The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-03-12
THE VETO MESSAGE.
The Presidents OhjectiOns TO the
Bill Providing Military Govern
ments for the Rebel States.

!
l have examined the bill to provide for,
more efficient government Of the rebel
States, with that care aud anxiety which
its transccndent importance is calculated
to awaken. lam unable to give it my
assent for reasons so grave that hope a
statementof .hem may have some infu-
ence on the minds of the patriotic and
enlightened with whom the decision must
ultimately rest. The blu places all the
people of the Ten States therein named /
under the absolute domination of militia
~ rule, and the preamble undertakes to
give reasons upon which it is justified.
It 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 powers
executive, judicial and Legislative, which
properly belong to free State. They
are organized like the other States of the
Union, and like them they make, admin
lister and execute the laws which concern
their domestic affairs. An existing de
facto Government, exercising such func-
tions as these, is itself the law of the
State upon all matters within its juris-
dictien.
To pronounce the supreme law making
power of an established State illegal, is
to say that law itself is unlawful. The
provisions which these Governments have
made for the preservation of order, the
suppression of crime, and the redress of
private injuries are in substance and
principle the same as those which pre-
vail in the Northern States, and in other
civilized countries. They certainly have
not succeeded in preventing the commits
sion of all crime, nor has this been ac-
complished anywhere in the world; there,
as we'll as elsewhere, offenders sometimes
escape, for want of vigorous prosecu-
ton, and occasionally, perhaps, by the
ineficiency of courts or the prejudice OF
Jurors. 1t is undoubtedly true that these
evils have been much increased, and ag-
grivated, North and South, by the de-
moralizing influence of civil war, and by
the rancorous passions which the contest
has engendered; but that these people are
maintaining local governments for them
selves which habitually defeat the objec
of all government, and render their owl
lives and property insecure, is in itsel
utterly improbable, and the bill to tha
effectis not supported by any evidenc
which has come to my knowledge. al
the information / have on the subjec
conYinces me that the mass OF the South
ern people, and those who control thei
public acts, while they entertain diver
opinions on questions Of Federal polio
are completely united in the effort to OF
ganize their society on the basis of peac
and restore mutual prosperity as rapid
ard as completely as their circumstance
will permit.
The bill, however, would seem to sho
upon its face that the establishment {
peace and good order is not its real oil
ject. The fifth section declares that tt
proceeding sections shall cease to operat
In any State where certain events hay
happened. These are:
l. The election of delegates to Stat
Convention by an election, at which nj
groes shall be allowed tosyote.
2. The formation Of State Constitl
ton by the Convention so chosen.
81 The insertion into the State Const
tuition of provision which will secul
the right of voting at all elections to Il
negro, and such white men as may not
disfranchised for rebellion or felony.
4. The submission Of the Constitute
for ratification to the. negroes and viii
men not disfranchised, and its actual ra
ifeation by their vote.
5. The submission of the State Go
stitution to Congress for examination,a al
the actual approval of it by that body.
6. The adoption of a certain amen
ment to the Federal Constitution by
vote of the Legislature elected under t
new Constitution.
Z. The adoption Of said amendme
By a sufficient number of other States
to make tia part of the Constitution
the United States.
9All these conditions must be fulfill
before the people of any of these Sta
can be relieved from the bondage of N
itary domination;a but when they are +
filed then the pains and penalties of
bill are to- seease--ne matter whetl
there be peace and order or net, a
without reference to the security OF
and property.
The excuse given for the bill in
preamble is admitted in the bill itself
to be real. The military rule which
establishes is plainly to be uscd--not
any purpose of order, and for the prev
ton Of crime-but solely as a means
coercing the people into the adoption
principles and measurs to which it
s known they are opposed, and upon VII
they have an uudeniable right to exer'
their own Judgment. submit to, c
gress whether this measure is not, in
whole scope and object, without pre-
dent and without authority-in palpa
conflict with the plainest provisions
the Constitution, and utterly destruc
to those great principles of liberty
humanity for which our ancestors,
beth sidesof Che Atlantic, shed SO m
blood aud expended SO much treasure
The ten States named in the bill
divided into FIVE districts. FOR e
district an5effieer of the sarmy, not be
tberank-of Brigadier General, is to be
a-:.8ol - ,,,1a ovor tho nannln and