Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-03-27
TIE FREsIDEYF's yETO IN EUROPE.
lErnri- tlla Tnnnnn Tftna. 49, /. =

TEE PRESIDENT's yETO IN EUROPE
From the London Times, March GI
The President of the United States has
lust refused his assent to q bill passed by
both Houses of Congress, and has thus
brought The executive and legislative
powers of the Government into direct
collision with each other. The exercise
Of authority he has justified in a long
and elaborate message, of which it Is
not, we think, too much TO say that il es-
tabiishes. completely and absolutely, the
wisdom Of his decision. The question at
issue concerned an institution long des~
ignated as peculiar the Southern States
of the Union, but the events which have
recently uanspired in our own colony of
Jamaica viii enable us to understand
with very little difficulty the political
conflict in America.
We may perhaps best explain the bill
thus rejected by borrowing an inustra-
ton from the history Of Jamaica. If,
then, we can imagine thar an act of Par
lament had been passed empowering the
party renresented by DR.. Underhill and
his friends TO constitute military tribu-
mails 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 Freedmen's
Bureau bill rs sent up TO President John
son.
BY the projected legislation
the enfranchised negro would be made,
not q free man, but a pauper, supported
in an exceptional position, at the charge
Of others, and against every principle of
American Institutions. The State had
never done, even for its most deserving
what it was now asked to do
for a 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 nc gro claims the rights Of freedom,
he must accept its duties, and, above all,
the great duty Of labor. There was no
reason TO suppose that he could not carry
hi- labor 10 market as advantageously as
any other citizen. Nowhere was labor
in more demand thanin the States where
the negroes dwelt, and even if il We've
otherwise any man could change his
place of abode at discretion. I,Idustrv
and thrift would enable then, bevond nh
question TO get their own living and pro-
vide for their own nePJis ike any other
.AA-77 va NAAN li@NAFAEf anu LAit exercise ffl
these virtues would Open the surest, and,
indeed, the only road to respeatability
and prosperity. To these unanswerable
arguments President johnson added yet
another irresistible objection. It was a
fundamental principis OF the American
constitution, that without representation
there should be no taxation; and vet, by
the projected measure, Congress was pro-
FA-InOF IN IaurialnfA for oil
which, although their interests were most
directly and especially affected, had been
excluded from all share in the delibera-
lions preceding. This action of the
President, though unusual, was by no
means unexpected; in fact, the necessity
d opposing some barrier 10 the violence
Of the radical party in Congress had
become obvious 20 the country. As far
As we can Judge from our present infor-
nation, the exercise of the Presidential
veto has been favOrabiy received. Ac-
'orrding to the American Constitution.
he veto might be Overridden by the Das-
age OF the bill anew, with a majority of
Wo thirds in its own favor; but
his majority could not De secured, /
oC the numbers, when the attention
was made, were found to be only
70 10 Is. Generally, too, it was said and
he public had testified their approval Of
IN act designed TO express the deter
aimed opposition Of the President TO
,ectional and oppressive legislation. Nor
should we expect less from the good
sense and judgment Of the American
people. In this country the courage and
iecision exhibited by MIR. johnson will
confirm the respect with which his pol
cy has been held, and viii entitle him
% credit as one Of the ablest statesmen
who have ever conducted a great nation
.uccesstu,-y Jhogh a perilous crisis by
lrmness, moderation and wisdom.