Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1867-03-14
fAYEITEYILlE, TENN:
Thursday Morning, March IA, 1861
President Johnson's Veto
of the Sherman Bill to
place the South under
Military Rule.

Military Rule.
On Saturday, End inst, the
President sent to Congress his veto
of the Reconstruction Bill. The
congressional Radicals regard the
veto message as breaking down
the last obstacle to impeachment,
which they say they viii push to
the bitter end. The bill was af-
forwards passed by both Houses
over the veto. We have not space
for the whole of the message, but
give its substance:
- The message opens very mild
", appealing to Congress as pa
triotic body, and asserting that
State governments in the South
are valid and in operation.
The President then proceeds to
denounce the bill as eoercive,
without precedent. contrary to
the Constitution and to humanity,
and despotic. He argues atlength
against the military part of the
bill, declaring that the sections
which impose military govern
ments upon the States lately in
rebellion would establish an abso-
lutte despotism, reducing the whole
population of the South to abiect
and degraded slavery.
The President submits whether
the measure is not in its whole
character, scope and object, with
out precedent and withoutautbor-
ity, in palpable conflict with the
piaiuesf provisions of the Consu-
luton, and utterly destructive to
those great principles of liberty
and humanity for which our al
cestors, On both sides Of the Allan
tic. have shed so much blood and
expended so much treasure He
saws the bill would seem TO show
upon It's face that the establish
ment of peace and good order Is
not It's real object
He alludes to the conditions
which must be fulfilled before tbs
people of any Southern States can
Be relieved from the bondage Of
military domination. The mill
tarv rule which il establishes i
plainly to be used not fox shy PGr-
pose Of order, for the prevention
Of crime. but solely as means Of
eoercing the people into the ad0P-
ton Of principles and measures to
which it Is known they are op-
posed. and upon which they have
sn undeniable right to exercise
their own Judgment
He goes On to compare the con-
diEiOa of the Southern States IN
der such S law as this, with that
Of Hungary, Poland and ireland,
and Of the countries un6er the
ruIs Of the French Directory; and
further declares th2t there l. 10
power under the Constitution o.
the United States TO adopt Or ex-
eczte s7ch > measure is this
The bill, he says, reduces the
Southern people 10 3 condition Of
vsssaIzge, pet 1t has been passed
N time Of peace, when sfl the
laws Of the United States are en-
forced and cbeyed- There 5 10
foreign invssi0u- 30 domestic N
sszrreetiOr, tAeres1Ee there can De
10 uartizl law
He then quotes the dacEl0n d
the United States Supreme Court
N the MulIig1a case and the HE
norlty report Of Chief Justice
Chase IN the same ease.
The United States, be says
must guarantee to all the States
q republican form Of guTeruuenE-
bat this bill aEoIshes every YES
tlge OF such a government
The President u5ters 4 reuon-
STRANGE against AfrIcauiMug the
Southern portn1n Of Cur terrItury- +
and eo1tgnds that the PErpose and
object Of this bill i to change the
entire structure and character CT
the State governments The Ne
groes, he says have not ASKED for
the privilege Of voting, and do
not KNOW whaE II Heanss and be
adds that according to tins hH
the constitutional amendment has
not yet abolished slavery +
he then recommends the IN
re'dGI1a aauazsinr Of loyal rHpra-
seuta1Uss from Southern States
CO seHEEs II Congress-
Al present. be saws. the S,,,1SIs-