Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1867-03-14
Bradford geporter.
Towanda, Thursday, March IA, 1867.
THE RECONSTRUCTION VETO.

structing the late rebel States, has
been vetoed by President JOHNSON.
The message is a long one, having
occupied nearly all hour in the read
ing. As soon as it was read, the
House proceeded to the consideration
of the vetoed bill, and although the
Copperheads attempted to battle the
majority, it was passed over the Pres
ident's objections by vote of ONE
HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIvE yeas to FORTY
EIGHT nays, nearly three votes for, to
every one against it.
When we consider the fact, that
this veto is in opposition to more
than two-thirds of the last and pres.
ent Congress, and against the ex-
pressed will of the people of the Unit,
ed States, as plainly indicated at the
last election, we can not but wonder
at the audacity Of its author. He has
been told in unmistakable terms by
the people, that his policy towards
the late insurgent States, was not ap'
proved, and Congress, many OF the
members of which are his equals, at
least, in all that pertains to states
manship and morality, passes a law
by a two-thirds vote, ignoring his
policy, yet he has the hardihood and
vanity, to resist and argue, as if he
were wiser, and knew better than
all else.
This veto message, it is alleged,
was written by Judge BLACK, lately
one of the Judges of the Supreme
Court of our State and it is certain
ly very ingenious and specious, and
very like this Judge BLACK but law
yer-like, it is special in its bearings,
and the rankest sophistry from the
beginning to the end.
If we are to believe what this veto
saws of the reconstruction law, the
members of Congress who passed it,
must be fools, traitors and knaves.-
No other class of men could frame,
support, and pass such law as
Judge BLACK makes out this to be.
And have the people sent such men
to represent them i'll the national
councils? These representatives are
the very men who voted soldiers,
money and munitions of war to put
down the rebellion; and yet this lick
spittle of a traitor President, would
have people believe that these men
are now the most arrant traitors and
fools living ! So that this tool, like
others of his stripe, proves more than
his master wants.
The same arguments which the
Copperheads made against the sus-
pension of the HQbeas Corpus, when
they were laboring to battle the Gov,
ernment and aid the traitors, during
the war, are freshly rehashed by this
Judge against the constitutionality
of the power Of Congress to pass
such a law. He takes the ground
that because there are no precedents
and no express provision in the Con
stitutiOn for the creation Of such q
law, therefore Congress IAN not pass
it. Queer theory. There is no prece
dent, and no Constitutional provision
authorizing Congress to appropriate
money for the relief Of the starving
people in the South, and yet, who
that has any sense and intelligence
doubts the authority of Congress t.
do this thing And to argue, or as
sumo, that a military officer can no
be sent into district to protect th,
lives and property of its people, with
ont subverting the government, i
simply absurd. Military men, as
rule, are not worse than other men
and if they cannot be trusted with
plain administrative duty, no on
can, and all law, and all government
is at an end. So that this astut
Judge again proves more than i
wanted.
Throughout this m essage, the groun
is taken, that the Southern peopl
are a very innocent, unofending, bu
horribly oppressed race. That Cor
gress, without cause or right, is sab
iugating them to the most cruel treat
ment, and abject servitude. In read
ing this production, one would neve
suspect that there ever had been an
resistance to the laws or the genera
government, or that any rebellio
had been in force in the Souther
States. No, they are only peaceabl
citizens, who are oppressed by tn
Northern people and Congress an
are defended by ductile scavenge
of a patriotic President!
The stale story, which JoHNso,
has so often repeated, that the rebel
had no hand in passing this law, i
revamped and rehearsed. Oh yes
the rebels have right to sit in judg
ment, as jurors, on their own crimes