Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1867-07-25
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Veto of the Reconstruction Bill
~. r,conS,itutionanty Demonstrated


Tr.tr-o herewith tbe bin entitled IA art
-.,,.-,l,.,srtsry On an act entitled An act 90
--,y;i, f,r AZ, more efficient government Oh
,s,r.hrl St,tes PASSED ON the III day of March,
l.s- and the sct supplementary thereto, pass
sj ON Che 25j day of March. l,5.- ana VIII
state as briefly "a, possible some ot Che reasons
which prevent me from giving my approval.
This is one oi q series of measures passed. oy
Congress during the last to0r months on tne
subject Of reconstruction. The message re-
turning the act o., tae 81 o., March last ,'S''a
ne length nos objections o. ttc passage Oh ' .C
measure. Tbeyapp,y equally we.. to tue u.l
now before me. AMI an content, Merely %
refer 10 them aul o. rei,cyS-e wy c'A'l- aon
that they are sound and UuausVcrAo.e.
Theirs are some points peculiar t1 tins bill
vilbI Jill proceed at once 20 consider.
The 6rst section proposes o. declare the
true intent ana meaning. I'D some I'.,.-,- ..'i''
ofthe two pri05 acts upon t.,s subject.
Ills declared chat tlc mteu. at those a.'
WAS rr.t. tllt tae existing government T" o..
ZEN .r.bel States were u.. legal '>.s'.
yergmarts. and, second, That t-l, '..,'
governments. # continued, ws-c e. '- ,...'..
ma subject En- d. respects On Che Uii'i.y
r.rlers of the respective districts '.'.' % '-'-
paramount authority of congress
C.D,-.-s may. ly o de-.arat1Et a.', aN up
r-, n rri1- act construction a.,. .ta-' Al va
r-7r-t w.tl i.5 apparent meaning ana iE1."
.t, .nr NJ least when such construction as
fv-l the original art viii bec1nstvCed % mean
,ss-tIy what it is stated 30 mean by che dec.ar-
am, statute There VIII bc, then, from the
AIM. trTs aG. may become % law. U7 doubt, -'
81 70 H =. ..
l-. ..re-amats iu those States, co..e-l1 t-.
..-uL acc "the provisional governments
stand towards the military authority. AS
those relations stood before tie tec.arat1ry as''
these governments. tits true. were made S,i'-
iect b absolute military authority ID many .''-
partant respects but not m al., the IAN -l.'-e
az the a.t being subject t1 Che military a'-
thar..v af the United States, as fU.1" Per pre-
srHsI" BY the sixth section ot the Original
a-t. these governments were made I'm o., res
poets subec. % the paramount authority OF
The Uu..el States
Now. bv this lc-'a--,1ry act i-aQVclrs tlat
Congress did not. by the original act, ia.eiii %
limit the military authority O. any particulars
or subjects therein prescribed. pnt mean. Cd
--,Ea b. universal Thus over all these ten
S.l.ss ttis military government lsuow declared
4, have unlimited authority. 10 IS no longer
o--frs1 Q. the rresgrylg1G ot republic peace,
DO administration ot criminal law, the regis
Triton of voters. and che superintendent OF
elections. but Gin all respects. IS asserted TO be
rr-lu.-ut Oh the existing civil governments
liz is invrsst.c Oh conceive ANY state Ct So
r...v moys tep,grad,e than this and yet II Is o.
tl5s condition that twelve millions .t Aulr-
can citizens axe reduced by the Congress 90 the
Tritrf States Oyeggggy foot ot the immense
territory occupied by these American citizens,
the Constitution Of the United States Is tacI-
rste.-.v I'm full operation. To binds all the
people there. and should protect them, yet
they are denied every one q .;5 sacred s-l..,-
tees
Ofwhat avail VIII 10 De to any one of these
Southern pe.p., when seized tr O ME Of SOLE
5.e-s o. ask ir5 Che cause ut arrest, 7r i0T the
production uf the warrant Nt what 3vU. O.
ask fr the privilege gt bL, when iu military
custody. which knows no such thing as tail
OF what avli. Oh demand q trial by jury. pro
cess trr witnesses, copy ot the i0l-,men-,
tle privilege 5t counsel, or that greater pr.',-
Iege. tie writ Of habels c1zpus
Tle veto re tho cr,Eirn1 bitt ~ The - ID.
March was based on two distinct grounds, the
interference et Congress i1 ulttegs strictly APP
ra-l4fr.r- CD the reserved powers rt t.e~-l.as.
and the adjustment uf military tribunals -.-
the TRIAL OF, citizens I- ..-9 Of peace. TIE .-l-
partial relIl. .l thss message sail understand
flt ai tH.frt ..Ut-.a Hlt.r.- t.l....-.rg
i-src.,n and martha. .aw has r-,s-rlr. gz-.-
cia.,y Co tbe ie7r.g. power ,--rgi .a Che ..s-
trittrammlui. .1t.srare De ag.c.--. courts
and assume Jurisdiction o. trv and o. punish