Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-03-12
THE RECONSTRUCTION BILL.
The Presidents Veto Message.

- S''S -OSiO" Ihe concluding portion OF
the message of President johnson, vetoing
the Military Reconstruction Bill. After for
chilly pointing out the direct opposition of
this bill to the spirit and letter of the Consti-
tuition, the President thus clearly aad pro-
phetically alludes to some of the consequen-
ces which may be anticipated to result from
the adoption of such measure. The whole
document is unanswerable, and with any 9TH
er than maddened partisan Congress. must
have had its effect. The President concludes
as follows -
The United States are bound to guarantee
to each States Republican form of governs
meat. Can it be pretended that this obliga
ton IS not palpably broken if we carry out a
measure like this, which wipes away every
vestige OF republican government in ten
States, and puts the lite, property, liberty,
and henor Of all the people in each Of them
under the domination of a single person
clothed with Unlimited authority?
The Parliament of England, exercising the
omnipotcnt power which it claimed, was ac-
customcd to pass bills of attainder; that is to
say, 1t would convict men of treason aud h.
er crimes by Legislative enactment. The
person acs sed had hearing, sometimes a
patient aud fair one but generally party pre-
judiee prevailed, instead Of justice 1t often
became necessary Tor Parliament to Gcknowl-
edge It's error and reverse its own action -
The fathers of our country determined that
no such thing should occur here They with
held the power from Congress, and thus for
bade its exercise by that body; and they
provided in the Constitution that no State
should pass any bill OF attainder. / is, there's
fore impossible for any person in this country
to be constitutionally convicted or punished
Tor any crime by legislative proceeding of
any sort. Nevertheless, here is a bill of at
tainGer against nine millions Of people mt
once. 1t is based upon an accusation SO
VuaSe as to be scarcely Ineligible, aud found
to be true upon no credible evidence Not
one OF the nine millions was heard in his own
defence The representatives Of the doomed
parties were excluded from. all participation
IN the trlal.A The conviction is to hc followed
by the most ignomniOus punishment ever in
tIcted on large masses Of men 1t disfran-
chises them by hundreds of thousands, and
degrades them aII-cvcn those who are ad-
mitted 10 be guiltleSs-lrom the rank of free
men to the condition of slaves
The purpose and object Of the bil-the
general intent which pcrvadCs it from begin,
ming to end--is to change the entire struc-
ture and character of the State Governments
and to compel them by force to the adoption
OF organic laws and regulations which they
are unwilling to accept il left to themselves.
The negroes have not asked for the privilege
OF vOiIng-the vast majority Of them have
no idea what it means. This bill not only
thrusts it into their hands, but compels them.
as we'll as thcIThitcs to use it in particular
way. II they do not form u Constitution with
prescribed articles in it, and afterwards elect
Slt,t - IL,
measures i'll a prescribed way. neither black
nor white can be relieved from the slavery
which the bill imposes upon them. Without
Pauslng here to consider the policy or impo!-
cy of Atricanzing the Southern part Of our
territory, would simply ask the attention of
Congress to that manifest we'll known and
universally acknowledged rule Of constitution
al law, which declares that the Federal Gov
ernmcnt has no jurisdiction, authority, or
power to regulate such subjects for any State.
10 force the right of suffrage out of the
hands of the white people and into the hands
OF the negroes is an arbitrary violation of this
principle.
This bill imposes martial law at once, and
Its operations will begin SO soon as the Gen>
cral and his troops can be put in place The
dread alternative between its harsh rule aud
compliance with the terms of thi; measure is
any time for free deliberations. The bill saws
to them, take martial law first, Mcu deliber
ate. Aud when they have done all that this
measure requires them to do other conditions
and contingencies, over which they have no
control yet remain to be fulfilled before thew
can be relieved from martial law. Another
Congress must first approve the Constitutions
made in conformity with the will OF this Cou>
gress, and must declare these States entitled
to representation in both Houses. The whole
question thus remains open and unsettled.
and must again occupy the attention of Con-
Gress, and in the meantime the, agitation
which now prevails will continue to disturb
all portions Of the people.
The bill also denies the legality of the
governments Of ten Of the States which par
ticipated in the ratification Of the amendment
to the Federal Constitution aboIshing slavery
forever within the jurisdiction of the United
States, and practically excludes them from
the Union. III this assumption of the bill be
correct. their concurrence cannot be consider
cd as having been legally given, and the i'm
portant fact is made TO appear that the con-
sept of ofthreefourths ofthe States-the reoni
sfee number-has not been constitutionailv
obtained to the ratification of that amendment.
thus leaving the question of slavery where it
stood before the amendment was officially de
elared 10 have become part of the Consti~
tuition.
That the measure proposed by this bill does
violate the Constitution in the particulars
mentioned and in many other WAYS which
forbear to enumerate, is too clear to admit of
the least doubt. |: only remains to couSid-
or whether the iujunctions of that instrument
ought to be Obcyed or not l think they
ought to be obey. ID, for reasons which will
proceed to give as briefly as possible.
In the first place, it is the only system of
free gOyernmcnt which We cati lone to h.rn