Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-10

Aniun aud gispatth.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 10. IsG7.
NEGRO SUFFRAGE.
TIle Presidents veto sf the DistriCt
Suffrage Bill


and considered the bill entitled an act {
regulate the elective franchise in the Di,
trict Of Columbia, passed BY the Senate o
the 18th Of December, and by the House {
Representatives the succeeding dav. Ii wa
presented for my approval on the 18th ait
six days after the adjournment Of Congress
and is now returned, with my objection. Z
the Senate, in which house il first origin
ated. Measures having been introduced a
the commencement Of the first session 0
the present Congress for the extension Q
the elective franchise 10 persons O
color in the District of Columbia, and step
were taken by the corporate authorities o
Washington and Georgetown 10 ascertain
and make known the opinion Of the people
Of the two cities on a subject so immedi
alely affecting their welfare. As z com
munity, the question was submitted to In,
people, and a special election was held De
cember 1865, when the qualified voters o
Washington and Georgetown, with grea
ansnimity Of sentiment, expressed them
4 selves opposed 70 the contemplated legis
lation. In Washington, Of vote Of G,656
the largest, with bnt two exceptions, ever
/ F0lled in that city, only thiny-6ve bal
lots were cast for negro suffrage, while ia
| Georgetown, in one aggregate Of eigh
| hundred and nineteen votes, the number is
considerably in excess Of the average vote al
| preceding annual elections, bat was
given in favor Of the proposed extension Of
the elective franchise. As those elections
seem % have been conducted with entire
fairness the result must be accepted as a
truthful expression Of the people Of the
District on the question. Possessing the
same popular rights, as an organized com
munity, 81 the Inhabitants Of a State OF
territory, to make known their will on
matters which affect their political condi-
ton, they could have selected no more ap-
propriate mode Of memorializing Congress
upon the subject Of this bill than through
the suffrage Of their qualified voters En-
tirely disregarging the wishes Of the peo-
pie Of the District Of Columbia, Congress
has denied the right and eKpedient to pass
the measure now submitted for my sigma
lure, il therefore becomes the duty Of the
! Executive, standing between the legislation
Of the one and the will Of the other fairly
| expressed 10 determine whether he should
| approve the bill, and thus aid in placing
] upon the statute books Of the nation a law
/ against which the people to whom it is to
! apply have solemnly and with such
/ uuanimity protested or whether he
should return il with MS objections in
/ the hope that upon reconsideration, Con
! gress acting as representatives Of in
habitants oftheseat Of the government, will
! permit them to regulate a purely local
/ question, as 10 them may seem best suited
! 10 their interests and condition The Dis
! trict Of Columbia was ceded 90 rs bY Mary
land and Virginia in order that il might
Z become a permanent seat of the government
/ of the United States, and WAS accepted by
! Congress il at once became snbiect 10 ex-
! elusive legislation, for which provision is
made in the Federal constitution. II should
be borne in mind however, that in eXercis-
ing its functions as the laW-making power
Of the District of Columbia, the authority of
national legislation 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 in common
TO entire Union. We're il TO be admitted
that the g,ght 70 exercise exculsiye legisla
ton, in all cases shatsoever, conferred upon
Congress unlimited power within the Die
trict Of Columbia, titles Of nobility might
be granted within the United States
boundaries laws might be made respect
ing an establishment Of religion or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof or
abridge the freedom Of speech or Of the
press or the right Of the people peaceably
TO assemble and petition the government
for a redress Of their grievances. 4 des-
potism would thus reign al the seat of gov
ernment of free republic, and as a place
! Of permanent residence IL would be avoid
ed By all who prefer the blessings Of liberty
| 10 the mere emoluments Of official position.
1t should also be remembered that In legis-
lating for the District Of Columbia, under
the Federal constitution, the relation of
Congress to its Inhabitants is analogous to
that Of a Legislature 10 the people Of
State under their local constitution.
Il does not, therefore, seem 10 be asking
too much that, in matters pertaining to the
District, Congress should have a like
respect for the will aud interests of its in
habitants as is entertained by a State Legis-
iature for the wishes and prosperity of those
for whom they legislate. The spirit of our
constitution and the genius of our govern
ment require that, in regard to any law
which is TO affect and have a permanent
bearing upon a people, their will should
exert at least a reasonable influence upon
those who are acting in the capacity Of
their Legislators. Would the Legislature Of
New York, or of Pennsylvania, OF of In
diana, or Of any State in the Union, in
opposition TO the expressed will of a large
majority Of the people whom they were
chosen 10 represent, arbitrarily force upon
them az voters all persons Of the African
or negro race, and make them eligible to
office, without any other qualification
than a certain term Of residence within
the State In neither Of these States
would the colored population, when acting
together, be able 20 produce any great
social or political result Yet in New
York, before he can vote the man Of color
must fulfill conditions that are not required
Of white citizens 10 Pennsylvania the
elective franchise is restricted to white
freemen; while in Indiana negroes and
mulattoes are expressly excluded 'rom the
right Of suffrage.
IL hardly seems consistent with the prin-
ciples Of right and justice that the Repre-
sentatives Of States whose suffrage is either
denied 70 the colored man, or granted 10
him on qualifications requiring intelli-
gence or property, should compel the
people Of the District of Columbia
70 try an experiment which their
own constituents have thus far shown an
unwillingne5s 10 test for themselves, nor
docs it acCord with our republican ideas
and its principles of self government
should not lose its force when applied 10
residents Of the District merely because
their legislators sre not like those of States
responsible through tie ballot box to the
people, for whom they are the law-makiug
power. The great object Of placing the
seat Of government under the exclusive
legislation Of tongresa was TO secure the
entire Independence Of the general govern
ment from under State influence, and 20
enable IL 20 discharge, without danger of
interruption or infringement of its aulhori
a.. the high functions for which il was
created by the people For this important
purpose it was ceeded o. the United States
by MARYLAND aud Nirginia, aud certainly il
never could have been contemplated as one
Of the objects 10 be attained hy placing t
under the exclusive Jurisdiction of Con-
gress, that il would afford 60 propagandists
or p5litica. parties place tor an expert
mental test of their principles, and thus
while indeed the residents of the seat OF
government are not citizens of any State
aud sre not therefore allowed yoicein the
electoral college aud representation in the
councils of the nation, ,they are nevertheless
American citizens, and entitled as such 90
every guarantee oI the constitution and
every benefit ct the laws, and 10 every
right which pertains 90 The citizens uf our
common country in all matters then affect
ing there domestic affairs. The spirit Of
DuF Democratic form Of government de-