Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-07-31
President Johnson's Veto Message

Below, we publish in iull President John
sons Veto of the. Second Supplementary
Military Bill passed by Congress on the 18th
July, and which has since been passed over
the veto. 1t is document of merit, and we
TRUST our readers generally will give it an at
tcntive perusal
TO the House Of Representatives cfthe United
return herewith the bill entitled " An act
supplementary to an act entitled An act to
provide for the more efficient government of
the rebel States,'' passed on the End day OF
March, 1867, and the act supplementary
thereto, passed op the Odd DAY OF March,
1867, and will state as briefly as possible
Some of the reasons which prevent me from
giving it my approval. !,
This is Que Of series Of measures passed
by Congress during the last four months on
the subject of reconstruction. The message
returning the act of the End of March last
states at lerg;h my objections to the passage
of that measure. They apply equally well to
the bill low before me, and am content
merely to refer to them, and to reitera'e my
conviction that they are sound and unansWer-
able.
There are some points peculiar 10 this bill
which y i'll proceed at once to consider:
PECULIAR POINTS OF THE ELL.
The first section proposes to declare "thc
true intent and meaning" in some partcu-
lars, of the two prior acts upon this subject.
1t is declared that the intent OF those acts
was First, that the existing governments in
the ten "rebel States were not legal State
governments" and second, "that thereafter
said governments, if continued, were to be
continued subject in all respects to the Mil
tary Commanders Of the respective districts,
and to the paramount authority OF Congress >
Congress may, by declaratory act, fix
upon prior act construction altogether at
variance with its apparent meaning, and from
the time at least when such construction is
fixed the orr sinal act will be construed 10
mean exactly what il is stated to mean by
the declaratory statute. There will be, then,
from the time this bill may become law, no
loubt-no questcn--as to the relation IN
which the existing governments in those
States, called in the original act tic proris-
lonal governments" stand towards the mill
tsrv authorities. As these relations stood
before the declaratcry act, these govern
ments," it is true, were made subject to abso
lutte military authority in many Important re-
goects, but not in all, the language Of the act
being "suhjcc; to tie military authority o.
the United States, as hereinafter prorided.
By tie sixth section OF the original act these
governments were made, ain all respects
subject TO the paramount authority OF the
United States"
Nov, bg this declara:cry act it appears tia:
Congress did not. by the original act, intend
20 limit the military authority to any partlcu
ars Oh subjects therein prescribed" but
meant TO make it universal. rhus, over al
these ten States this military government i:
I now declared to have unl!;nited authority. ii
is no longer cosfned to the preservation o
The pubic peace, The administration OF cr;'n
nal law, the registration of voters, and iht
superintendence cf elections but Sin all re
spect," it is asserted to be paramount; to Lht
existing civil governments.
ITS EFFECTS.
| II * impossible TO conceiTe any state o
society mo:e intoierable than this, and yet i
IS to this CONDITION; that twelve minors
American citizens are ,eaaaed by the Con
rrcss of the United Sta:es. Gset every fc"
Of The immense TERRITORY occupied by ti.ss'
An er;can citizens, the Constitution OF th'
Uni,eA States is theoretically in full opera
ton. Il binds 81! tl.e people there. and Shoul&
pr tcct them, yet they sre denied every ort
of its sacred guarantees.
OF what avail will it be to any one of thest
Southern people, when seized by file Of sol
Giers. to ask FOR the cause Of arrest. or fal
the production ef the warrant? OF wha
avail to ask for the privilege Of Lail wher
in military custody, which knows no sue;
thing ss bail? OF what avsi! to demand {
trial by Jury, process fcr witnesses, copy o
the indictment, the privilege OF counsel. o.
that greater privilege, the writ OF hatecS COZ
pus?
The veto of the original act Of the I'd o
Marcn Tap based on two distinct grounds
The interference Of Congress in matters strict
" appertainng to the reserve: p2wers Of the
States and the establishment OF military t-;
buna!s for the trial OF citizens in times c
peace. The impartial reader of that message
will understand that all it contains with re
spect to military dcspotism and martial laa
has reference especially tc the fearful power
conferred on the District Commanders to dis
place the criminal courts and assume iursdic
lion 10 try and to punish by military boards
that, potentially, the suspension of habea!
corpus was martial law and military despotism
The act now before me not only declares tha
the intent was to confer such military au
,horiiy, but also 10 confer ualimited illtary
, authority over all tie other courts OF The
State. ard over all tue Offices Of the State
|. .g;slati,e, executive and Judicial.
Not content wth the general grant Of pow
er. Congress, in the second section of this
bill, specifically gives to each Military Com
mandcr the power 10 suspend oT :e;aoy'
from cfiice, or from the performance Of cllicia
bowers, any ctIicer CT person holding or exer
cisipg, or protesting to hold and exercise
ANY civil or military Office or duty IN such
district, nrdcr any powcr,' election, appoint
mcnt, or autilo:;'v derived from or grantee
ny. or claimed under enS ao-cal!ed State ol
The government thereof, or any municipal OF
other division thereof"
A wer that hitherto all the departments
Of tie Federal Government. acting in con-
cert or senara;ely, have not dared to exercise
S here attcmptcd 10 be conferred ON s,ibor
,!ina,e military ciiiccr. 70 him, as military
ffcer of the Federal Government, is given
the power, supported by {" a sufficient military
rrce," to remove every civil officer Of The
State. What next? The division commander
WHO has thus deposcd a civil officer is TO fill
he vacancy by lie detail of an officer or
soldier If the army. Or BY ths appointment
of "somc oiherperson."
MILITARY ArpoIyTEEs.
This ,s;,;tarY aqpointee, whether an officer,
a soldiar, or "somc other person." is to per-
form the duties c!E snch officer Or person so
! susnendpd or removed. In other words, an