Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-01-08
Message of the President
TefO Of District Of Columbia SiJ,
I'r0gs Bill.

To hs Senate % the United States:
have received and considered a bill
entitled " Al act TO regulate the elsctiv
franchise in the District Of COlumb bia,
passed by the senate on the 18Th of De
cember. and by the house Of representa-
tives on the succeeding day. It was pre-
seuied for my approval on the 18th nit.
six days after the adjournment % con
gress, and is now returned, with my eb
jeeli9us, TO the senate, in which house j
originated.
Measures having been introduced al
the commencement Of the present con-
gress for tile extension Of the elective
franchise 10 persons Of color IN the Dis
trict OF Columbia, steps We're taken by
the corporate authorities OF Washington
and Georgetown b ascertain and make
known the opinion Of the two cities upon
the subject SO Immediately affecting
their welfare as a community. The
question was submitted TO the people al
special elections, held in the month Of
December lsG5, when the qualified
voters OF Washington and &c rye
town, with great unsuimity Of seuti-
ment, expressed themselves opposed
10 the contemplated legislation. In
s Washington, In a vote Of 655j, the
largest, with but two exceptions, ever
polied ia that NY, only thirty-tive bal
lots were cast for negro suffrage, while in
Georgetown, IN an aggregate Of SIS votes,
q number considerably il excess of tue
average vote at the four preceding an
uual elections, bat one was given in IA
vor Of the proposed extension Of the
elective franchise. As these elections
seem 10 have been conducted with entire
fairness the rs-uit must be accepted as q
truthful expression of the opinion of the
people Of The District uD0u the question
which evoked it. Possessing, as an or
gauiZed community, the same popular
ryht as the inhabitants Of a stale ar ter
riJOry 20 make known their will upon
matters which affect their social aud p0-
lItic3i condition, they could have Sc
lected 10 more appropriate mode Of me-
1 mOrIaiIzing congress upon the subject Of
Z this bill than through the sutlrages Cf
s@leir qualified voters. Entirely disrs-
eardiug the wishes Of the people of the
District of Columbia, congress has
deemed IL right and eLpeGieut 20 pass the
: measure now submitted for my signature.
IL therefore becomes the duty Of the ex-
ecutive, standing between the legislation
or the one aud the will % the other,
fairly expressed 30 determine whether he
should approve the bill and thus aid in
placing upon the statute books Of the ua-
tiDn a law against which the people, TO
whom it is to apply, have s0lemniy and
with such unaGImity protested, OF
whether he should return it with his OBJ
iectious, IN the hope that upon reeousid-
GRAFTON congress, acting IS the represen-
tatives Of the inhabitants OF the seat of
government, viii permit them 20 Tegu-
late purely local question as TO them
!nay seem best suited ID their Interests
and condition. The District of Columbia
wSs geded 20 the United States by Mary
land and Virginia, in order that 10 might
become the permanent seat OF govern
ment OF the United States. Accepted by
congress, Ii at once became subject 10
the exclusive legislation for which pro-
vision is made in the federal cJnsLitu-
tion. It shoGld be borne IN mind here
after that In its functions as the law
masking power Of the d strict of Column
bia, the authority Of the national iegis-
isture j. not without limit, but that con-
gress j. bound 70 observe the letter and
spirit Of the constitution, as well 10 the
= enactment Of local laws for the seat of
49, 6rnment. 81 in legislation common TO
AR entire union. Were it 70 be adm tied
/ lat tie right 10 exercise exclusive isgis-
faiiuu in all eases whatsoever conferred
upon congress- unlimited power within
the tract uf Columbia, titles Of nobility
might be granted within its boundaries,
laws M ghI be made respecting an e-tab-
iishment Of the religion or gr8hIb.tiug
she free exercise thereof, or alridging The
freedom Of speech, or OF the press or the
right Of the people pa3ceably to assemble
aud to petition tie government for a re-
dress of grievances. D5spoti-m would
prevail at the seat Of government Of
free republic, and as q P.arN of pernla-
ueat residence, DC would Ue avoided ty
ali who prefer the blessings of liberty to
the mere emOluments IF official position.
u should also be Temsm bered that ia
Iegi-latiug for the District of Columbia
under tie federal constitution. the re,8-
tiun q congress 10 its Inhabitants is
analogous 10 that Of a legislature Of The
people Of q state under their own local
constitution. Il does not, therefore,
seem % be asking too much that IN
matter pertaining - the District, con-
Efess should have 9 like respect for the
will and interests OF its iuha6-
itauts. o. rs entertained by a state
legislature for the wishes and prosperity
Of those Cor whom they iegislate. Tue
spirit of Ogr constitution aud the genius
oi our government require that ia regard
toany Law which Is 20 affect and have "a
permanent bearing upon a people, their
VIII should exact at lesst a reasonable
influence upon those who are acting %
the capacity Of their Legislators. Would,
for instance, the legislature Of the state
OF New York, or OF Pennsylvania, or o.
InJiaua, or Of any state ia the union, in
opposition 90 the expressed wiiiof q large
majority OF the people whom they were
chosen 10 represent, arbitrarily force upon
them, as voters, all persons OF the Afri-
can or negro race, and make them eiigi-
be for the Office, without any other quail
iticatiODs than a certain term Of resi-
dence within the state In neither @!
the states usmed would the cOlored pop
u.atiUn, when acting together, be able 10
produce any great social or political re-
suit. Get iG New York, before he can
vote, the man Of color must fulfill coudi-
tious that are not required Of tie white
citizen 10 Pennsylvania the elective
franchise is restricted 10 white freed
men while in Indiana, negroes and
mulGtoes are expressly excluded from
tie right Of suffrage.
IL hardly seems consistent yilh the
principles Of right and justice, that rep
Tesentatives Of states where suffrage is
either denied the coioreG man Or granted
90 him on qualifications requiring intel
ligeuCe or property, should compel the
geoule Of die District Of Columbia to try
an experiment which their own con
-tituents have thus FAR sho Eu an unNil-
iingness 10 test for themselves. Nor
do5s it accord with our republican ideas
that ,he principle Of the government
should lose us force when applied 90 resi-
dents Of the District, merely because
their legislators are not like those OF the
Etates-re- pOnsi1ie through the ballot e.
the people, for whom they are the law
making power. Ine great object 0i
placing the seat of government under
the executive legislation Of congress, wac
30 secure the entire Independence OF the
general government from undue state
influence, and to enable il 70 discharge,
without danger Of Interruption or
infringement OF its authority, tae
high functions for which il was
created by the people. For this
important purpose il was ceded to the
United States by Maryland and Vir-
ginia, and it certainly never could have
been contemplated IS one OF the objects
10 be attained by placing it under the
exclusive jurisdiction Of congress, that 10
would afford 10 propSgandists or political
parties IS place for an experimental test
az their principles sUd theories. While
indeed the residents Of the seat Of gcy-
crumcut are not ciuzens OF any state,
and are not therefore allowed voice il
The electoral college or representation IN
the councils Of the naticn, they are
nevertheless American citizens entitled
as such to every right which pertains 70
citizens Of our common country. In all
matters, then, affecting their domestic
affairs tie spirit OF cur democratic form
OF government demands that their
wishes shunld be consulted and respected,
and they taught 70 feel that although
not permitted practically 10 participate
in national concerns, they are, never
theless, under q patefnal government.
fegardial OF their rights, mindful Of their
wants and s0licitOus for their prosperity.
Itwas evidently contemplated that all
local questions would be left 10 their de-
cision, at least TO an extent that would
not be Incompatible with the object FOR
which congress was granted exclusive
legislation over lie seat OF government.
When the constitution was yet under