected, and caused no little sur
prise; IL was received without debate in Ell
thcr branch, and i'm the House was referred TO
the Committee on Reconstruction where. it is
believed. it will be considered and reported
upon. at least, upon the statement ofthc Pres
luent that the constitutional amendment was
not submitted to him for approval.
The following is the message:
WASHINGTON, June %.
submit 10 Congress report of the Secre-
tary OF State to whom was referred the con-
current resolution of the 18th inst, respecting
| submission to the Legislatures of the States
OF an additional article to the Constitution of
the United States. 1t will be seen from this
report that the Secretary of State had. on the
10th inst- transmitted the Governors of the
several States certified copies of the joint res
olutlon passed on the l3th proposing an
amendment to the Constitution Even i'm or
binary times question of amending the Con-
stitl'tlon must be justly regarded as of para
mount Importance. This Importance is at the
present time enhanced by the fact that the
JOINT resolution was not submitted by the two
Houses for the approval of the President, and
that OF the thirty-siX States which constitute
the Union. eleven are excluded from represent
| tatlon In either House of Congress, although,
with the single exception Of Texas, they have
been entirely restored to all their functions
as States in conformity with the organic law
OF the land, and have appeared at the Nation
al capital by Senators and Representatives,
who have applied for and been refused admis-
| sion to the vacant seats. Nor have the SOW
ereign people of the nation been afforded an
opportunity of expressing their views upon
the important questions which the amend
ment involves. Grave doubts, therefore, NAV
naturally and justly arise as to whether the
action of Congress is in harmony with the
sentiment of the people. and whether State
Legislatures elected without reference to such
an issue, should be called upon by Congress to
decide respecting the ratification amendment.
waving the question as to the constitutional
validity of the proceedings of Congress upon
the joint resolution proposing the amendment
or as to the merits of the article which it SUBJ
mlts through the Executive Department to the
Legislatures of the States believe it proper
TO observe that the steps taken by the Secre-
tary of State. as detailed in the accompanying
report are to be considered purely ministerial
and In no sense whatever committing the ex-
ecutive tOan approval or recommendation of
the amendment to the State Legislatures or to
the people. On the contrary proper appre-
ciation of the letter and spirit of the Consti-
tuition, as well as the interest of national or
der. harmony and union. and Difference for en-
lightened public judgment, may at this time
well suggest doubt whether any amendment
60 the Constitution ought to be proposed by
Congress and pressed on the Legislatures OF
the several states for final decision until after
thc admission of such Senators and Represen-
tatives Of the non-represented States as have
been or as may be hereafter chosen in confor-
nifty with the Constitution and laws of the
United States.
| (Signedl ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON. ID. c., June 90.