Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1866-03-02

gress. There always will be differences Of
/ opinion in the community, and individuals
may be guilty Of transgressions of the lazy
but these do not constitute valid objections
against the rights of a State to representa-
ton | would in no wise interfere with the
discretion Of Congress with regard to the
qualifications Of members, but hold it my
duty to recommend to you, III the interests
Of the Union, the admission Of every State to
its share in public legislation, when, however
lnsubordinate, or rebellious its people may
have been, it presents itself not only in an
attitude Of loyalty and harmony, but in the
persons Of their representatives whose loyalty
cannot be questioned upon any existing con-
stltutional or legal test It is feared that
an indefinite or permanent exclusion of any
State OF the country from representation
must be attended by spirit Of disquiet and
complaint. 1t is unwise and dangerous to
pursue a course of measures which will unite
q very large section Of the country against
another section Of the country, however much
the latter may preponderate. The course of
emigration, the development of industry and
business, and natural causes, will raise Up
at the South men as devoted to the Union as
those OF any other part Of the land But if
they are all excluded from Congress if in q
permanent statute they are declared not to
be in full constitutional relations to the coun-
try, they may think they have cause to be-
come unit in feeling and sentiment against
the Government. Under the political edu-
cation OF the American people the idea is in
herent and ineradicablc that the consent Of
the majority Of the whole people is neeessa-
~ to secure a willing acquiescence in legisla-
ton. The bill under consideration refers to
certain Of the States as though they had not
been fully vested in all their constitutional
relations to the United States" IF they
have not, let us at once act together to secure
that desirable end at the earliest possible mo-
ment
It is hardly necessary for me to inform
Congress that, in my opinion and judgment,
most Of those States, SO far as depends upon
their own action, have already been fully re-
stored, and are to be deemed as entitled to
enjoy their Constitutional rights as members
OF the Union. Reasoning from the ConSti-
tuition itself, and from the actual situation of
the county, [ feel not only etl ssitled, but
ho1n3 C assume, that with the Federal
Courts restored, and those Of the several
States in the full exercise Of their functions,
the rights and interests Of all classes Of the
people viii, with the aid Of the military in
cases Of resistance to tie law, be essentially
protected against Constitutional infr;ngemen5
and violation. Should this expectation I'M
happily fail. which | q rot anticipate, then
the Executive is alroae- fully armed with
the power conferred by the act IF March,
1868, establishing the Freedma1's Bureau,
and hereafter, as heretofore, he can employ
the land and naval forces Of the country to
suppress Instruction or to overcome obstruc-
tions to the laws
In accordance with the Constitution, I re-
turn the bill to tie Senate, in the earnest
hope that measure involving questions and
interests soimportant to the country, will nat
become a law unless upon deliberate consid-
Grafton by the people it shall receive the
sanction Of IN enlightened public Judgment
ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Feb 10, 1866.