Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-02-21
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Conclusion Of the Presiden rs Veto

The Presidentof the United Statesstands
towards the country in a somewhat differ
ent attitude from that of any member of
Congress, chosen from a single District or
State, The President is chosen by the peO-
| pie of all the States. Eleven States are not
at this time represented in either branch OF
Congress. IC would seem to be his duty,
on all proper occasions, to present their
Just claims to'Congress. There alwayswill
be differences opinion In the community,
and individuals may be guilty of trans
gressions of the law; but these do not con-
stitute valid objections against the right of
State to representation. | would in no
wise interfere with the discretion of Com
gress with regard to the qualifications Of
members, but l hold it my duty to recon-
mend to you, in the interests of peace and
In the interests of the Union, the admission
oi every State to its share of public legisla-
tion, wien, however insubordinate, insIir-
gent or rebellious its people may have been,
II presents ITSELF not only In an attitude
of loyalty and harmOnyi but in the persons
of representatives whose loyalty cannot
be questioned under existing constitution
al legal tests. 1t Is plain that. an indefD-
ite or permanent exclusion of any part of
the country from representation must be
attended by spirit OF disquet and COM
plaint. 1t Is unwise and dangerous to pur-
sue course of measures which will unite
any large section of the country against
another section of the country, no matter
how much the latter may predominate,
| The course of Ofimmigration, development of
industry and business, and natural causes,
will raise u II at the South, men as devoted
to the Union as those of any other part OF
the land. But II they are all excluded
from Congress II in permanent statute
they are declared not to be in full COnstitu-
tiOnal relations to the country, they may
| think they have cause to become a unit IN
feeling and sentiment against the Govern
Ihent Under the political education of
the American people the idea is inherent
and ineradicable. that the consent of the
majority of the whole peopleois necessary
to secure willing acquiescence in legisla-
ton.
The bill, under consideration refers to
| certain OF the States as though they had
not been fully restored to the United States.
Ii they have not, let us at once act togeth-
er to secure that desirable end at the ear
| Hest possible moment. 1t is hardly neccs-
sary for me to inform Congress that in my
| own judgment most of those States, so far,
Mt least, as depends upon their own action,
have already been fully restored, and are TO
| be deemed to be entitled to enjoy their con :
stitutiOnal rights as members of the UuiOn,
| Reasoning from the Constitution itself and
from the actual situation of the country, |
feel not only entitled, but bound to assume
that with the Federal courts restored in the
several States. and in the full exercise rof
their functions, the rights and interests of
all classes of the people will, with the aid
of the military In cast OF resistance to the
law, be essentially protected against un-
constitutional infringement and violation.
Should this expectation unhappily fail,
which do not anticipate, then the Execu-
live is already armed with the powers con-
ferred by the act of March, 1866, establish
ing the FreednIen's Bureau, and hereafter,
as heretofore, he can employ the land aud
naval torcesOf the country TO suppress in
surrections aud to overcome instructions to
the laws. .............. ..i....,..... .
Ireturn the bill to theSenate, in the earn
est hope that a measure involving ques-
tiOns and interests so important to the cOun-
try will not become law, ,unless, upon de-
Iliberate consideration by the people, il
shall receive the sanction of an enlightened
| public judgment. =" 7.2., .
4 [Slgnedl ANDREW JOHNSON, .
WASHINGTON, d. c., February 10, 1866.