The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-03-14
MILITARY RECONSTRUCTION BILL.
THE PRESIDENTS VETO.
TO the House of Representatives:


for the more efficient government of the
Rebel States' with the care and ankle
ty which its transcendent Importance is
calculated to awaken. | am unable to
give it my assent for reasons so grave
that | hope statement of them may
have some influence on the minds of
the patriotic and enlightened men with
whom the decision must ultimately
rest.
The bill places all the people of the
ten States therein named under the alb
solute domination of military rulers;
and the preamble undertakes to give
the reason upon which the measure is
based, and the ground upon which it is
justified. 1t declares that there exists
in those States no legal governments,
and no adequate protection for life Or
property, and asserts the necessity ofen
forcing peace and good order within
their limits. Is this true as matter Of
fact'
1t is not denied that the States in ques-
ton have each of them an actual gov
eminent, with all the powers, executive,
judicial, and legislative, which proper
ly belong to free State. They are OF
ganized like the other States of the Uni
on, and, like them, they make, admin
lister and execute the laws which con-
Germ their domestic affairs. An exist
ing de facto government, exercising such
functions as these, is itself the law Of
the State upon all matters within its jul
risdiction. To pronounce the supreme
laW-making power of an established
State illegal, is to say that law itself is
unlawful.
The provisions which these Govern
me he hoy hn M
of order, the suppression of crime, and
the redress of private injuries, are in
substance and principle the same as
those which prevail in the Northern
States and in other civilized countries.
They certainly have not succeeded in
preventing the commission of all crime,
nor has this been accomplished any,
| where in the world. There as well as
elsewhere, offenders sometimes escape
for want ola vigorous prosecution, and
occasionally, perhaps, by the inetficien-
cy of courts or the prejudice OF jurors.
1t is undoubtedly true that these evils
have been much increased and aggrava-
ted, North and South, by the democrat
ling influences of civil war, and the
rancorous passions which the contest
has engendered. But that these peO-
pie are maintaining local Governments
for themselves 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 in
formation | Rave on the subject convin
! ees me that the masses OF the Southern
people and those who control their pub
lie acts, while they entertain diverse
opinions on questions Of Federal policy,
are completely united in the effort to re-
o, ganize their society on the the basis
of peace, and to restore their mutual
prosperity as rapidly and as complete
ly as their circumstances will permit.
The bill, however, would seem to
ment OF peace and good order is not its
real object. The fifth section declares
that the preceding sections shall cease
to operate in any State where certain
events shall have happened. These
events are-First, the selection of dele
gates to State Convention by an cleo
ton at which negroes shall be allowed
to vote. Second, the formation OF State
Constitution by the Convention so cho
sen. Third, the insertion into the State
Constitution of a provision which will
secure the right of voting atall elections
to negroes, and to such white men as
may rot be DISTINGUISHED for rebellion
or felony. Fourth, the submission of
the Constitution for ratification to ne
groes and white men not DISTINGUISHED,
and its actual ratification by their vote.
Fifth, the submission of the State Con-
stitution to Congress for examination
and approval, and the actual approval
OF it by that body. Sixth, the adoption
of a certain amendment to the Federal
Constitution by vote of the Legisla-
ture elected under the new Constitution.
Seventh, the adoption Of said amend
ment by a sufficient number OF other
| States to make it a part of the Constitu-
ton of the United States. All these
conditions must be fulfilled before the
people of any Of these States can be re-
lieved from the bondage of military
domination; but when they are fulfilled,
then Immediately the pains and penal
ties of the bill are to cease, no matter
whether there be peace and order or not;
and without any reference to the securi-
ty of life or property. The excuse Civ
en- for the bill in the preamble is admit
ted by the bill itselfno to be real. The
military rule which it establishes is
plainly to be used-not for any purpose