The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-07-24
nuE LAST RECONSTRUCTION
BILL.
n, Passage Over the Presidents
~ Ss Message.

: meas s,aa Give the following telegram from
W as gsto was received, The message
lp ~, three columns, and argues elaborate
cow .Ss Inconsistencies, unconstltuaonality
anu ,1 y to the declaration that the
ctate governments are all illegal the Presl-
s ssnt avs, singular contradiction is appar
DEM 'u Congress declares these local
eus !. n' governments to be illegal govern
o1a s., and then provides that these illegal
ms ,n.arnments shall be carried on by FEEDER
g0s ssscers, who are to perform the very du-
o :. INN ;,nnosed upon its own officers by this
g !iasI State authority. 1t certainly would
iles' novel spectacle if Congress would at
DEF o. to carry a legal State government by
.sa ageney of own officers. 1t is yet
~. str,nger that Congress attempts to sustain
SUD- snd carry OIL an illegal State government
ANU sn The same federal agency. With regard
. ; bv conquest he says it is new IT,
~ ~ '' acquired by war. 1t only applies to-
.0rritory for goods Or movables; things reg
.s 1a.ls cantured in war are called booty, or
:; aA taken by individual soldiers plumber.
u III ,a "a not foot of lard in any one of
. ,ns ten States which the United States
s Nd bv conquest save only such land as
a Md not belong to either of the States or
~ I anv individual owner-such lands as did
S s to the pretended government called
.he Confederate States. These lands we
nav MAJ claim and hold by conquest. AS to
Ill other land or territory, whether belong
;na to the State or individuals, the FEEDER
nIGovernment has now no more title or
s;oht to it than it had before the rebellion.
Within a period of less than year the
LEGISLATION of Congress has attempted to
stpin the Executive Department of the
Government of someof its essential powers
The Constitution and the oath provided
nv it, devolyes upon the President the pow
Or and the duty to see that the laws are
faithfully executed. The Constitution, il
order to carry out this power gives him the
choice of the agents, and makes them sub
;ect to his 'control and Supervision; but il
The execution of these laws, the constitu
tional duty is effectuaay taken away. Th'
military commander is, as to the power 0
appointmeBt, made to take the place OF tn
President, and the General of the army tn
Mace Of the Senate, and any attempt on tn
mart Of the President to assert his own cor
stitutional power, may under pretense Q
law he met by official characterization.
is to be feared that these military otricer
looking to the authority given by thes
laws rather than to the letter OF the Cor
stitu,ion, will recognize no authority bu
the commander of the district and the Gel
eral Of the army. If there were no obJe,,
ton than this proposed legislation, it woul
be sufficient. Whilst / hold the chelf ex
cutiye authority Of the United State
whilst the obligation rests upon me to 81
that all the laws are faithfully executed,
can never willingly surrender that trust,
the powers given for its execution lcf
never give my assent to be made respon'
bile for the faithful execution OF laws al
at the same time surrender that tru
and the power which accompany it TO a
{ other executive officer, high, or low, or
INV number of executive officers. II u
executive trust vested by the Constitute
in the President is to be taken from h
and vested in subordinate officer, the r
nonsibility will be with Congress in clio
inc the subordinate with unconstltntlol
mower and with the officer who assumes
exercise. This interference with the CT
stitutional authority of the executive
partment is an eyilithat will inevitably
the foundations Of our Federal system,
it is not the worst evil of this leglslatl
IT is great public wrong to take from
President powers conferred upon him alt
by the constitution, but the wrong is m
fragrant and more dangerous when
movers so taken from the President
conferred upon subordinate executive
GERS, and especially upon military ,oliic
Over nearly one-third Of the United ST.
military power regulated by no fixed
rules supreme. Each one Of these FIVE
triet commanders, though not chosen
the people or responsibilities them, exerc
at this hour more executive power, mill
and civil, than the people have ever b
willing to confer upon the head of the L
cutive Department, though chosen by
responsible to themselves.
The remedy must come from the pee
themselves. They know what it is and
it's to he applied. AT the present
Ibev cannot according to the Constitut
repeal those laws. They cannot remeS
control this military despotism. The re
dy nevertheless is in their hahds--ls t!
fcued in the ballot, and is a sure one Il
controlled by fraud or oyerawed by arblt
poSer,,or from apathy on their part
long delayed With abiding confldehe
their patriotism, wisdom and intrepl(
am still hopeful of the future, and !,
10 the end the rod of despotism Will
broken; the armed ruleof power be II
from the necks Of the people, and
principal Of a violated Constitution pr
we'd. Immediately after the reading oil
message the impeachers made ST
effort. Boutwell,, Butler and Others CHI
terized the message as defiant. Ste
sud they were arg,iing that matter in !
There are unseen agencies at work, I
are invisible powers at work in this con
which will prevent impeachment.
peat any attempt to impeach the Presl
will be vain ard futile. Wilson, char
Of the Judiciary Committee, denou
Stevens insinuations, asserting tina
amount Of political pressure should
him aside from the discharge OF his du
law aud fact Applause from the
ocratic side. Stevens, without reply
handed the vote, and the bill passed
to24.
The veto of the reconstruction apprt
ton bill was read and passed t.
4 resolution was passed torbldl''s
President to remove District Comma
without the consent Of the Senate, u
BY the recommendation Of the Gener
the army.
House adjourned.
Nero RIGHFsl AS VIEWED BY A I
~ Pull loft,