Evening star., 1867-03-23
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE


The Pr sident this afternoon returned to the
House of Representatives the Supplementary
Reconstruction Bill, accompanied by the fol
lowing message, giving his reasons for NOT
signing it
70 ~ Houss Of Representatives.
L have considered the bill entitled "Au act
supplement ary o an act entitled sAu act to
provide for the more efficient government O
the rebel States, passed March ID 1867, and I,
facilitate restoration" and now return IL 10
the House OF Representatives, with nv objec
tions
Inis bill provides tor elections in the ten
States brought under the operation of the
original act TO which it IL supplementary Its
details are principally directed to the elections
for the formation OF the State Constitutions:
but by the sixth section of the bill sail eIec-
tons IN these States, occurring while the origi-
nal act remain in force, are brought within its
PnrvIew. Referring TO the details it will he
Iouns that, first of all, there is 10 be a
registration of the voters. No one whose
name has not been admitted on the
list Is TO be allowed 10 vote al anv of
these elections. To ascertain who is entitled
70 registration. reference is made necessary. by
tne express language OF the supplement-, 20 the
original act and 10 the pending bill. The fifth
section or the original act pro vides as TO yo-ers
tnat they shall be "male citizens OF the State.
twenty one years old and upward, of what
ever race. color, or previous condition who
nave been resident of said State for one wear,
TINS is the general qualification folio wed,
however, by many exceptions. No one can be
registered, according TO the original act. "who
may be disfranehIsPd for participation IN
the rebellion. provision which left uude
leImlneo the question as TO what amount
ed TO disfranchisement, and whether, without
looleial sentence. the act itself produced that
enect Ihis supplemental bill superadds an
oath' 10 be taken by every person before bis
name can be admitted upon the registration
that he has 4" not been dIsfranc hised for parti-
clpation lE ar y rebellion or civil war aealns,
the nIted States.r 1t thus imposes anon
every person the necessity and rec onsibiIitv
or deciding for himself, under the peril of pnn-
lsnment by military commission. lf he m axes
amisiake, what works disfranchIsement by
participation IN rebellion. and what amounts
10 such participation Almost every mantle
negro as well a. the whIie-above twrnty.ona
years OF age. who was resident in these ten
States during the rebellion, voluntarily or IN
voluntarily, al some time and in some way
olo participate in resistance to the La agfui
authority OF The General Government Tae
question with the citiZSn TO whom this oath i
20 o. proposed must be a fearful one: TOR while
tne Dill does bot declare that perjury NAV ba
assigned for such false swearing. nor fix auy
Pehsity Ior me oH-nse, we must not forget
ma, mar'lal law prevails. thai every person
Is answerable TO military commission with
out previous preseniment by a grand iury for
any cbarge Thar may be made against him.
ana mat the supreme auth ority of the military
COMMANDER determines the question as TO what
Is an onense, and what is to be the measure of
punishment.
The fourth section of the bill provides "that
the commanding general Of each district shall
appoint a. many boards of registration as NAV
oe necessary, consisting of three loyal OH GERS
or persons The only qualification stated for
these officers is, that they must be ..loyaI"
Ihey may be persons in the military service or
civilians, residents Of the State or strangers
lei these persons are TO exercise most impor-
tant duties, and are vested with unlimited
discretion. They are to decide what names
snail De placed upon the register, and from
o Is to kXr
are 10 superintend the elections. and TO decide
all questions which may arise They are
70 70 have have the custody OF the ballots, and
whatever frauds or errors they may commit
must pass without redress. All that is left
for the commanding general is TO receive
the returns OF the elections, omen the
same, and ascertain who are chosen aaccord-
ing TO the returns of the officers W no conducted
said elections" By such means, and with his
sort OF agency, are the conventions of delegates
10 be constituted.
As he delegates are 10 speak for the people
common justice would seem to require tnat
they should have authority from the people
themselves. No convention so constituted
whl In any sense represent the wishes of the
inhabitants OF these States: for, under the all
embracing exceptions of these laws, by a con-
struction which the uncertainty of the clause
as 70 dIsfranchisementie leaves open to thu board
of officers, the great body of the people NAV be
excluded from the polls, and from all oppor-
tunity OF expressing their own wishes, or vo-
ung Tor delegates who will faithfully reflect
do not deem u necessary further 10 fnyes-
tigat- the details of this bill. consideration
could induce me 10 give my approval 70 such
an election law for any purpose, and especially
uon of STATE. If ever the American citizen
sneuld be left 20 the free exercise OF his own
judgment, IL Is when he is engaged in the work
Of forming the fundamental law un der which
he is TO live That work is his work. and il
cannot properly be taken out OF his hands
All this legislation proceeds upon the contrary
DSOnlP O Of has
States shall have no consultation, except such
as may be arbitrarily dictated Dy Congress,
and formed under the restraint Of military
rule. plain statement OF facts makes this
evident.
In all these States there are existing con.
sututons, formed in the accustom ed way
ny tne people. Congress, however,
declares that these constitu tions are not sIoyaI
and republican" and requires the people TO
Iorm Them anew. What then, in the opinion |
OF Congress, is necessary TO make the Consti-
tuuoD OF State loyal and repu biican ~ The
original act answers the question: IL /. uni |
HeIsA negro suhrage-a question which the |
Federal Consultation leaves 10 tue States |
themselves. All this legislative machinery of |
nartlal law, military coercion, and political |
dlsfranchlsement Is ayoWedly for that uur-
pose, and none other. Tue existing Colstitu
tons OF the ten Sta'es conform TO the acknowl-
sdeeo @ s'aRosras OF loyalty and repubI'canism.
forms OF government, their constitution, are
more republican Cow than when these States |
-four OF which were mem bers Of the original
thirtesD-fsrst became members of the Union
Congress does not now demand thar a single
provision OF their consti utions be changed |
except such as confine suffrage to the white
Population. IL is apparent therefore. that these
pro visions do not conform 10 the standard of
rrpUblcanism which Congress seeks TO estab-
l'sb. That there may be no take, 1t Is only
necessary that reference should be made TO the
orginal act, which declares, 'such constitution
shall provide that the elective franchise shall
be enjoyed by all such persons as have The
qualifications berein stated for electors Of dele
gales What class of persons Is here meant
clearly appears in the same section. That is TO
say ;-'the male citizens of said State twenty
one years old and upward, of whatever race,
color, or previous condition, who have been
resident in said State for one year previous to
the day OF such election
without these provisions no Constitution
which can be framed In any one OF the ten
States will be OF any avail with Congress !
This, thsn, Is the test IF what the Consultation
of STATE Of this Union must contain to makslt I
republican. Measured by suen a standard how
few of the States now composing the Union /
have republican CONSTITUTIONS IT. in the ex-
ercIse OF ths constitutional guaranty that Con
gIess shalt secure to every State q rapubIican
form Of government, universal suffrage for |
blacks as well whites II a sine qua non the /