Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-04-11

I
own action, and thereby remove many OF the o,
staces to an early reconstruction, prepared the
hill SUBSTANTIALLY as il is now returned Win tne
Presidents objections, After the bill was intro-
duced and printed, copy was furnished MN !,
and at a subsequent period, when u was rePorteu
that he was hestating about signing the Freed
mems Bureau BILL he was informed OF the conii-
tion of the Civil Rights bill, then pending IN tne
House, and q hope expressed that II ne hao o.
iections to any of its provisions he would make
them known to its friends, that they might pe
remeded-if not destructive Of the measure
that there was believed to be no disposition on
the part of Congress--and certainly none on my
part-to have a bill reported to him whlch ne
could not approve. He never indicated 10 me
nor 30 far as know, to any OF its friehds-the
least objection to any of the provisions OF ihe
bill till after its passage. And how co9lu nc oom,
was supposed in entire harmony with his views
and certainly in harmony with what he was tnen
and has since been doing in protecting freedmen
in their civil rights all through the rebellious
States It was strictly limited to the protectloh
of civil rights belonging to every freemah-the
right of every American citizen-and carefully
avoided interfering with political rights or pri-
waite rights of any kind. The bill neither confers
nor abridges the rights Of any one, but SIM
ply declares that in civil rights there shall DE an
equality among all classes OF citizens ana that
ali alike shall be subject to tina same punishment
/ FIT =
damental rights belonging under the Constitu-
ton to all citizens-may grant or withhold snch
civil rights as its pleases. All that is required
is that in this respect law shall be impartial Ana
vet this is the bill now returned with the Presl-
dents objections-and such objections "hat
are they That in all our history-in all our ex-
perence as people living under political and
State laws--no such system as that contemplated
by the details of this bill has ever before been
proposed or adopted. Have not already SHOWN
in the action of the President himself, through
Cen Sickles, declaring that all laws shall be APP
plcable alike to all inhabitants, ana IN the varl
Gus acts of Congress precedent for every pro-
vision of this bill?
The details of the BILL says the President, es
tablish for the security of the cOlored race saie
guards whichIgo indefinitely beyond any that the
General Government has ever piovided for the
white race. With what truth this can be said OF
a bill which declares that the civil rights, and
the punishment. of all races, inccduing OF course
the colored. shall he the same as those OF white
persons let an intelligent public judge. They
the details-says the President, interfere with
the legislation of the States, to which the status
of its citizens exclusively belOng-an observation
and assumption of power by the general govern
ment which If acquiesced in, must sap and de-
stroy our federative system or limited powers
and break down thelbarliers which preserve the
rights Of the States 1t is another step, or rather
stride, toward Capitalization and the concentral-
ization OF all legislative powers in the national
government, All this is said by President
who, by his own fiat, issued through General
Howard, set aside an actSof the legislature, OF
Mississippi, and by another order, through Gen.
Terry, an act of the Virginia legislature, and
FORBADE any magistrate or civil officer from at
to execute also, through Gen. Candy,
ordered the State Courts in his Department to
suspend all suits ageinst persons charged with
offenses for which white persons were not pun.
,aJ 5 And oil In hn " " oh
have been visited upon State judges or officers
for violations of any of these orders presi-
dent vino, after vetoing provision of the Freed
mems Bureau bill because it secured the occupa.
ton of lands under Mai Gen Sherman's order
for the limited period of 8 years. himself issued
m order within less than thirty days afterward,
through Adjt. Gen, Smith, directing that grants
Of land to the freed people in compliance with
Sherman's special field order No. Is, will be re.
yarded as good and valid. Well may we ex-
claim. in view of these acts Of the President, in
mis- own language, when discussing veto of
President Buchanan "Oh, consistency thou
,rt jewel much admired but seldom found" In
view Of these facts, who is 1t that is breaking
down the barriers of the States and making
strides towards Capitalization? Is it Congress |
by the passage of this bill, or the President who,
without law. is arrogatng to himself lar great |
or powers than any conferred by this bill?
He says the tendency of this bill must be to
the spirit of the rebeion. What as
sumption in one who denies the authority to pun
sh those who violate U. =. laws under color of
State authority a doctrine from which the re-
bellon sprung, and in entire harmony with the
declaration of Mr., Buchanan that there was no
power to coerce State, But out of the mouth
If Senator Andrew johnson | will prove that
President Andrew Johnson has violated the spir.
1t of the Constitution If not its letter, in veto.
ing this bill 1t will be remembered the bill pas.
oil hatb Of lsAt, H,,, 81.
thirds majority-the vote in the Senate being 33
ayes IL nays and in the House, 1871 yeas, So
nays. will read from the remarks of Senator
Andrew Johnson on the veto of the Homes stead
bill by Mr.. Buchanan 1.-The President OF the U.
s. presumes-l say prcsumes-t0 dictate to the
American people and to the two houses of Con-
gress In violation of the spirit If not the letter
Of the Constitution, that this measure shall not
become law. Why do ! say this? | ask. is
there any difference in the spirit of the Constitu
ton WHETHER measure Is sanctioned by a two.
thirds vote before its passage or afterwards? When
q measure has been vetoed by the President, the
Constitution requires that 1t shall be reconsider
ed and passed by two thirds vote in order to be-
comes law. But here in the teeth OF the Exc.
cutive, there was two-thirds votes in favor OF
this bill. The vote was SO to 2 in this body The
two Houses have said this measure is constitu-
tionally right. In the other House the vote was
liz to 5l-l0 more than the majority which the
CONSTITUTION requires ana Wnen lnefe Is Two
thirds vote for measure ] say il is against the
spirit of the Constitution for the Executive to
say No. you shall not have this measure / will
take all the chance of vetoing it," Apply this
language to the facts connected with this bill
and then say who violated the spirit Of the Con-
This bill in no manner interferes with the
municipal regulations OF any State. which pro-
tects all in their rights Of person and property.
It could have no operation In most of the states.
How preposterous to charge that unless some
State can have and exercise the right to punish
or deny somebody civil right. on account of
his color, that its rights as State shall be de.
stroyed. Some have commended that it gives the
power to center the right OF suffrage. ] hav'nt
thought so because have never thought suffrage
any more necessary to the liberty of freedman
than Of the non voting white. but his liberty he
is entitled to have, II the bill before us--which
goes no further than to secure civil rights to the
Northumberland be passed. the Constitutio al
amendment declaring freedom to al the inhabi.
tants of the land is cheat and delusion.
cannot better conclude what have to say
than by quoting Mr.. Johnson's language In ref
erence 20 the Homestead bill veto, he said II
hope the Senate and House, who have sanctioned
the bill by more than A twothjrds majority will