The Portland daily press., 1867-02-04
The Very Last Veto.


Mr.. Johnson's veto message returning the
Nebraska bill, is not, as was at first reported.
merely the Colorado veto message with yaria-
tions. 1t begins by reviewing the bill as fol-
lows:
a., IL appears By the preamble of this bill that
", people OF Nebraska, availine themselves
y, 'he authority conferred upon them by the
act passed ON the 9th of April. 1864. have
auJPtea constitution, which. upon due ex-
:iaIoh, Is found to conform To the nroyis-
. ,o.' anu comply with the conditions of said
ar, ana TO be republican in form of Govern
nenl anu tnat they now ask tor admission
,L'vo,a .ne % onioii. The proposed law would
ti0n contained in the Enablnr Act ,l'", ,,.
on compliance with its terms, the neonle pf
Nebraska should be admitted into the Iini,,n
upon an equal iooting with the original States
Reference to the bill, however. shows tho.
while by the first section, Congress distinct,,
accepts, ratifies and confirms the Constitutirn1
and State Government which the people ot'
the Territory have formed for themselves, de-
clares Nebraska 10 be one of the United
States OF America, and admits her into the
Union on an equal footing with the original
States in all respects whatsoever, the
third section provides that this Smeas-
ure "shall not take effect except upon
the fundamental condition that within
the State OF Nebraska there shall be no denl-
al OF the elective franchise, or of any other
riSht 10 any person by reason OF race or eoler,
excepting Indians not taxed; and upon the
further fundamental condition that the Leeis-
lature OF said State, by a solemn public act,
snail declare the assent OF said State TO the
said fundamental condition, and shall trans
NIT TO the President OF the United States an
authentic copy OF said act, upon the receipt
whereof, the President, by proclamation,
shall forthwith announce the fact; whereup-
on such fundamental condition shall be held
as part OF the organic law OF the State.
and thereupoh, and without further proceed
ings on the part Of Congress, the admission Of
said State into the Union shall be consider
ed as complete"
After urging some objections to this kind
of legislation which were much better put by
Mr.. Blaine, according to our remembrance,
while the bill was under discussion, the Pres
ident proceeds as follows:
Congress may, under the Constitution. adj
NIT new States or reject them, but the people
OF the State can alone make or change their
organic law and prescribe the qualifications
requisite Tor electors. Congress, however. in
passing the bill in the shape in which it has
been presented Tor my approval, does not
merely reject the application OF the people of
Nebraska for present admission as a State in
TO the Union upon the ground that the Con-
stitution which they have submitted restricts
the exercise OF the elective franchise TO the
white population, but imposes conditions
which, if accepted by the Legislature. NAV.
without the consent Of the people, SO change
the organic law as to make electors OF all per-
sons within the state, without distinction of
race or color. In view OF this fact, suggest
ior the consideration Of Congress whether II
would not be just, expedient and in accord.
ance with the principles OF our government TO
allow the people by popular vote, or through
convention chosen by themselves for that pur-
pose, to declare whether or not they will ac-
cept the terms upon which it is now proposed
to admit them into the Union. This course
would not occasion much greater DELAY than
that which the bill contemplates, when Il re-
quires that the Legislature shall be convened
within thirty days alter this measure shall
become a law, for the purpose of considering
and deciding the conditions which it iml oses.
and it gains additional force when we consider
that the proceedings attending the formation
OF the State Constitution were not in con-
formity with the provisions of the Enabling
Act, that, in an aggregate vote of 1915, the
majority in favor OF the Const.tut ION did not
exceed one hundred, and that it is alleged that
in consequence OF frauds, even this result can
not be received as fair representation of the
wishes OF the people. As upon them must
ial the burdens OF State Organization, it is
but just that they should be permitted
to determine tor themselves question
which so materially affects their interests.
The suggestion that the whole matter be
returned to the people of the Territory is
sound, and should prevail. When they pre-
sent u republican constitution, of their own
free will 1t will be time enough to admit
them to representation.