Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1867-03-30
Veto Message of the Supplemental Re-
construction Bill.

TO The House OF hePIeseh'eH'N" va NfF
tary reconstruction bill. accompanied oy the ioI
lowing message, giving his reasons Tor mol sign
ing it
TO THE HoUsE OF REPnEsESTATIVEs
have considered the bill niIled IAN act sup
Elementary 10 an act entitled an act 10 P'o',ue
!cr the N ore efficient government OF tue rene
States passed March I'd, 1867, and to iaciIl'
tate rcs,oralion,' and now return II S'o Tie
House If Representatives. with my objections
This bill provides for elections IN the ten
States broug ht under The operation OF the oflsi-
nal act to which it is supplementary. Its details
are principally directed to tie elections 'of 'he
formation OF the State constitutions; but by the
sixth section Of the b II "all elections IN these
STATES. occurring while he original act remains
10 force are brought within lis Pnrvie"
Referring 10 the details, 1t will he found Iha''
FIRST of ALL there is 10 be a REGISTRATION o. tue
VOTERS No one whose name has no been au q.
mlteJ on the list s 10 be allow to vote al any Of
these ele tinns. To ascertain who Is eniitied 70
REGISTRATION. reference is made necessary. 10y the
express language Of the supplement, to The org
insI act and TO the pending bill. The fifth sec
ton Of The original a I provides, as 10 voters
tina, they shall he "mae citz rs OF the State
twenty .one years old and upwards, of whatever
rare color or previous condition, who h2'e been
resident OF said State for one year his IL Inc
general qualification, followed, howe'p!' oY
many exceptions. n one Can be registered, &C.
cordlng to the original act, ''who may be DIS
! franchlsed for participate IN the rebellion
nroyison which left undetermined the question
as To VIVA. amounted 10 dis Enlightenment, oDd
whether, wrlhou. JUDICIAL sentence, the act IT.
self produced that effect. This supplemental bill
Suut radds an oath, 10 be taken by every person
before his name can be admitted upon The regIS'
rarion, that be has ''not been DISTINGUISHED llf
partci patton ~ any rebellion or civil var against
the United States"
II thus imposes upon every person the neces-
sty aud responsibility Of deciding Tor himself
under he peril of punishment by military
commission. ii no makes a mistake, what wo *
dist anc basement by participation IN rebellion
and what amounts 10 such participation. Almost
every man--the negro as well as tie white
above twenty one years Of age, who was resident
IN these ten States during the feorlIon, Voiun-
tarily or inVoIunlarily, at some time nj IN some
way did participate IN resistance TO The la"iu!
authority OF the general government he ques-
ton with The citizen to whom this oath Is 10 be
proposed must be fearful one tor while the
oil does not declare that perjury may os assign
ed for such false swearing, nor hI any penalty
for the ollense. we must not forget that martial
law prevails, that every person IL answernhIe l"
mill,ars comm IssIon, without previous pre-
sentiment BY grand jury for a.y charge that
NAV be made against han, aud that tie supreme
| authority Of the military comman er determines
the question as to what is an ofense, and what
| is to be the measure of punishment.
The fourth section OF the bill provides "thal
the commanding general Of ca h district shall
app DIN, as many boards OF registration as may
| be necessary, consisting OF three loyal "dlretS
or persons" The only qualification stated for
these officers 10, that they must be loyal.
They may he persons in the military service or
civilians, residents Of the State or strangers.
Yet these persons are TO exercise m'A lmpor-
t.pi da,es and are vested with unlimited dis
cr.lion. They are TO dec DO wfa names shall
be placed upon the register, and frcm their De-
cision there is to Re no appeal. They are 10 SUI
perintend the elections, and to decide all ques-
lions which NAV arse. They arc 10 have the
custody OF the ballots, and 10 make return of the
persons elected. Whaevoi frauds or errors
Ii ey may commit must pass Without redress
An that IS left {: the commanding general Is TO
recei the returns Of The elections, open The
same and ascertain who are chosen "accof1Ins
10 the returns Of the officers who conducted said
elsc tion.." BY sue means, and with this SOFT
of aaeGcy, are the conventions Of delegates to
bs constituted.
| As the delegates are to speak for the people
common justice would seem TO require that they
should have authority from the people Ibem
selves. No convention so constructed VIII, IN
any sense represent the wishes OF the InhatI'
tan,s Of these States for under the all embracing
exec ptIons Of these laws, ny a construction
which the uncertainty ofthe clause as 10 dis
frsnch ls7ment leaves open TO the board Of officers
the great body Of the PsoPe may DO excluded
fro ID the polls, and from all opportunity OF er.
| pressing their own wishes, or VoliBg Tor dele
gates who will fihtul'y reflect their continents.
| do not deem ii necessary further to lnvest-
gate the details OF this bill. No consideration
could induce me TO give my approval TO such all
election law for any purpose, end especially Tor
the great purpose Of framing the constitution oil
q State. II ever the AmercaE citizen should be
loft 10 the free exercise oil bis own judgement, 1t
10 when he is engaged in the work OF forming
tho funda mrntal law under which he is to live
That work is his work and Il cannot properly
ba taken out Of his hanGs. All tins legislation
proceeds upon the contrary assumption that The
people of each of these States shall have no con-
s,itution, except such as may be arbitrarily dc
tsled by Congress, and formed under the re-
staint of military rule. A plain statement OF
facts make this evident.
In all these States there are existing constItu'
tons formeo III the accustomed way by the peo-
pie. Congress, however, declares that these
c, Institutions are not "loyal and republican,
and requires the people to form them anew.
Wha, then, in the opinion Of Congress, is ne
ee,, ,ry 10 make Il @ constitution Of State "loy.
al and republican," The original at answers
the question IT is universal negro suilrsge--a
question which the federal constitution leaves 10
the States themselves. All this legislative ma
chinery Of martial law, military coercion and
noi;,,cal Acknowledgement is avouedly for that