Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-06-22
WASHINGTON.
The President VetOes 1he Arkan-
saS Bill.

| WASHINGTON, June 20.
The President sent the following mes
sage to Congress to-day:
10 THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE -
| return without my signature bill en-
titled an act to admit the State of Arkan-
sas to repre- sentation in Congress. The ap-
proval of this bill would be an admission
on the part of the Executive that the act
Tor the more efficient government of the
rebel States, passed March I'd, 1867, and
the acts supplementary thereto, were prop
er and constitutional My opinion, however.
In reference to those measures has UNDER
gone no change, but on the Contrary
has been strengthened by the re-
suits which have attended their
execution. Even were this not the case. I
could not consent to bill which is passed
on the assumption either that by an act of
rebellion of portion of its people, the
state OF Arkansas seeded from the Union,
or that C9ngrass may, at its pleasure, expei
or exclude State from the Union, or in
terrupt its relations with the Government
by arbitrarily depriving it of representa-
tion in the Senate and House of Represen-
tatives. Ii Arkansas is not State in the
Union, this bill does not admit it as
a State. II, on the other hand,
it is State in the Union.
no legislation is necessary to declare it en-
titled to representation in Congress as one
of the States of the Union. The Constitu-
tion already declares that each State shall
have at least one representative; that the
Senate shall be composed of two Senators
from each State, and that no State without
its consent shall be deprived of its equal
suffrage in the Senate. 1t also makes each
House the judge of the election returns and
qualifications of its own members, and
therefore all that Is now >~cessary to Sc
cure Arkansas in all its Constitutional re-
lations to the Governmdnt is a decision by
each house upon the eligibility of those
who, presenting their credentials, claim
seats in the respective houses of Congress.
This is the plain, simple plan OF the Con-
stltution, and believing that had it been
pursued when Congress assembled in the
month of December, 1865, the restoration
of the States would long since have been
completed, l once again earnestly recon-
mend that 1t be adopted by each house in
preference to legislation, which 1
respectfully submit, is not only of
doubtful constitutionality, and there
fore unwise and dangerous as
precedent, but is unnecessary, not so effec-
tive in its operations as the mode prescrib-
ed by the Constitution, involves addition
al delay, and from its terms to be taken
rather as applicable to a territory about to
be admitted as one of the States, than a
State which has occupied a place in the
Union for upwards of quarter of CEN
tury. .
The bill declares Arkansas is entitled and
admitted to representation in Congress as
one of the States of the Union upon the
following fundamental conditions: That
the Constitution of Arkansas shall never
be so 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 Constitution herein
recognized, except for punishment for
that oil
at common, law whereof thew
shall have been convicted, equally applica-
BILE to all the inhabitants of the said State.
provided, any alteration of the said Consti-
tuition prospective in its effect NAV be made
in regard to time and place of residence of
voters.
1have been unable to find i'm the Consti-
tuition of the United States any warrant
for the exercise of the authority thus
claimed by Congress in assuming power to
impose fundamental conditions ON State
which has been duly admitted into the
Union on an equal footing with the origi-
nal States in all respects whatsoever. Con-
gress asserts right to enter State as it
may territory, and to regulate the high
est prerogative of free people, the cleo
tive franchise. This question is re-
served by the Constitution to the States
themselves, and to concede to Congress
the power to regulate this subject
would be to reverse the fundamental prin-
ciples of the Republic and place in the
hads of the Federal Governmet, which is a
creature OF the States or the people, the
true source of all political power by whom
our Federal sy stem was created and to whose
will it is subordinate. The bill fails to
provide in what manner the State of Ar
kansas is to signify its acceptance of the
conditions which Congress
endeavors to make unalterable and irrevoc-
able, nor does it prescribe the penalty to
be imposed should the people of the State
amend or change the particular
portions of the Constitution, which
it was one of the purposes of
the bill to perpetuate. AS to the con-
sequence of such action, leaves them in
and doubt. When the circum-
stances under which this Constitution has
been brought to the attention OF Congress
are considered, it is not unreasonable to
suppose that efforts will be made to modify
its provisions, especially those In respect
to which this measure prohibits any al
teration. g aa. % ~ ~.
1t is seriously questioned whether the
Constitution has been ratifiedb by majority
Of the persons who under the act of March
I'd, 1866, and the act supplementary there
to, were entitled to registration and to vote