The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-03-24
Congressional.

WASHINGTON, March 23 In the
House, the supplemental bill passed
the veto Notwithstanding to
25. The House failed to fix day of
adjournment.
In the Senate, the supplemental
bill passed-4O to Z. A concurrent
resolution to adjourn on Tuesday to
the first Monday in December passed.
The President returned the supple
mental bill. with his objections. The
bill provides for elections in ten
States, for the purpose of making
constitution; but all elections, while
the original bill remains in force,
come within its restrictions. Preli-
minary to election. comes registra-
ton, and the unregistered cannot
vote; preliminary to registration, a
vague oath that the applicant is not
disfranchised by participation in the
rebellion; it is required that the ap-
pllcant for registration must decide
this for himself This is q fearful re,
sponslbllity; for though the bill don't
assign perjury, nor fix the penalty for
mistaken swearing, we must not for
get that martial law prevails, and that
one and all are responsible to military
commissions, without previous pre-
sentiment by grand juries. The mill
tary commander determines what is
an offence and prescribes the punish
ment. The fourth section provides
that the military commander shall
appoint all necessary boards of regis
tration-each consisting of three loyal
persons-who may be military officers,
citizens of State, or strangers excr-
clslng important functions, and vested
with unlimited discretion. They de-
eide questions and make rntnrns.
whatever errors or frauds they com
init, pass unquestioned. BY such
measures, conventions of delegates
are to be constituted These delegates
are to speak for the people. Common
justice requires that they should have
authority from the people. No con
vention so constituted will, in any
sense, represent the wishes of the
people; for under it all embracing the
exceptions and uncertainty which the
dlsfranchisementc clause leaves open,
the great body OF the people may be
excluded from the polls; and he
deems 1t unnecessary to investigate
fnrther the details OF the bill. No
consideration could induce him to
approve such an election law for any
purpose, especially for the purpose
of forming constitution for State.
The President argues the question at
some length, illustrating that the
formation of republican Govern
ments, according to Congressional
ideas, may as we'll commence in Ohio
Or Pennsylvania as North Carolina,
and concludes as follows: [ conf
IDENTIFY believe that the time will come
when these States will again occupy
their true position in the Union. The
barriers which now seem obstinate
must yield to the force of enlight-
cned and just public opinion, sooner
or later, and unconstitutional and
oppressive legislation will be effaced
from the statute books. When this
shall have been consummated, pray
God that the errors of the past may
be forgotten, and that once more we
shall be happy, united and prosper
Gus people, and that at last, after
the bitter and eventful experience
through which we have passed, we
shall all come to know our only safety
is in the preservation of the Federal
Constitution, and in according to
cvnry American citizen and every
State the rights which that Coii,ttiitt;i-