The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-04-10
THE LAST VETO,
,prsfpENT's OBJECTIONS TO THE SUP
n,pyFSTARY RECONSTRUCTION BILL.
a.. House of REPRESENTATIVES:

I Ita,,se of Representatives with my obiec-
tons. ..,,. .,o....S
ctates brought under the operation Of the
.sririlll act to which it is supplementary.
Sasdetails. arc principally directed TO the
alections for the formation of the State
snasfitutions; but by the sixth section of
tbe bill all elections i'll the States occur
rms rms while the original actremains in force,
are brought within its provisions.
Referring to the details it will be found
that. first of all, there is to be registra-
lion of the voters. No one whose name
has not been admitted ON the list is to be
allowed to vote at any of these elections.
10 ascertain who iseIititled toTegistration,
reference is made necessary, by the express
language OF the supplement-, to the original
act and 60 the pending bill.
The fifth section of the original act pro-
yiies, as to the voters, that they shall be
male citizens OF the State, twenty-one years
old, or upwards, of whatever race, color or
previous condition, who have been resident
in said State for one year Thisis the gen
eraI qualification, followed, however, by
many exceptions, No one can be register
ed, according to tho original act, WHO may
be DISTINGUISHED for participation in the
rbellion--a provision which left undeter-
mined the question as to what amounted
to disfranchisement and whether, without
judicial sentence, the act itself provided
that effect
Thissupplcmental bin sTperadds an oath,
to be taken by every person before his
name can be admitted upon the registra-
ton, that he has not been disfranchised
for participation i'll any rebellion or civil
war against the United States 1t Thus
imposes upon every person the necessity
and responsibility Of deciding for himself,
under the peril ofpnnisllment by amilitary
commission if he makes a mistake, what
makes disfranchisement by participation
in rebellion ahd what amounts to such
participation. Almost every man-the
negro as well as tho whitc-abOve twenty
one years of age, who was resident in the
ten States during the rebellion, voluntari-
" extraordinarily, at sOmo time and in
some way, did participate in resistance to
thc lawful authority Of the general govern
ment The question with the citizen when
this oath is proposed must be fearful one !
for while the bill dors mt Declare that per-
jury may be assigned for false swearing,
nor fix any penalty for the offensc, we
must not forget that martial law prevails
that every person is ailswerable to a mill
tary commission, without previous present
nlent by q grand jury, for any charge that
may be made against him, and that the SUI
preme authority Of the military ,coniman-
der determine the question us to what is
m bn thn nm s,,,n 81 mr.
The fourth section Of the, bill provides
that the ce1lmanding general of each dis
trict shah atpoint as many boards of regis
tration us may he necessary, consisting OF
three loyal officers or persons. The only
qualification stated for these officers is
that they must be loyal; they may be per-
sons in the military service, or civilian res
idents OF the Slate, or strangers get these
persons are to exercise most important du-
ties, and are invested with unlimited dis
erection. They are to decide what names
shall be placed upon the register, and from
their decision there is. to. Be- no appeal:
they are to .saperiHteRd the elections and
to decide all the questions which may
arisei they are to have the custody Of the
ballots and to make return OF the persons
elected; whatever frauds. or errors they
MAY commit must pass ,Yitliout redress
al that Is left for the commanding general
is to receive the returns, omen the same,
and ascertain wh0 are chosen according to
the return Df the officers who eo1;luctctl
such elections
by snch means and will, this sort Of
agency are the convention of Delegates TO
be constituted, As Che 1elGnast.s are to
speak for the people, COMMON justice would
seem to require that they should have ai,-
tbority from TIM peopiD themselves. No
convention constituted viii, in any sense,
represent the wishes of tho inhabitants OF
the Statesi for unders thu all-emlracing
sections of these laws, by d construction
which the uncertainty of tho clause as to
Acknowledgement leaves open to the board
Of officers, the great Aody of The people
may he excluded from The polls ana rrom
the opportunity of expressing their own
wishes or voting for delegates who will
faithfully reflect their sentiments.
do not deem it necessary further to iu-
yestigato Tie details Vt this bill. No con-
sidcratinn could induce me to give my APP
prevail to such an election law for any p,lr-
pose and especially for the great purpose
Of tram!ing the constitution of u State
If lever the American citizen should he left
to the free exercise Of his own Judgment it
~ when he is engaged III the work of form
ing the fundamental law under which he
is to live. That work is, his work, and it
cannot properly be taken out of his hands
All this legislation proceeds upon the con
trary assumption that the people of ofeach
Of these States shall have no constitution
except such us may be ARBITRARILY dictated
BY Congress and formed under the restraint
ofailiiary rule. 3
lii all these States there are existing
constitutions, formed III the accustomed
way by The people. Congress, however,
declares that these constitutions are not
loyal and republican, aud requires the peo-
pie 10 i,rin Them anew. What, then, in
the opinion of Congress, is necessary TO
make the Constitution Of a State loyal and
rcpubiicang The original act answers the
question 1t is universal negro suffrage
aquestion which the federal Constitution
leaves TO the States themselves All this
legislation maehinery-maftial law, mill
tars coercion and political diSirancbise-
laent-is ayowedly for that purpose, and
none other, The existing constitutions oil
tie ten States conform to tho iekhQwledg-
"a standards of loyalty and rephblica'tism
lndccd, il there are degrees i'll republican
forms Of government their constitutions
are more republican now than WHOM these
States, four of which were of the original
thirtoCn, first became members OF the TIM
ION. Congress does not now demand that
asiugle provision of their constitutions he
changed except such us coniino suffrage to
the white population. Ii is apparent,
therefore, that these provisions de- not con
iorie TO the standard Of rcpuhiicaRisn
which Congress seeks to establish. That
There may be no mistake. it is only neces-
gary that reference should be made to the
original act. which declares such eonstitn-
lions should provide that the elective fran
chse shall BE enjoyed by all such persons
as have the qualifications herein stated for
electors of delegates, Which class of per
sons is here meant clearly appears in The
same section; TINT is to say, the male cltl-
GEMS OF said State, twcnty-ono years. Oh,
aud upwards, Of whatever race, color or
previous condition, who have been resident
N said State for one year previous to the
Gay of such election Without these pro-
visions no Constitution which can be form
ed in any one of the ten States will be OF
ay AVA with CONGRESS-