The Van Buren press., 1868-07-03
VETO OF THE ARKANSAS BILL
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT.
WASHINGTON, June &C

The President sent the following mes
sage to Congress to-day;
To the House of Representations!
! return without signature bill enti
tied :" An act to admit the State of Ar
kansas to representation in Congress "
To approve Of this bill would be an ad
mission OF the part of the Executive that
the act for the more efficient government
OF the rebel States, passed March 2. 1867,
and the acts supplementary thereto, were
proper and constitutional NY opinion
however, in reference to those measures
has undergone no change, but on the con
trary has been streng gthened by the results
which have attended their execution.
Even were this not the case, could not
consent TO bill which is based upon the
assumption that by an act Of rebellion Of
portion Of its people, the State Of Ar
kansas seeded from, the Union, or that
Congress may at its pleasure expel or ex.
clude any State from the Union, or inter
rupt its relation with the Government by
arbitrarily depriving it Of representation
in the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives. II Arkansas is not a State in the
Union this bill does not admit it as a
State If on the other hand it is State ia
the Union no legislation is necessary to
declare it entitled to representation in
Congress as one OF the States of the Un-
ion. The Constitution already declares
that each State shall have at least one
Representative, and that the Senate shall
be composed Of two Senator's from each
State; that no State without its consent
shall be deprived Of its equal suffrage in
that Senate, and also makes each House
the Judge Of election returns and qualii
cations of its own members, and there
fore all that is now necessary to secure
Arkansas in all its constitutional rela
tons to the Government is decision by
each House upon the eligibility of those
who, presenting their credentials, claim
seats in the respective houses Of Con-
gress. This is the plain and simple plan
of the Constitution; aud, believing that
had it been pursued when Congress as
sembled in the month ofDeccmbcr, 1865,
the resto oraton Of the States would long
since been completed. | once again earn
estly recommend that it be adopted by
each House. In reference to legislation
which respectfully submit which is not
only ofdoub:ful consttutionality, there
fore unwsc and dangerous as precc-
dent, but unnecessary, and not SO effec.
tive in its operation. AS the mode pre-
scrbed by the Constitution involves ad
ditional delay, and from its terms be
taken rather as applicable to a territory
about to be admitted as one of the Uni
ted States than State which has occu-
pied a place in the Union for upward Of
q quarter of a century, tho bill declares
Arkansas is entitled 10 be admitted to
representation in Congress as one of the
Sthates ofthe Union upon the following
fundamental conditions: |... .....
That the Constitution OF Arkansas
shall never be 30 amended or changed as
to deprive any citizen, or class Of citizens,
OF the United States, Of the right to vote
who are entitled to vote by the Constitu
ton herein recognised, except for pun.
ishment for crimes that are now felonious
vt common law, whereof they shall have
been convicted, Is usually applicable 70
all the inhabitants OF said State, provid
cd, any alteration Of said Constitution
prospective In its effect may be made in
regard 10 timc,and place Of residence OF
NOtcrb, .tr.. ...... .l|.