The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-01-10
THE VETO OF THn DISTRICT SUE.
YRA0E BILL.

The President admits their power In his mes
sage without reservation, and at the same
time only claims the object Of the veto pow
er to ~interpose, in cases of unconstitutional,
hassy and improvident legislation, or such -
encrosches on the powers Of other Depart
ments Of the Government.
The act Of Congress is not expressly IN
constitutional, by his " admission it was
not hasty, by his own showing, for it was con
sidered at the last session during several
months, and after being again under consid
Grafton for weeks during the present session,
was deliberately passed by more than a two
thirds vote in each house. 1t does not en-
croach upon the other Departments of Gov
eminent, and, therefore. the only ground
upon which the President bases his veto, is
thassueh legislation was 'improvident' Grim
pliedly unconstitutional. But that is mere
question Of opinion, in which the weight Of
intelligence, as we'll IS numbers, is very large.
ly against the President. And yet, in the
spirit of q Dictator, he assumes thathis opin-
ion, his will. because he, by an improvident
act of the people, and a criminal ACT Of one
of his new party, occupies the Presidential
chair, is to control the legislation in relation
to q matter over which the Constitution gives
Congress exclusive power in all cases what.
soever.A
Now it so happens that JOHNSON is on the
record a. q Senator of the United States,
during the term of President BrcHAsAs, in
direct opposition to the exercise Of the veto
power, except in cases of palpable violation
of the Constitution. And, in his speech on
that occasion, he denounced the presumption
and assumption of the President, in no meas
ured terms, for vetoing on the grounds OF
policy a bill passed by two thirds Of both
Houses Of Congress. But he has changed.
and the positions which be now holds, are not
only opposite 10 those held on this subject,
but upon every other, preached during his
public career, and he is SO shameless in bis
inconsistencies that he utterly Ignores them
and ceases even to justify or apologize for
himself.
The message, though quite long, contains
but two arguments in It's support. The first
OF these is, that q majority of the white citi
zens of the District are opposed to il. Thai
is true, probably, but it is a question ovel
which the Constitution gives them no control
Besides, ifthe wishes of a majority ofthe whites
ofthe District had been consulted, JET
DAVIS would now be in possession Of ths
District Of Columbia and the city Of Wash
ington, as the capital of his Confederate Gov
eminent. And, although they are now in favo
OF President JOHNSON, il is only because h
isthe Chief ofJEFr. DAVIS myrmidons, for j
is we'll known they never we're in favor O
President LINCOLN and his policy and the,
would rejoice exceedingly could they even a
this late day annul his grand proclamation
of emancipation.
What consequences would follow til
carrying into effect the main position of tn
President, that the will of the people is th
only warrant for the action of Congress in tn
premises. The law sbolishing slavery in tn
District Of Columbia was passed without III,
conseat Of the people in the District, and il
well known, against their will, and conse
quently if the President position is sount
the law is demonstrations and slavery exist
constitutionally in the District of Columbia
Then the answer to the argument is, tina
Congress, and not the people Of the Distric
have the Constitutional power over this que.
ton and that it would be a very s'improvi
dent proceeding for Cungress to consult th,
cvr.na,bicar &c Tho D.a+x.at 49,, - -
they shall concede to It's colored citizens.
The second argument is that the colore,
citizens are too degraded and ignorant, to b.
entrusted with the right of suffrage. Presi
dent JOHNSON, said some eighteen montl
ago, in an address to the colored people, tina
no distinctions ought to be made on accoun
OF color, but that every man should stand Of
his own merits, with equal rights to the ben
efts of our free institutions. And ON anothe
occasion he urged his Mississippi Governor
SHARKEY,t to admit the intelligent colored me
of that State to the right of suffrage. Frou
these and similar views proclaimed by hin
before he became a renegade, from princi
pie and party, and assumed the chieftainshi
of the defeated hosts Of treason, it might b
infered that he objected to the bill because
granted universal suffrage, instead Of impos
ing certain conditions or qualifications to q
without distinction Of color. But he doe
not say so, and it is pretty certain that he ha
changed on that as well as other matter
since he went over to the rebels and Cop
perheads. He is now no doubt the most vim
dictive enemy of the colored race, and thei
Radical friends upon the American continent
A greater portion of the message is devo
ted to an elaborate assault upon Congress
and an elaborate exposition Of the danger
OF the country from its encroachments, an,
exercise of demonstrations powers. Tha
this is . most wanton and unjusti6able assault
out Of place in the Message, and uncalled
for under the circumstances, is shown NTH
opening paragraphs of this very Message
where he admits, fully and unequivocally
that Congress has express authority, from III,
Constitution, to pass the very bill which h
vetoes; il, indeed, exclusive power to leg
aslate in all cases whatsoever c%onfers any au
thority at all.
II is clear that JOHNSON has determined I,
rule the country in spite of the will of tn
people, the power of Congress, the provis
IONS OF the Constitution, or whateyer else ma
stand in his way.
bis Message is devoted to an attempt I,
frighten the people with the danger to be an
pretended 10 their liberties from the en-
c~soAchments OF their own Representatives
he would teach the people that the Execu
tive power, AApFew JOHNSON, for instance
isa harmless, crltle lamb, and that tn
peoples Repre- .tatives-the Congress. {
the United STATE the lion, which place
its paw on the lie # the Republic and tn
liberties of the people; when it extends III
right Of suffrage ID this free Democrat
country, and declares that the late slaves
syebels shall have the protection of the Law
y Esvl I'm Rebellion. Had this same Congress
instead Of doing these naughty acts, restore
Rebels to power aud surrendered the freed
- the control Of their late traitor ma
hen AsERrw JOHNSON, our lamb>lik
snt, would have had no cause of con
and no disposition to warn the neonl