Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-10
PRESIDENTS VETO. MESSAGE +.

To the Senate of the United States
I have received and considered bill en-
titled can act to regulate the elective fran
chise in the District of Columbia, passed
by the Senate on the 18th of December,
and by the House of Representatives on
the succeeding day. 1t was presented for
my approval on the Goth ultimo-six days
after the adjournment of Congress-and is
now returned with my objections to the
Senate, in which House it originated.
Measures having been introduced, at the
commencement Of the first session Of the
present Congress, for the extension of the
elective franchise to persons of color III the
District of Columbia, steps were taken by
the corporate authorities of Washington
and Georgetown to ascertain and make
known the opinion of the people Of the two
cities upon subject so Immediately affect
ing their welfare as community. The
question was submitted to the people at
special elections, held in the month Of De-
cember, 1865, when the qualified voters of
Washington and Georgetown, with great
unanimity of sentiment, expressed them
selves opposed to the contemplated legisla-
ton. In Washington, in vote Of 6,556-
the largest. with but two EXCEPTIONS ever
polled in that city-only thirty-fve ballots
were cast for negro suffrage while in
a number considerably in excess of the
average vote at the four preceding annual
elections-but one was given IN favor OF
the proposed extension of the elective fran
chise AS these elections seem to have been
conducted with entire fairness, the result
must be accepted as a truthful expression
of the opinion of the people of the District
upon the question which evoked it. Pos
sessing, as an organized community, the
same popular II ght the inhabitants Of a
State or Territory, to make known their
will upon matters which affect their social
and political condition, they could have Sc
Iected no more appropriate mode of memo
rializing Congress upon the subject of this
bill than through the sufrages of their
qualified voters.
Entirely disregarding the wishes of the
people of the District of Columbia, Con-
gress has deemed it right and eXpedlent to
pass the measure now submitted for my
signature. 1t, therefore, becomes the duty
of the Executive, standing between the leg
islation Of the one and the will of the other,
fairly expressed, to determine whether he
should approve the bill, and thus aid in
placing upon the statute-books of the nation
a law against which the people to whom it
is to apply have solemnly and with such
unanimity protested, OF whether he should
| return it with his objections, IN the hope
that, upon reconsideration, Congress, act
| ing as the representatives of the inhabitants
of the seat of government, will permit them
to regulate purely local question, as to
them may seem best suited to their inter
ests and condition.
The District of Columbia was coded to
the United States by Maryland and Nir-
ginia, in order that it might become the
| Tournaments seat of government of the Uni
| ted States Accepted by Congress, it at
once became subject to the exclusive leg
islation - for which provision is made in
the Federal Constitution. It should be
borne in mind, however, that in exercising
its functions as the law-making power OF
the District Of Columbia, the authority OF
the National Legislature is not without
limit, but that Congress is bound to observe
the letter and spirit of the Constitution. as
well in the enactment of local laws for the
seat of government, as in legislation COM