The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1867-03-13
the VETO MESSAGE.
The Presidents Objections to
H.siaHtlae Bill Providing ,AIili-5io5
oi yiuIt tary Governments fOrsnaos
csIr rsm the Rebel States. a' lf

"a 90 A'fNa' aHHa 'N ~ y IL siI f'aiH
7b@e House Of Representatives: od
III have examined the bill to provide for
q more efficient goyernment Of the rebel
States, with that care and anxiety which
its transcepdent Importance is calculated
/ am upablecto give it my
assent for reasons 20 grave that hope a
statement Of them may have some in
Auence on the minds of the patriotic and
enlightened with whom the decision must
Ultimately rest. The bill places all the
people oi the ten States therein named,
under the absolute domination Of military
rule, and the preamble undertakes to give
reasons upon which it is justified.
1t declares that there exists in those
States no legal Government and adequate
protection to life and property, and as.
serts the necessity Of enforcing peace and
good order within their limits. 1t is true,
as matter Of fact it is not denied, that
the States in question have each Of them
an actual Government with all the pow
ers executive, Judicial and legislative,
which properly belong to free State
They are organized like the other States
Of the Union, and like them they may
make, administer and execute the laws
which concern their domestic affairs. An
existing dc, facto Government, exercising
such functions as these, is itself the law
Of the State upon all matters within its
jurisdiction ao u,ae., a,tla .
To pronounce the supreme law,making
power Of an established State illegal, is to
say that law itself is unlawful. The pro.
visions which these Governments bave
made for the preservation Of order, the
suppression Of crime, and the redress Of
private injuries are in substance and prin-
ciple the same as those which prevail in
the No,thern States, and in other civilized
countries. They certainly have not cue.
ceeded in preventing the commission Of
oil crime, nor has this been accomplished
anywhere in the world there, as we'll as
elsewhere, offenders sometimes escape, for
want Of vigorous prosecution, and occa.
sionally, perhaps. by the ineficiency Of
courts or the prejudice of jurors II is
undoubtedly true that these evils have
been much increased, and aggravated,
North and South, BY the demoralizing
influence Of civil war, and by the rancor.
Gus passions which the contest has en-.
eendered; but that these people main.
taining 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, ayeIment Of the bill to that
effect is not supported by any evidence
which has come to my knowledge. All
the information that l have on the subject
conviuces me that the mass Of the South.
ern reople, and those who control their
pubic acts, while they entertain divers
oPiDi,ns on questions Of Federal policy,
are completely united in the effort to or
ganizc their society on the basis Of fpeace,
and restore mutual prosperity as rapidly
and as completely as their circumstances
will permit. ..- 4ar. -.
The bill, however, would seem 10 chow
upon its face that the establishment Of
peace and good order is not its real object
The fifth section declares that the pre-
ceding sections shall cease to operate in
any State where certain events have hap.
pened. These are: tid
|. The selection Of delegates to State
Convention by an election, at which ne
greer shall be allowed 10 vote.
2 The formation Of State Conatitu
ton by the Convention so chosen.
3 The insertion into the State Consti'
tuition Of a provision which will secure the
right Of voting at all elections to the ne
gro, and such white men as may not b.
disfranchised for rebellion or felony.
4. The submission Of the Constitution
for ratification to the negroes and white
men not disenfranohised, and its actua
rati6ction by their vote.
5. The submission Of the State Con
stitution to Congress for examination, ant
the actual approval Of it by that body.
6. The adoption Of certain amend
ment to the Federal Constitution by |
vote Of the Legislature elected under th'
new Constitution. A ~"
Z The adoption Of said amendment b,
asuffcient number Of other States is t.
make it part Of the Constitution Of tn
United States.
All these conditions must be fulfilled
before the people Of any Of these State
can be relieved from the bondage Of mil
iiary domination but when they are full
filed then the pains and penalties Of thl
bill are to cease-no matter whethe
there bo peace and order or not, ant
without reference to the security Of lifi
and property. 81.
The excuse given for the bill 10 tn
preamble is admitted in the bill itself no
to be real. The military rule which !
establishes is plainly TO- be seen--not 70
any purpose for order, and for the pre-
vention Of crime but solely asa mean
of coetSbg the people into he adoption
Of principles and measures to which Il !
known they are opposed, and upon whicl
tthsy have an -undenlable right to exercis
their own judement. ! submit 70 Oop
gress whether this measure is not, in i;
whole scope aud object, without preceden
and without authority-iu palpab!e, con
Alet with tho plainest provisions Of th,
Constitution, 2 aud utterly destructive b
those great principles Of liberty and hu