The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-07-01
Veto Of the Arkansas Bill,


IHe admission ofAiHo asas "Outs,de The
ConStitution'-- Tho, c,f1hddmeutH Con.
dtlions Objectionable to the STATE Vo-
! ters-No Lasting Peace from, such
LegiSlatton--d Return to lie Consti.
tuttonal mode Recommended. dc.
{ WAsMINGToN, June 2O.--The Presi.
| dent to-day sent message to Congress
vctong the bill admitting Arkansas into
the Union,
The message SAYS that the approval
OF the bill would be an admission that
the acts for the more efficient govern.
mcnt of the robel States, and the acts
supplementary thereto, were proper and
constitutional, whereas the President 5
opinion is unchanged in this respect
save that it rather strengthened by the
results attending their cxcculinn. If
! Arkansas is not State this bill doesn't
admit her. ] she is State, no lcglsla.
ton Is necessary to her representation in
Congress. Each House, under the Ton
slltnlion, judges the election returns and
the qualifications OF Its own members,
and nothing is necessary to +, store Ar.
kansas but a decision by each House
upon the eligibility Of those presenting
their credentials as representatives
This is the plain and slmpie plan of the
Constitution. Had it been adopted in
1865 instead Of legislation of doubtful
constitutionality, and therefore unwise
and dangerous, restoration would long
since have been accomplished. The
President again recommends the adop
ton OF the constitutional plan.
The terms proposed in the bill arc
scarcely applicable to q Territory.-ccr.
tanly not to State which has occuped
place in the Union overa quarter OF
century. Tie President is unable to
find authority for the conditions of the
bill in the Federal Constitution. The
elective franchise Is ;reservcd by the
Constitution to the States themselves.
The bill fails to provide how Arkansas
shall signify her acceptance Of the lunda.
mental conditions, nor does it prescribe
penalties for their notification. 1t is
seriously questioned by the President
whether the State Constitution has been
ratified according to the law assumed to
be in force before its adoption.
The Arkansas Constitution restricts
franchise on its ratification by tests un.
known s u! IN the rcconstrneieeee q lie 6}vA
and political rights Of all men. 1t is
well known that a large portion. if moi
a large majority, Of the electors do not
accept this test and if applied to voters
at the North, there is reason to believe
many OF them would remain away from
the polls rather than comply with its
degrading conditions. The President
concludes as follows:
"Should the people of Arkansas, there.
fore, desiring to regulate the State cleo
tive franchise 80 as to make it conform
to the Constitutions of a large proper
ton Of the States North and West,
modify the provisions referred to in the
fundamental condition, what is to be the
consequence Is it intended that a
denial Of representation shall follow !;
and if so, may we not dread at some fu
ture day a recurrence Of the troubles
which have long agtated tho country 2
would itnot be The part of wisdom to
take for our guide the Federal Constitn-
tion rather than resort to measures
which. looking only to the present, may
III a few years renew in an aggravated
form the strife and bitterness caused by
legislation which has proved to be i'll
timed and unfortunately