Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-03-27
From Washington.

On Saturday, tho 23d, the President returned
the Supplemental Bill with his objections. The
Bill provides for an election in ten States for TIE
purpose of making constitutions; but all cleo
.tions, while the original bill remains in force,
conc within its restrictions. Preliminary to cleo
tions, comes registration. Unregistered citizens
cannot vote. The preliminary tos registration is
ayague OATH that the appl.cant,>is not disfr"n-
chised b. participation in the rebellion, which
requires that the applicant for registration must
decide for himself. T.ere i. fearful RESPONSE
bility for though the bill does not assign perjury,
not forget that marshal lav prevails and that
the applicant is responsible 10 the Military Com
missions, without previous p:esentment by grand
juries, the military commanders determining what
is an offence and prescribing the punishment.
Tho fourth section provides that the military
commander shall appoint the necessary Boards
of Registration, each consisting Of three loyal
persons who may be military officers or citizens
of the State, or strangers, exercising important
functions and vested with unlimited discretion.
ever error or frauds they commit pass unques-
toned. By such measures are conventions Of
delegates to be constituted. These delegates are
to speak fo- the people; CON mon justice requires
No convention so constituted will, in any sense,
represent the wishes Of the people, for under all
the embarrassing exceptions and uncertainty
which disfranchisement causee, il leaves out the
great body of the people who may be excluded
from the polls. do not deem it necessary to in
ycstigatc further the details Of the Bill. no
sideration could induce him 1.-THE Presidency to
approve such an election law for any purpose,
especially For the purpose of forming Constitu-
ton for State. The President argues the ques-
ton at some length, illustrating that the forma-
ton of Republican Governments, according to
Congressional IDEAS, mny as well commence in
Ohio or Pennsylvania ms Nor!h Carolina.
The President concludes I confidently believe
that the time will come when these States will
again occupy their true positions in the Union.
The barriers which now seem go obstinate must
yield to the force of enlightened and just
public opinion sooner or later; unconstitutional
and oppressive Legislation will be cfaced from the
statute books when this shall have been consum-
mated. I pray God, that thu errors of the past
may be forgotten, and that once moro we shall be
Il happy, united url prosperous people, and thnt,
atlast after the bitter eventfu experience through
which the nation hus passed, wc shall II come to
know our only safety in the preservation of the
Federal Constitution, and, in according to every
American citizen ard every Safe, the rights which
that Constitution secures.
Immediately after the reading Of The Presidents
objections, the Supplemental Bill was passed in the
House, the veto notwithstanding, by a vote Of one
hundred and fourteen to twenty-five.
The House failed to fix the day Of adjournment.
In the Senate, the Supplemental Bill was passed
by vote of forty to seven.
The concurrent resolution to adjourn on Tues
day next to the first Monday of December, was
passed.