New-York tribune., 1867-03-25
ANOTHER VETO.
TIE SUPPLEMENTARY RECONSTRUCTION BILL RE
TURNED 10 CONGRESS-

Veto Message:
To the House Of Representatives.:
have considered the bill entitled An Act supple
mentary TO Act 10 Provide for tho Efficient
Government OF the Rebel States" passed arch p 1867
and TO facilitate to restoration and return il TO the
House of Representatives with my objections. This bill
provides for elections in the ten States brought
under the operation Of the original act, TO
which 1t is supplementary. It's details princi-
pally directed to the elections for the formation
Of the State Constitutions but by the sixth section OF the
bill all elections in the States occurring while the original
act remains in force, brought within its provisions
Referring to the details it will be found that first of ALL
there is to be registration OF the voters No whose
has not been admitted the list is 10 be allowed
to vote at any Of these elections To ascertain who Is
entitled TO registration reference Is made necessary by
the express language OF the supplement TO the original
act and to the pending bill The firth section OF the org
nal act provides, 10 voters that they shall be made
citizens Of the State years old upward OF whatever
color previous condition. who have been resident
tiOn, followed. however by many exceptions. No
one can be ncc9rans 10 9 4Tghl al tSe sSe
Rebellion, provision which left undetermined the
question to what amounted to dsfranchisemen and
whether, without judicial sentence. the act itself pro-
vded that effect This Supplemental bill superadds an
admitted upon the registration that he has not been dis
franchsed FOR participation in any rebellion or civil war
person the necessity and responsibility deciding for
himself under the peril of punishment by military com
mission, il he makes mistake. What makes disfranchse
mert by participation In rebellion, and what amounts to
such participation Almost every man tne negro rs WgI, ~
the ten States during the Rebellion voluntarily or nvol
in resistance to the lawful authority Of the General
Government. The question with the citizen in regard
for While the bin does not declare that perjury may
the Sense % Ie SG must not FORGET that martial law prevails
that every person answerable tOa Military Commission
without previous prcsentment by Grand Jury, for any
charge that may be made against him. and that the SUI
preme authority OF the military commander determines
the question TO what is TO be the measure OF punish
ment. The fourth section of the bill provides that the
Commanding General or each district siah appoint as
sisng three loyal officers persons. The only quail
caton stated for these officers that they must be loyal
they may be persons In the military service or civilian
residents Of the state, strangers Yet these persons
to exercise most important duties and decide what
shall be placed upon tho register aud from their
decision there is 70 be no appeal They are to perntend
They TO have the custody OF the ballots, and TO make
return OF the persons elected; whatever frauds or
errors they commit must pass without redress
All that is left for the Commanding-Genera is 70
receive the returns. open the same and ascertain
Officers who conducted such elections BY such means
and with this sort OF agency are the Conventions OF dele
gates to De constituted AS the delegates are 20 speak
the people common Justice would seem to require that
they should nave authority from the people teiseAes
No Convention 80 c9nstiuted Will ~ any sense, lcIIc
sent wishes OF the inhabitants OF the States under
the % sections OF II sse c g% oy S ra
chisement leaves open 20 the Board OF Ocers the great
from an opperfhny of expressing their own ashes
voting for delegates who VIII faithfully reject Their
investigate the details OF this BILL no consdera-
ton could induce me to give my approve 70
pecaly for the great purpose Of framing the eonstu
tOn OF State II ever tie American citizen should lbe
left the free exercise of his judgment II H when he
is engaged in the WORK Of forming tie Fundamental law
under which be is 10 yc that work h his work ana ~
properly be taken out Of his hands All this egs
laton proceeds upon the contrary assumption That the
people OF each OF these States shall have constitution
except such as may arbitrarily dictated by Congress
and formed under the restraint Of military rule PLAIN
statement OF factsnakes tins evident In a ihcsesth's
there existing constitutions formed IN the accustomed
way by the people. Congress, hoSeyer, declares that
requgos .e people 20 form them anew. What then
in the on OF ConTess Is neoessary 70 make s otis the
ina the question: Is universal negro SUI
10 the states themselves. All this legislative machinery
Of martial law military coercion and political dlsiian
- Tho aetn5wicdsed standard OF LOYALTY and repub
OF government their Constitutions are more republican
now than when these 5taosfour OF which were of the
original thirtcen-rst became members OF the Union.
Congress does not demand that snge PROV or
suffrage 20 the who population. II Is apparent there
that those provisions do not conform 70 the stan9ad
That there may be no mistake II u only necessary tRnt
reference SHOULD DC uAuo 70 ~ oilH'uh ny "i%n -
elective franchise sia bG ehJ6yed BY Az @ .'ss '0
az have the qualifications herein stated for election
OF delegates Which class Of persons Is here. meant
say-the. male citizens Of said state, q years
old aud inward Of whsey hsan 5esdont aS f'g M sad
State year previous 20 the date OF such election
SlneS in 'aeSs asS one Of Se teS states VIII be q any avail
with Congress- This then the test OF what tne C0hsu
tuition OF a State OF this Union must contain 20 make "
repubicanl Measured by such standard how Few OF
the states composing the Union nave isP1pnra,
guaranty that Congress shall secure TO every state re-
blacks AZ well rs whites az sine qtlq no tho work Of
reconstruction may well begin n Ohio as IN virginia
| in Pennsylvania as In North Carolina When c0hten-
plate tue millions OF our feowctzens Of the south with
no alternative left but 10 impose upon themselves THIS
fearful and untT1cd experiment OF complete negro erFd
chisenent and white Acknowledgement Il may almost
as complete submit indefinitely to the gor OF MARTA!
law wfIout single attribute az freemen deprived OF
all the sacred guarantees Of or Federal Pnd
threatened With wrongs It soens to me their
condition rs the deorable 10 which any people can
be reduced IL true that they have been engaged In re-
belOn and that in their object 70 bring about seara
tion OF the States and dissolution OF the unol theTe
obligation resting upon every loyal cliHen 70
treat them as enemies, and to wage war against her
cause lnfexlDy opposed 10 any movements lulpernInB
the integrity OF the Government did not hesitate 10 urge
sion Of the nsurrecon After long ana terrible sfug
gle the efforts NJ the Government were tTiunphnnty
successful and the people OF the south submitting TO he
bramont yielded forever the ISSUES OF the contest
Hostites erminated soon after u DC ane my duty 70
Officer of the Republic and at once endeayOred 70
reprcsss and control the passion which civil war had
"A encInies again acknowledged them friends and
our countrymen The had accomplished It's objects,
chief which. from the birth Of the Government had
gradually, hut inevitably, brought on the Rebellion
totally eradcaed Then II seemed 10 me- was the auspi
ciOus time 10 commence the work OF ReconstructiOn.
Then, when the people sought our friendship
meet them IN the spirit OF charity and forgiveness. and 10
conquer them even more effectqally ny -, the
arms yet believe that 4 the policy OF keconsIgction
then riaugurated, and which contemplated nm
early restoration OF these people TO all their political
rights had received the support OF Congress- evoy OF
these cen sates and all Che e people T would , at ths mo
which gave the all Its sanction, and made It Just and
vSst and fruitful regions Of The South peace and It's
blessings would have prevailed where now millions are
every citizen, and after two years OF legislation find
themselves placed under an absolute military deSpOtsm
| "a military republic Government formed on mock
| ccctiOug SWORD"