The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-27
n1e...xsaSfi aSs 9p,tie.ident.

THE "wH1TE BILL FOB THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.
The President on Thursday last sent to the
Senate the following communication:
r. To the Senate Of the United states: I have
received the following preamble and resolu
ton, adopted by the Senate on the 9Th In
stant: .-1-.- I'd. - = -
''Whereas Senate bill numbered one hun
dred and forty and entitled 'An act for the
further security Of equal rights In the Distfic,
| Of Columbia having, at this present session
passed both houses Of Congress, was after
wards, on the eleventh day Of December
eighteen hundred and si1ty,seven, duly pre-
sented to the President of the United States
for his approval and signature; and whereas,
more than ten days, exclusive Of Sundays, have
since elapsed in this session without said bill
having been returned, either approved or dis
1fResoIued, That the President Of the United
States be requested to inform the Senate
whether said bill has been delivered to and re-
eeiyed by the Secretary Of State, as provided
seventh day of July, seventeen hundred ~
eighty-nine."
AS the act which the resolution mentions
has no relevancy to the subject under inquiry,
it ia presumed that it was the intention Of the
Senate to refer to The Law Of the 18th Septem-
ber.. 17S9, the second section OF which pre-
WThat whenever bill, order, resolution or
vote of the Senate and House of Representa-
tives, having been approved and signed by the
President Of the United States, OF not having
been returned by him with his objections,
shall become law or take effect, it shall forth
with thereafter be received by the said Secre-
tary from the President; and whenever bill
order. resolution or vote shall be returned by
the President, with bis objections, and shall
on being Ieconsidered, be agreed to be passed,
and be approved by two-thirds Of both houses
of Congress, and thereby become q law or take
effect. It shall, in such case be received by the
said Secretary from the Presldent OF the Ben
tiyes, in whichsoever house it shall last have
been 30 approved.
Inasmuch as the bin 'tfor further security
of eousl rights in the District Of Columbia" has
not become law in either OF the modes desig-
mated in the section above quoted, it has not
been delivered to the Secretary of State for rec
ord and promulgation. The constitution ex-
returned by the President within ten days lSun-
lays excepted) after it shall have bsen present
ed to him, the same shall be law IN like man
ner as IL he had signed it, unless Congress-, by
their adjournment, prevent it's return in which
case 1t shall not be law" AS stated in the
preamble to the resolution, the bill to which it
refers was presented for my approval on the
| l1th or december, 1oof. Ou Guo lom VI enuo
month, and before the expiration OF TIE ten days
after the presentation OF the bill to the Presi-
dent, the two houses, in accordance with con-
current resolution adopted on the Sd Decem-
ber, adjourned until the 9th Of Jaruary, 1858.
Congress, by their adjournment, thus prevent
ed the return OF the bill within the time pre-
scribed by the constitution, and it was there
fore left in the precise condition in which that
instrument positively declares bill "shan not
be law"
1.-THE adjournment in December did not cause
the failure Of this bill because not such an ad-
iournment as is contemplated by tbs constitu-.
tion in the clause which have cited, it must
follow that such was the nature Of the ed
iournments during the past year, on the SOth
dav of March until the first Wednesday OF
July, and from the goth of July until the 21st
of November. Other bills will therefore be at,
fected by the decision which may be rendered
in this case among them one having the same
title as that named in the resolution, and con-
tanning similar provisions, which, passed by
both houses in the month Of July last, failed to
| become law by reason Of the adjournment ol
| Congress before ten days for its consideration
| had been allowed the Executive.
'-~N 0o''' ANDREW JOHNSON.
WARRINGTON January 49, 1868.