The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-01-10
Presidents VetO-Message of the Dis
tPict Suffrage Bill. J..

bAlOb OuAA Ns9O OAlAe
WASHINGTON, Jan.97. Is
To the Senateofthe United States: Ga
[ have received and considered the
hill entitled An act to regulate the
elective franchise in the District Of
Columbia, /" passed by the Senate on
the 18th Of December, and by the
House of Representatives on the sue
,ceeding day. It was presented for my
t approval on the, 18th -ult., six days af
ter the adjournment Of Congress. 1t
is now referred, with my objections,
to the Senate, in which House it orig
mated. Measures having been intro
duced at the commencement of the
first session of the present Congress
for the extensionof the elective fran
chise to persons of color in the Dis
trict of Columbia, steps were taken
by the corporate authorities of Wash
ington and Georgetown to ascertain
and make known the opinion of the
people Of the two cities upon sub
ject so Immediately affecting their
welfare as a community The ques-
ton was submitted to the people at
the special elections, held December,
1865, when the qualified voters of
Washington and Georgetown, with
great unanimity of sentiment express
ed themselves opposed to the contem-
plated legislation in Washington in a
vote of $685., the largest with but
two exceptions, ever polled in that
city. Only 35 ballots were cast for
negro suffrage; while in Georgetown
in an aggregate of 819 votes, a num-
Der considerably in excess of tire
average vote at the fourth preceding
annual election, but one was given in
favor of the proposed extension of
the elective franchise. AS these
elections seem toIhave'beenlconducted
with entire fairness the result mustbe
accepted as a truthful expression of
the people of thebDistrict, on the
question which evoked it, Possessing
as an organized community, the same
popular right as inhabitan Is of a State
or Territory, to make known their
Will on matters which affect their
social and political condition. they
could have selected no more Gapprol'
pirate mode of ,memorializing Con
gress upon the subject of this bin
than through the suffrage of. their
qualified voters efa g 1d#ss VS. ~
Entirely disregarding the wishes of
the people of the District of Column
bia, Congress has deemed it right and
expedient to pass the measure now
submitted formy signature. 1T there
fore becomes the duty of the Execu-
tive, standing between the legislation
of the one and the will of the other
party as expressed. to determine
whether he should approve the bill,
and thus aid in placing upon the
statute books of the nation law
against which the people tn whom it
is to apply have solemnly, and with
such unanimity protested, or whether
he should return it with his objec-
tons, with the hope that upon recon
siderati0n, Congress, acting as the
representatives of the inhabitants of
the seat of Government, will permit
them to regulate purely local ques-
ton as to them may seem best suited
to their interests and condition.
The District of Columbia was coded
to the United States by Maryland and
Virginia, in order that it might be-
come the permanent seat of Govern
ment of the United States. Accepted
by Congress, it at once became sub
ject to the exclusive legislation for
which provision is made in the Fed
eral Constitution. Itshould be borne
in mind, however, that in exercising
the functions as the law making
power of the District of Columbia
the authority of thesnation, the Legs
lature is not without limit, but that
Congress is bound to observe the let
ter and spirit of the Constitution, as
well as the enactment of local Flaws
for the seat Of Government, as in
legislation common to the entire
Union. -DfafF %
Were it to be admitted that the.l
right to exercise exclusive legislation
in all cases whatsoever conferred upon
Congress unlimited power within the
District of Columbia, titles of nobili-
ty might be granted within the United
States boundaries; laws might be
made respecting an establishment of
religion, or prohibiting the free exer-
else thereof, or abridging the freedom
VI speech, UT Vi GIIe press, OF the right
of the people peaceably to assemble
and to petition the Government for
redress Of grievances. Despotism
would thus reign at the seat of gov
eminent Of free republic, and as |
place Of permanent residence, it !
would be avoided by all who prefer
the blessings of liberty to the mere
emoluments Of official position. 1t |
should also be remembered that in
for the District of Column
bia under the Federal Constitution,
the relation of Congress to its in
habitants is analogous to that of a
legislature to the people of State
under their own local constitution.
1t does not, therefore, seems to be |
asking too much, that in matters per-