American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-04-05
The Presidents Veto in Europe.

The Presidents VetO III EUROPE
The President of the United States
has lust refused his assent to bill
passed by both houses of Congress,
and has thus brought the executive
and legislative powers OF the Gov
eminent in direct collision with each
other This exercise of authority he
has justified in a long and elaborate
message, of which it is not, we think,
too much to say that it establishes,
completely and absolutely, the wis
dom of his decision. The question at
issue concerning an institution long
designated as peculiar to the South
ern States of the Union, but the events
which have transpired in our own col
ony of Jamaica will enable lis to I'M
derstand with very little difficulty
the political conflict in America.
We may perhaps best explain the
bill thus rejected by borrowing an
illustration from the history of Ja-
maica. If, then, we can imagine that
an act of Parliament had been passed
empowering the party represented by
Dr. Underhill and his friends to con-
stit,tte military tribunals in every
parish of Jamaica, and through those
tribunals to administer martial law
for the express benefit of the negro
and the humiliation OF the white man
! in all the transactions of life, we
shall get a good idea of the freed
mems bureau bill as sent up to Pres
idpnt Johnson.
- BY the projected Legislation
the cnfranchised negro would be
made, not free man, but pauper,
supported in an exceptional position
at the charge of others. and against
every principle of American institu-
tons. The State had never done,
even for its most deserving citizens,
what it was now asked to do for Il
section of the population whose only
distinction was their color. This
was not the way to make the black
man really and truly the white mans
equal. If the negro claims the rights
of freedom he must accept its duties,
and, above all, the great duty of la
Dor. There was no reason to suppose
that he could not carry his labor to
market as advantageouSly as any
tothpr citizen. No where was labor
more in demand than in the States
where the negroes dwelt, and even
if it were otherwise, any man could
change his place of abode at discre-
ton. Industry and thrift would en-
able them, beyond all question, to
get their own living and provide for
their own needs like any other class
of the people, and the exercise of these
virtues would open the Surest,
; and indeed, the only road to respect
ability and prosperity. To these I'M
answcrablc arguments President
johnson added yet another irrcslstl-
bic objection. 1t was fundamental
principle of the American Constltu-
tion, that without representation
there should be no taxation and yet,
by the projected measure, Congress
was proposing to legiSlate for eleven
) States, which, although their inter
; ests were most directly and especial
" affected, had been excluded from
!. all share in the deliberations preced-
ing. This action of the President,
/, though unusual, was by no means
| unexpected; i'll fact, the necessity OF
opposing some barrier to the violence
of the Radical party i'll Congress had
become obvious to the country. AS
far as we can Judge from our present
information, the exercise Of the Pres
idential veto has been most tavora-
!. bly, received. According to the
American Constitution, the veto
might be Ovcrridden by the passage
: of the bill anew, with majority Of
two-thirds in its favor; but this ma
iority could not be secured, for the
numbers, when the attempt was made.
were found to be only 80 to Is. Gen.
orally, too, it is said the public had
!; testified their approval Of All act de.
signed to express the determined op.
; position of the President to sectional
and oppressive legislation. Non
; should we expect less from the good
sense and Judgment of the Ameri-
: can people. In this country the
7, courage and decision exhibited by
Mr. Johnson will confirm the respect
in which his policy has been held
2 and will entitle him to credit as ont
D of the ablcSt statesmen who have
: ever conducted "A great nation sue
: ceSsfully through Il perilOus crisis by
= f1nnpSS, moderation and wisdOm.-
e London Times, 9Th.
I ~ EXTRACT frnm q tiriNatc lettcl