Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-04-04
President JOhnsOn's Veto
Of the supplementary Ke"
construction bill.

act supplementary to an ACT 70 proViue
for the more efficient government Of the
rebel States," passed March 2, 1867, and
to facilitate restoration, and now return
it to the House Of Representatives with
my objections.
This bill provides for elections in the
ten States brought under the operation
Of the original act, to which il Is suPpie-
mentary. It's details are principally d.
rected to the elections for the formaIloa
of the State Constitutions, but by the
sixth section of the bill, all the elections
in the States occurring while the original
act remains in force, are brought within
its province. Referring to the details, i'll
will be found that, first of all, there is to !
be registration Of the voters; no one
whose name has been admitted on the
list is to be allowed to vote at any OF
these elections. To ascertain who is en-
titled to registration, references is made
necessary by the express language OF the
supplement, to the original act and to
the pending bill. The fifth section OF
the original act provides as to voters that
they shall be made citizens Of the State,
twenty.one years old or upward, Of what
ever race, color, or previous condition,
who have been residents Of said State tor
one year. This is the general qualiica-
ton, followed, however, by many excep.
tions. No one can be registered, accor.
ding to the original act, who may be dis
lfranohised for participation in the rebels
! lion, provision which left undetermined
the question as to what amounted to GiS'
fran ohisement, and Whether, without q
judicial sentence, the act itself provided
THAT effect. This supplemental bill su-
peradds an oath to be taken BY every
person, before his name can be admitted
to registration, that he has not been dis
francLised for participation in any rebelr
lion or civil war against the United
States. It thus imposes upon every per-
son the necessity and responsibility Of
deciding for himself, under the peril Of
punishment by military commission il
he makes mistake. What makes dis
franchisement by participating in rebel
lion, and what amounts to such partici
patton Almost every man, the negro
, as we'll as the wkite, above twenty .ont
! years ofage, who was q resident in the ten
States during the rebellion, voluntarily
or iuyoluntarily, at some time, and il
' some way, did participate in resistance tt
D the lawful authority Of tie General Gov
ernment. The question with the citizer
to whom this oath is to be proposed
; must bs fearful one, for while the bill
Q does not declare that perjury may be as
, signed for such false swearing, or fix an.
Q penalty for the offonse, we must not for
i get that martial law prevails; that ever,
: person is answerable to military com
u mission without previous presentment b,
Q q Grand Jury, for any charge thst ma,
I be made against him, and that the su
Q preme authority of the military com
. mander determius the question as L
what is to be the MEASURE Of punish
ment.
The fourth section provides that tn
commanding General Of each distric
shall appoint as many Boards of Regis
sration as may be necessary, consisting 0
8 three loyal officers or persons. The Oul
A qualification stated for these persons j
that they must be lOyol; they may b
. persons in the military service, or civil
n ian residents Of tie State or strangers
o vet these persons are to exercise mos
o important duties, and and are investe
2 with unlimited discretion. They are I
! decide what names shall be placed upo
q q the register, and from tEeir decision ther
% is no appeal they are to superinton
the elections and to decide all question
70 which may arise. They are to have th
u custody Of the ballots, and to make re
% turns of the persons elected whateve
q frauds or errors they commit must pas
without redress. All that is left for tn
70 commanding General 10 to receive tn
10 returns, open the same, and ascertai
~ who are chosen, according to the return
3 of the officers who conducted such cleo
8 tions. By such means, and with thi
sort Of agency, are the convention 9
v delegates to be constituted.
As the delegates are to speak for th
people, common justice would seem t
II require that they should have authOrit
a from the people themselves. No con
9 9 vention so constituted will, in any sense
% % represent the wishes Of the inhabitant
u Of the States, for under the all.embrac
ing sec,ins Of these laws by construc
70 ton, which the uncertainty of the clause
% as to Acknowledgement, leaves open t
,s the Board Of Officers, the great body Q
q the people may be excluded from th
polls, and from all opportunity Of ok
20 pressing their own wishes, or voting fc
's delegates who will faithfully zeaect thei
X sentiments. 9e.tf.
u do not deem ii necessary further
y investigate the details Of this bill; u
- consideration could induce me to give m
~ approval to such an election law for an
n purpose, and especially for the gre,
purpose Of framing the Constitution Of
!, Stais. f.th
: If ever tie American citizens Dhoul
e be left to the free exercise of his oW
= Judgment, il is when ho is engaged j