The Greene County Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 185?-1867, 1867-03-13

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PASSAGE OVER TIE vEro.-Thc veto Of
the President Oh the Reconstruction bill
was taken up and read. The readna
having been concluded.
Mr., REVERDY JOHNSON Dem.
MIDI took the floor and said, While
dong, as he most sincerely did, full
justice to the conscientious purpose of
the President, he could not but regret
that he Qhe PresidenO had felt himself
compelled to come to that result, and t.
send this message to Congress. There
were many propositions in law contains
ell III that message which could not be
maintained. There were many errors
OF Judgment IN ii which, upon cXqmina
tlon, would be apparent, and, above all,
the result to which he 0ho Presidency
had been compelled to come IN the ex-
else of his own Judgment, which, there
was no doubt, was conscientiously exer-
csed. He (Mr, Johnson saw nothing
but continued turmoil, danger and error
to the South and to the entire country.
lie rose, therefore, Tor the purpose Of
stating very briefly, in addition to what
he had already said when the measure
was before the Senate on former oc-
caslon, why it was that he had cast the
vote he had cast on that occasion, and
why ii was that he should give the same
vote now, Applause in the galleries,
which was repressed by the Chair. 1t
will not be tor moment supposed, said
Mr. johnson, by those to whom am
addressing myself, that am governed
now, or that | was governed then, by
any hope Of popular applause, Ny
motives, i'll know myself, were perfect
ly pure and patriotic | say before me
distracted anda'most bleeding country
thought saw, and | think SEQ now,
the means by which it might be rcs,or-
ed to heathtul condition, and the
Constitution OF the country in the end
preserved. have arrived, Mr.. plcsi>
dent, at that period of my lite when, if
ever any other ambition animated me,
can have no other ambition now than
that OF serving my country. Having re-
terred to the views he had previously
expressed on the question of reconstruc>
ton, concluding that when the war ccas,
ed the States we're restored to their
former relations, and that no conditions
tor their representation were requisite
or constitutional, Mr. johnson SAID that
the present ana the late Executive
thought differently. twas unnecessary
tor him to say what were the conditions
eXacted by the present Executive. They
were, in his (Mr ,Johnson's) Judgment,
as unconstitutional as any that could be
found in this bill. The Congress OF the
United States was Of opinion that, not-
withstanding the people Of the Southern
States complied with theterms exac,ed
by the present Chief Magistrate, they
could not be restored wthout'the sane
ton of congressional Legislation; and chls
was the Judgment of the country. Then
how were they to come back ? Only by
complying with the conditions which
Congress may impose whether Congress
had the authority to impose them or not,
or, falling TO comply, to remain in the
sad condition in which they now are
lie (Nlr. Johnson) imputed bad motives
neither to Congress nor to the Execu>
tive lie thought he knew his duty
to the institutions of the country too
well to cal! in question the motives of
either.
lie accorded purity Of purpose and,
patriotic principles to both, lie differ,
ed from both, but he sought the resto.
ration of the Union, and he saw no
way Of accomplishing it now but by the
adoption Of the measure now before the
Senate, We are now, IN my opinion,
in state OF 9nasi war--our condition is
revolu'ionary--ten States CT the Union
are virtually held as provinces, upon the
ground that we have a right to hold
them as enemies Of the Union and the
Government, In that state of things,
to hesitate in the adoption Of any meas
ure which PROMISES even the most dis
tnntly, TO put an enh to this revolutions
aiy condition is, in my Judgment, to be
false to the true interests and safety OF
the country In conclusion. Mr.. John I
son said he was glad to sec from the
public prints of the South, and to he in.
formed by many OF the leading men of