The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-03-07
THE REcoNsrRucr,os BILL AND VETO

THE RECONSTRUCTION BILL AND VETO.
We yesterday published in full tho very mas
terly argument Of President JOHNSON, in which he
stated his objections to the Military Reconstruc
ton Bill ana hope all our readers have read it
carefully as it certainly refers to question most
vital to all of them.
AS the history of its final passage over tho
Presidents veto may not prove uninteresting, We
copy it from the official report Of the debates of
Congress-:
At half.past eight on Saturday evening, March
2, the veto of the President on tho Reconstruction
Bill was taken up and read. The 1catiing having
been concluded
MIR. JOHNSON took the floor and sail : Whilo do
ing, as he most sincerely did, full justice to the
conscientious purpose OF the President, he could
not but regret that he (the Presidenl) had felt
himself compelled to come to that result, and to
send this message 70 Congress. There we're many
propositions IN law contained in that message
which could not be maintained. There were many
errors OF judgment in 1t which, upon examination,
would be apparent, and, above all, the result TO
which he [the President) had been compelled to
come in the exercise OF his own Judgment, which,
there was no doubt, was conscientiousy exercised.
he (Nlr. Johnson) saw nothing but continued
turmoil, danger and error to the South and to the
outue COuudIS. do rOSo, CQereIOIS, pul-
pose Of stating very briefly in addition to what he
had already said when the measure was before the
Senate on a former occasion, why it was that he
had cast the vote he had cast on that occasion,
and why it was that he should give the same vote
now. (Applause in the galleries. which was re-
pressed BY the Chair.) It will not be for mo-
ment supposed, said Mr.. johnson, by those
to whom I am addressing myself, that I
am governed now, or that was governed
then, by any hope of popular applause. Ny
patriotic. saw before me distracted and almost
bleeding country. thought saw, and think
see now, the means by which it might be restored
to healthfd condition, and the constitution OF
MIR. President, at that period of my life when, if
ever any other ambition animated me, can have
no other ambition now than that Of serving my
country. Having referred to the views he had
struction, concluding that when the war ceased
the States were restored to their former relations
and that no conditions for their representation
were requisite or constitutional, Mr.. Johnson said
that the present aud the late Executive thought
differently. It was unnecessary for him to say what
were the conditions exacted by the present Execu
tive. They were in his (lIr. Johnson's) judgment
as unconstitutional as aIy that could be found In
this bill. The Congress of the United States was
Of opinion that, notwithstanding the people Of
the Southern States complied with the terms
exacted by the present Chief Magistrate, they
could not be restored without the sanction
Of Congressional legislation; and this was the
judgment Of the country. Then how were they to
come back Only by complying with the condi-
tions which Congress may impose, whether Con-
gress had the authority to impose them or not;
or, falling to comply, to remain in the sad conh-
tion in which they. are now. He lMr. .Johnson)
imputed bad motives neither to Congress nor to
the Executive. he thought he knew his duty to
the institutions Of the country too well to call In
queItion the motives of either. he accorded puri
ty of purpose and patriotic principles to both. He
differed from both, but he sought the restoration
Of the Union, and he saw no way of accomplish
ing it now but by the adoption Of the measure
now before tho Senate. We are now, IN my opin-
ion in state Of quasi war-our condition is revo-
lutionary-ten States Of the Union are virtually
held as provinces, upon the ground that we have
q right to hold them as enemies OF the Union and
the government. In that state OF things, to
hesitate in the adoption OF any measure which
promises even the most distant!y to put
an end to this revolutionary condition, is, in
my Judgment, to be false TO the true interest and
safety Of the country. In conclusion, Mr.. Johnson
said he was glad to see from the public prints OF
the South, and to be informed by many Of the
leading men OF the South, that it was the purpose
Of the Southern States to organize under this bill.
They are taking lessons from experience. The
Constitutional Amendment, il it had been adopted,
would have brought into this chamber and the
other chamber representatives from the South.
OF, that I have no doubt. Now it will not. The
Bill which We passed, and which was afterwards
amended in the House, would have accomplished
the same purpose upon terms less exacting than
the one now before the Senate. It was amended,
and the amendment is the most obnoxious feature
OF the Bill. The Senate passed it, and voted Tor
it. Why? Because thought I knew had
satisfactorily ascertained that, this falling, meas
ure Of a more rigid character, a measure founded
upon the idea that the people Of the South were
conquered enemies their property liable to forfeit
ure would have been exacted.
Mr.. SALISBURY (dem.) of Del, said he did not |
rise to debate this bill which the President in his
wisdom had vetoed. He approved Of the exercise
Of the veto power upon the most iniquitous bill |
ever presented in. the Senate. He expressed the
hope that the Southern people would never enter
the Union upon the terms now presented to them.
Mr.. HENDR1JKs (dem.) of Ind, followed Mr..
Salisbury in . brief review Of the bill and in en-
dorsement OF The veto.
Mr.. DIXON (rep.j Of Conn.,, believed the bill to
be in conflict with the provisions Of the constitu-
ton, and should consider himself in voting for it
as violating his official oath.- The country was now
at peace, and the termination Of the war had been
BY the President and recognized by
Congress. After this declaration by Congress he
could see no power to establish military govern
ment- Believing the bill to be plain and palpable
violation Of the constitution he should vote against
t. ]
Mr.. .BucKA1Ew [dem.) Of Pa next addressed
o. L. s-.-ll L