The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-03-06
Tie Presidents Veto OF Ike Military BEL.


lle Presidents Veto OF Ike Military D:,l.
The President says-in effect: have
examined the bill to provide more eff
Gent government lor the rebel States, with
the care which its Observation-Disclosures
awakens, I am able to assert. Ny reasons
are SO grave that | hope the Statement
thereof will influence patriotic and en-
lightenod men. The bill places ten States
under military rules He consbats pre-
alnble. His Information shows that the
people have united in recognizing their
government on the basis CT peace. The
face Of the bill shows that its object is not
peace. After States adopt measures, no
torious by Objectionable representation it is
allowed without reference 10 security oflite
property. The preamble excuse for tie
bill is admitted by the bill to be false.
Military rule is established not for the
prevention OF crime, but to enforce the
adoption Of odous laws. The measure III
character, scope, and object is without
precedent or authority, and i'll palpab!e
conflict with this constitution. It is dcs-
tructiye Of our blood bought liberty
The power given Brigad;or Generals is
that Of an absolute monarch, his will is
law. lie determines the rights OF person
and property, disposcs Of lands and goods
within his district and makes his own
criminal code. Everything is criminal
which he denonlinates crime. Every Per-
son is guilty whom he condemns. lie
keeps 10 record and need make no report;
lie can break up courts and make judges
and jurors criminals. His military courts
arcot his own making its officers are from
his subordnates Instead Of mitigating
the harshncss Of single rule, such courts
would divide responsibility, maEingi it more
cruelan unjust Several provisions, die
tated by humanity, should be introduced
in the bin to restrain the officers. 1t is
imperative. Each officers may define the
cruelty according to his own temper-the
GAG, the lash, the ball and chail-all lie
within his choice. The military conman-
der under the provisions ofthis bill, may
condemn to death without trial; thusavoi-
ding executive sanction. The authority
given to officers amounts to absolute des-
potism, aggravated by the power to deleg-
ate despotism to his subordinates, tie bill
declaring that he shall punish or cause to
be punished. This power has been denied
the English Kings for five hundred years.
In all that time people speaking the Eng
fish language have borne nosuch seryitude.
It reduces the population then in the
States, regardless Of color, sex, condition,
and strangers within their limits, to abject
and degrading slavery. It may be answer
cd that officers are just and humane.
Doubtless they are equally so with other
classes, but the history Of the world has
been written vainly if falling to show the
danger Of unrestrained authority; it is al
most invariably tyrannical, when the ruler
is stranger, appointed by an unfriendIy
power 1t has been tried in Hungary and
Poland, resultinyin sufIerings which arous-
cd the sympathy Of the world. In ireland,
though tempered by the principles Of Eng
fish law, it begot Indignantly denounced
cruelties. The French Convention, arm
ing deputies with similar power, sent them
to.departments, and massacres, murder and
atrocities followed Anirresponsible depu-
tyncvcr yields what law don'textent. Have
we the power to establish and carry the
measure into execution Certainly not,
if deriving authority from :he Constitu-
ton or acknowledging its Limitation. The
balance of the message consists ofan clabor-
ate constitutional argument embracing CO.
pious extracts. The Speaker ruled that
two-thirls could suspend the rule, thus
rendering fillibnsteling out of the cues
ton, and the bill passed 1875 to Il.
The Proper Course for US 10 P,srsse.
The New York World, says the Rich
mond Dispatch, has very sensible article
upon the present aspect Of affairs. Its
conclusion is that the South ought to rati-
fy the amendment, and make application
for admission into the Union.
Rights avail nothing without remedies, ,"
says the World; and the Supreme Court
is a broken reed. The Presidential elcc-
ton is ''the key" to the question. The
votes Of the Southern States ought Ger
taialy to be counted. Cline and events
have brought things to such a pass that
if those votes are worth saving they must
'be saved by southern action this year
Far be it from us to dogmatize or dictate;
''the South is just as free to refrain from
''action as it is to act. But there is a
tide in the affairs Of men, and it is for
''the South to judge for itself whether
there is prospect CT compensating ad-
''vantages sufficient to justify it in with
''holding its assistance in the Presidential
election"
The New York Times, after speaking
of the advice Of the World to the South,
ADDS:
'.Tho Chicago Times speaks with a bet
ter reputation for sagaciry. Theterns, it
reasons, are harsh but not humiliatil1g,
because the South is entirely at the mercy
Of the majority ia Congress, and they
have both the ability and disposition to
enforce much harsher ones 10 resist is
to invite deeper lun; while her accept
ance may turn the tide Of public opinion
now running against her, and place her
once more on the course to peace and
prosperity
with still greater frankness, the Buffalo
Courier declares that there is positively
no alternative except to accept the politi-
Il j a. e =
''Ef the South be not given over to ju-