Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-07-21

cannot refrain from directing your specIa
attention to the declaration contained in the
Joint resolution, that t.none OF the States whose
Inhabitants were lately In rebellion shall be en-
titled to representation IN the electoral col
lege, etc. l. .a;.f. ..G.t.-,
If it is meant by this declaration. that no
States is to- be allowed to vote for President
and Vice President, all of whose inhabitants
were engaged in the late rebellion, it Is aappa-
rent that no one ofthe States will be excudec
from voting, since it is well known that !, II
every Southern States there were many lnna1l
tants who not only did not participate IN the
rebellion, but who actually took part in it's sup
preston, or refrained from given it any aid o.
| countenance. I therefore conclude that the
| true meaning OF the joint resolution is, that nc
State, portion of whose inhabitants were en-
gagged in the rebellion, shall be permitted, to
participate in the Presidential election, except
| upon the terms and conditions therein pre-
scribed. - 3h2G1 ~; g.; - .ai 1870.
| Assuming this to be, the true construction
of the resolution, the inquiry becomes peril,
nent, may those Northern States-a portion OF
whose inhabitants were actually IN the rebel
ion-be prevented at the discretion OF Con.
gress from having their electoral votes counted!
It is is we'll known that portion OF the ilnhaD-
itants of New York, and a portion OF the IN
habitants of Virginia were alike engaged IN
the rebellion, yet it is equally we'll koown that
Virginia, as we'll as New York, was at all
times during the war recognized by the Fed
eral Government as State in the Unlon.so
clearly that upon the termination OF hostllltles
it was NOT even deemednecessary Tor her res
torationthat provisional governor should be
appointed. Yet, according to this joint reso-
luton, the people Of Virginia, unless they
comply with the terms it prescrlbes, are
denied the right of voting for President,
while the people Of New York, portion
Of the inhabitants Of which State were also
in rebellion, are permitted to have
their electoral , votes counted, WITHOUT
undergoing the process of reconstruction
prescribed for Virginia. New York is no more
a State than Virginia !; the one is as much en-
titled to be represented 10 the electoral college
as the other If Congress has the power to
deprive Virginia Of this right it can exercise
the same uthority with respect to New OK
or any other of the States. Thus the result OF
the Presidential election may be controlled
and determined by Congress, and the people be
deprivd of their rights under the Constitution !
to choose President and Vice President OF
the United States.
If Congress were to provide by law that the
votes OF none Ol Cue OIalcS SuOul0 W 1oCStsSo
and counted if cast for candidate who differed
in political sentiment with majority OF the
two Houses, such legislation would at once be
condemned by the country as an unconstltu-
tional and revolutionary usurpation OF power
It would, however, be exceedingly difficult to
find in the constitution any more authority Tor
the passage Of the joint resolution under con
sideration than for an enactment looking direct
Iy to the rejection of ali votes not 10 accordance
with the political preferences Of majority OF
Congress. No power exists in the Constitu-
ton authorizing the joint resolution or the sup
posed law-the only difference being that one
would be more pa!pably unconstitutional and
revolutionary than the other. Both would
rest upon TIM radical error that Congress has
the power to prescribe terms and conditions to
the right OF the people of the States to cast
their votes for President and Vice President.
For the reasons thus indicated, am con-
strained to return the joint resolution to the
Senate for such further action thereon as Con
gress may deem necessary.
Q ~, ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, July 20, 1868.
WASHINGTON, July 20.-The Senate this
afternoon, by vote of IS to s, passed the
Electoral College bill over the Presidents veto.