The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1867-01-10
BIZ Telegraph to the Clarion.
SPECIAL
Message Of the President.
He vetoes tIle District of Columbia,
SUFFRAGE BILL!

He Vetoes the District Of Columbia |
SUFFRAGE BILL:
tot
70 the Senate of the United States
Ihave received and considered q bill enti.
led AN act to regulate the elective fran
,hise in the District.of Columbia, passed by
Ehe Senate on, the 18th ef December, aud BIZ
The House Of Represent 1T sNes on the sue
ceeding day. TWAS presented for my APP
prevail on the 10th ult.,--six days after the.
of Congress and is now re-.
turned with my objections, to the Senate, in
which, 0use it originated. Measures
having been introduced at the commence
ment of the session of the present Congress
for the extension of the elective franchise to
persons of color in the District of Columbia,
steps were taken by the corporate author-
ities of Washington and Georgetown to. as
certain and make known the opinion of the
two cities on the subject so Immediately af-
fecting their welfare as communities The
question was submitted to the people at a
special election held in December 1865,
when the qualified voters of Washington
and Georgetown, with great unanimity OF
sentiment, expressed themselves opposed to
the contemplated legislation. In Washing
ton in q vote of 6756-the largest, with but
two exceptions, ever polled in that city
only thirty five ballots were cast for negro
suffrage: while in Georgetown, in an aggre-
gate of 8l3 votes, a number considerably IN
excess of the average vote at the four pre-
ceding annual elections, but one was given
in favor of the proposed extension of
elective franchise. As these elections Seem
to have been conducted with en-
tire fairness, the result must be
accepted as a truthful expression of the
opinion of the people of the District upon
the question which caused 1t. Possessing as
an organized community the same popular
right as the inhabitants of state or terri
tory to make known their will upon matters
which effect their social and political condi-
ton, they could not have selected more APP
propriate mode of memoralizing Congress
upon the subject of qualified voters. En-
tirely disregarding the wishes of the people
of the District of Columbia, Congress has
deemed it right and expedient to pass the
measure now submitted for my signature
1t therefore becomes the duty of the Execu-
tive, standing between the legislation of one
and the will of the other, fairly expressed,
to determine whether he should approve the
bill and thus aid in placing upon the statute
books of the nation law against which the
people to whom it applys solemnly and with
such unanimity protested or whether he
should return it with his objections, in the
hope that, upon reconsideration, Congress-
acting as the representatives of the inhabi-
tants at the seat of Government, will permit
them to regulate purely local question as
to them may seem best suited to their inter.
ests and condition. The District of Column
bia was coded to the United States by Mary
land and Virginia, ID order that it might be-
come permanent scstnaf Government OF
the United States. Accepted BY. Congress,
it alone can become subject to the executive
legislation for which provision is made lin
the federal Constitution. Itshould be borne
in mind hereafter that in its func-
tions the law-making power in the
District of Columbia, the authority of the
National Legislature is not without limit
but that Congress is bound to observe the
letter and spirit of the Constitution as well
in the enactment of local laws for the seat of
government as in legislation common to the
entire nation Were it to be admitted that
the right DO exercise an exclusive legislation
all cases whatsoever conferred upon Cong
ress unlimited powers i'll the District of
Columbia titles of nobility might be granted
within its boundary, and laws might be made
respecting an establishment of the religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or
abridging the freedom of speech, or of the
press, or the right of the people peaceably
to assemble and to petition the government
for redress of grievances; despotism would
reign at the seat of government of a free
republic, and as a place of peruanent resi-
dence, it would be avoided by all who pre-
fer the blessings of Liberty to the mere
emoluments of official position. 1t should
also be remembered that In leglslatlng for
the District of columbia, under the Federal
constitutiopthe relation of Congress to it's
inhabitaats are analogous to that of a legis-
Iaturesc0 the people of State under their
own'1ocal constitution. It does not, there
fore, seem to be asking too much that in
matters pertaining to the District of Column
bia they should have like respect for the
will and interests of it's inhabitants as is
entertained by State Legislature for the
wishes and prosperity of those for whom
they legislate, for the spirit of our constitu-
ton and the genius of our government re-
quire that in regard to any law which is to
effect and have permanent bearing upon
people, their will should exert at least
reasonable influence upon those who are
acting in the capacity of their legislators
For instance the legislature of the
State ofNew York, or of Pennsylvania, or of
Indiana, or of any State in the
Union, in opposition to the expressed
will of large majority of the people whom
they were chosen to represent, arbitrarily
force upon them as voters all persons of the
African or negro race, and make them ell
igible for Office without any other qualifica-
ton than certain term of residence within
the State. In neither of the States named
would the, colored population when acting
together be able to produce any great social
or political result !; yet in New York before
he can vote the man Of color mustfalfin con-
ditions that aren8t required of the white
citizens In PennsS Ryania the elective fran
chise Is restricted to white freedmen; while
in Indiana negroes and ns1lattoes are ex-
pressly excluded from the right of suffrage
1t hardly seems consistent witf>the princi-
pies of right and Justice chat REPRESENTA-
tives of States where suffrage is either de-
MED the col0fed man or granted to him on
qualifications requiring intelligence or
property, should compel the people Of the
District of Columbia to try an experiment
which their own constituents have thus far
shown an unwiuingness to test for Them
selves; nor does it accord with our repfnbli-
IAN ideas that the principles of the GoIern-
nent should iosefSs force when appIie -St65-1dl
'esidents of the District merely because their
legislators are not like those of the States,
through the ballot to the people
or whom they are the law-making power.
The great object of placing the seat of
government under the executive legislation L
f Congress, was to secure the-enfire inde-
'endence Of the General Government FROM
tate Influence, and to enable it to discharge
of interruption, an Infringe