The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-03-08
VETO MESSAGE.
The Military RECOMMENDATION Bill.
President -Johnson's Objections.

President Johnson's Objection,
TO Tie House Of Representatives.
have examed the bill to provide for
more efficient government Of the rebel State
with the care and anxiety which its tran
condent Importance is calculated to awaken
am unable to give il my assent, for rei
sons so grave that hope astatement OF ther
may have some influence on the minds Q
the patriotic and enlightened, with whoI
the decision must ultimately rest
The bill places all the people of the te
States therein named under the absolut
dominion of military rulers, and the prean
BILE undertakes to give the reasons upoi
which 1t is justified. 1t declars there exist
in those States no legal government an,
adequate protection to life or property, an,
asserts the propriety of enforcing peace an,
good order within their limits. Ii Ia tru
as matter of fact and it is not denied tina
the States in question have each of them nj
actual government, with all the powers, OK
ecutive, judicial, and legislative, which
properly belongs to free State. They ar,
organized like the other States ofthe Union
and like them they make, administer ant
execute the laws which concern their do
nestle affairs An existing de faoto govern
ment, exercising such functions as these, il
itself the law of the States upon all matters
within its jurisdiction. To pronounce til,
supreme law-making power of an estab
lished State Illegal is to say that law itsel
is unlawful. The provisions which these
Governments have made for the preservation
OF order, the suppression of crime and the
redress of private injuries, are in substance
ana principle the same as those which pre-
vail in the Northern States and in Other
civilized countries. They certainly have
not succeeded in preventing the commission
OF oil crime, nor has this been accomplished
anywhere in the world There as well as
elsewhere offenders sometimes escape for
want OF vigorous prosecution, and OCCASION
ally perhaps by the inefficiency of Courts or
the prejudice of jurors. 1t is undoubtedly
true that these evils have been much in
creased and aggravated North and South by
the demoralizing influence of civil war, and
by the rancorous passions which the CON
test has engendered. But that these people
are maintaing local governments for them
selves which habitually defeat the object of
all government, and render their own lives
and property insecure, is in itself utterly
improbable, and the averment of the bill to
that effect is not supported by any evidence
which has come to my knowledge. All the
information have on the subject convinces
me that the mass of the Southern people,
and thoseswho control their public acts,
"hiAO bhOJ uiNcIbo Oh
questions of Federal policy, are completely
united in the effort to Teorganize their So
ciety on the basis of peace, and to restore
mutual prosperity as rapidly and as COM
pletely as their circumstances will permit
The bill however would seem to show up
on its face that the establishment of peace
and good order is not its real object The
fifth section declares that the preceding
section shall cease to operate in any State
where certain events have happened. These
are: LIST, The election of delegates to a
State convention, by election at which ne.
groes shall be allowed to vote 9. The
formation of State constitution by the con-
ventlon so chosen. Sd. The insertion into
the State Constitution of provision which
Will secure the right of voting at all cleo
tlons to negroes and such white men as may
not be DISTINGUISHED for rebellion or felony.
4th. The submission of the Constitution
for ratification to negroes and white men
not disfranchised, and its actual ratification
by vote. 9th. The submission of the State
Constitution to Congress for the examine
ton and actual approval on it by that body,
9th, The adoption of a certain amendment
to the Federal Constitution by vote of the
Legislature elected under the New Consritu- !
zion. 9TH. The adoption of said amend. |
ment by q sufficient number of other States |
to make it part of the Constitution of the
United States.
All of these conditions must be fulfilled |
before the people of any of these States can |
be relieved from the bondage of military
lespotism, but when they are fulfilled then
,he pains and penalties of the bill are to
lease, no matter whether there be peace or
,rder or not, without reference to the secu-
'ity of life and property. The excuse given
or the bill in the preamble is admitted by
he bill itself not to be real. The military
ule which it establishes is plainly to be
Used not for any purpose of order, or for the
prevention of crime, but soley as means of
oercing the people into the adoption of
and measures to which it is known
hey are opposed and upon which they have
IL undeniable right to exercise their own
Judgment. / submit to Congress whether
his measure is not in its whole scope and
bject without precedent and without au-
hority,in palpable conflict with the plainest
rovisions of the Constitution, and utterly
estruetive to those great principles of lib
rty and humanity for which our ancestors
n both sides of the Atlantic shed SO much
lOod and expended so much treasure.
The ten States named in the bill are di-
ided into five districts. For each district
n officer of the army not below the rank of
rigadier General is to be appointed to rule
yer the people, and he is to be supported
iuh an OlhOiCub LiltlbtlJ tOICo w /
is duties, and that authority as defined by
10 third section of the bill is to protect all
ersons in their rights of person and prop
'ty, to suppress disorder and violence, and :
punish or cause to be punished all dis !
lrbers of the public peace or criminals /!
he power given to the commanding officer !
1er all the people of each State is that of !
! absolute monarch. His mere will is to !
Ike the place of all law The law of the :
tates, the only rule applicable to the sub =
ct, IS placed under his control, and that is =
displaced by the clause which de- 7
ares that all Interference of the State au-
lority to be null and void. He alone is q
srmltted to determine what are the rights I
person and property. He may protect :
lem In such way as in his discretion may Z
em proper. 1t places at his free disposal \
the lands and goods in his district. He .
ay distribute them without let or hind n
nee to whom he pleases, being bound by {
} State law and there being no other law v
regulate the subject, he may make Grim "
al code of his own, and he can make il as u
cody as any recorded in history, or he can O
serve the privilege of acting upon the inn d
Uses of his private passions In each case q
at arises he is bound by no rules of ev- a
ence. There is indeed no provision by q
lich he is authorized or required TO take O
idence at all. Everything is crime Al
lien ne chooses 10 GILL 80, anu Ill persons u
condemned whom he pronounces guilty. o.
!, is not bound to make any report or keep Al
y record of his proceedings. He may ar @
t victims whenever he may find him, pi
thout warrant, accusation or proof of er
liable cause. If he gives them trial be- e,
G he inflicts the punishment, he gives il of "
grace and mercy, not because be is COM p1
nded so to do. To a casual reader Of the tn
, it might seem that some kind of trial m
) secured to persons accused Of crime. wi
such is not the case. The officer may To- M
g civil tribunals to try offenders, but Of pr
rise this does not require that be shall do pc
If any State or Federal court pTesumes FOL
exercise its legal jurisdiction by the trial tel
a malefactor without his special permits tn
q, he can break it mp, and punish the on
ges and jurors as being themselves NAL ex
ctors. He can save his friends from ius. sta
and despOil his enemies contrary TO ius- wa
!. II is also provided that he shall have ito
yer to organize Military Commissions or no
'unals, but this power Is not commanded re-
do it is merely permissive, and is to BE- IL
only when in his judgment il nav BE- /
sssary for the trial Of offenders. Even IN nm,
sentence Of q Commission were made a 81
requisite to the punishment Of party. II fbs
Id scarcely be the slightest restraint -
\ the officer who has authority 10 organ tn
h a. he nleaaas ureecFi be its mode Of mr. tfae