Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-03-04
THE PRESIDENTS VETO OF THE MILITARY
FORCE BILL

THE PRESIDENTS VETO OF THE MILITARY
FORCE BILL.
On Saturday last, the President sent into
Congress his Veto on the Military Force bill,
from which We make the following extract
..The purpose and obiectof the bill--the gen
er,! intent which pervaics it from beginning
n and-is to charge the entire structure and
character of the State Governments, and to
compel them by forra to The adoption OF Or
canir laws and regulations which they are un-
Wiling to accept if left to themselves The
negroes have not asked tor the privilege OF
yo;ing-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
the whites, to use it in particular way. II
,hev do not form Constitution with prescrlb-
ed articles in it, and afterwards elect Il Legls-
lature which will act upon certain measures In
prescribed way neither blacks nor whites
can he relieved from the slavery which the bill
imposes upon them Without pausing here
TO consider the policy Or impolicy of Africaniz-
;ny the Southern part Of our territory, L would
simp!y ask the attention Of Congress to that
manifest, we'll known and universally acknoWl-
edged rule CT constitutional law, which declares
that the Federal Government has no .Jurlsdlc-
ton, authority or power to regulate such sub
iects for any State. To force the right of sui
iraee 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 General
and his troops can be put in place. The dread
alternative between its harsh rule and compll
ance with the terms Of this measure IS not
suspended, nor are the people afforded any
Time for free deiberation. The bill says to
them, take martial law first, then deliberate.
And when they have done all that this mea-
sure requires them to do, other conditions and
contingencies, over which they have no control,
vet remain to be fulfilled before they can be
relieved from martial law. Another Congress
must first approve the Constitutions made in
conformity With the will of this Congress, and
must declare these States entitled to represen
1ation in both Houses. The whole question
thus remains open and unsettled and must
again occupy the attention Of Congress, and in
the meantime the agitation which now prevails
will continue to disturb all portions OF the pcC-
pie
The bill also denies the legality Of the gov
erpments of ten of the States which partlcipat-
ed in the ratification Of the amendment TO the
Federal Constitution abolishing slavery forever
within the Jurisdiction OF the United States,
and practically excludes them from the Union.
II this ass,1m ption Of the bill be correct, their
concurrence cannot be considered as having
been legally given, and the important fact is
made to appear that the consent OF tthree-1ourths
Of the States-the requisite number-has not
been constit utionally obtained to the raslilca-
tion of that amendment, thus leaving the
question of slavery where it stood before the
amendment was officially declared to have he
come part Of the Constitution.
That the measure proposed by this bill does
violate the Constitution in the particulars
mentioned and in mauy other ways which
turhear to enumerate, is 100 clear to admit OF
the least doubt 1t only remains to consider
whether the ipjunctions of that instrument
ought to be obeyed or not. L think they oughII
TO be obeyed, for reasons which l Will proceed
to give as briefly as possible.
In the first place, it is the only system OF
free government which we can hope to have as
a nation. When it ceases TO be the rule OF our
conduct, we may perhaps take our choice be-
tween complete anarchy,a consolidated despot-
ism, and total dissolution Of the Union; but
national liberty, regulated by law, will have
passed beyond our reach. :,
1t is the best frame of government the world
. ever saw. No other is, or can be so we'll adapt
ed 10 the genius, habits or wants OF the Amer
lean people Combining the strength, OF
great empire with unspeakabe blessings OF local
self government-h having a central power TO
defend the general interests, and recogolz'ng;
the authority of the STAGES as the guardians OF
industrial rights, it is ''the sheetanchnr OF
our safety abroad and our peace at home LII
was ordained ''to form q more perfect union,
establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility,
promote the general welfare, provide Tor the
common defence, and secure the blessings OF
liberty to ourselves and to our pcSterlty~
These great ends have been attained hereto
fore and will be again, by faithful obedience to
it, but they are certain to be lost II we trcat
with disregard its sacred obligations.
1t was to punish the gross crime OF defylhs
the Constitution, and to vindicate It's supreme
: authority, that we carried on a bloody war o1
four years duration. Shall we now acknoWi,
edge that we sacrificed million OF lives and
expended billions Of treasure TO enforce Con,
sttution which is not worthy OF respect and
preservation?
Those who advocated the right of secession
alleged in their own justification that we hao
no regard Tor law, and that ther rights q
property, lite, snd liberty would not be sale
under the Constitution, as administered by US.
Ii we now verify their assertion, we prove tha'
they were in truth and in fact lighting TOT thelE
liberty, and instead OF branding their Leaders
With the dishonorjDg name OF traitors against
righteous and legal Government, we elevate
them in history to the rank of sel-sacrlhclne
patriots, consecrate them to the admiration o.
the world, aud place them by the side of Wash
ngton, Hampden, and Sydney. No. let III
leave them to the infamy they deserve, pnnlst
them as they should be punished, according t(
law, and take upon ourselves 10 share OF tht
odlum which they should bear alone,
1t is a part of our public history which cal
never be forgotten that both Houses of Con
.gress, in July, 1861, declared in the form OF
solemn resolution that the war was and shoulc
but soev 70 V enforce for t the and laws
aud that when this was yielded by the parlle
:: IN rebellion, the contest should cease, with tn
constitutional rights of the States and OF lndl
aTlduals unimpaired. This resolution was adopt