The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-06-23
Veto Of the Bill for the Admission oi
~ s-y Arkansas. -s3f ~..r- ---
The House of REPRESENTATIVES !:

however, in reference to those measures
has undergone no change, but, on the con-
rary, has been strengthened by the results
which have attended their execution.
e Even were this not the case, could not
consent te bill which is based upon the
presumption either that by on act of re-
bellion of a portion of it's people the State
of Arkansas seeded from the Union, or
that Congress may, at its pleasure, expel or
exclude State from the Union, or inter-
rupt it's relations with the Government, by
arbitrarily depriving it of representation
in the Senate and House of Representatives.
If Arkansas is a State not in the Union,
this bill does not admit it as State into the
Union.
If, on the other hand, Arkansas is State
in the Union, no legislation is necessary to
declare it entitled "to representation in
Congress as one of the States Of the Union"
-Theo Constitution already declares that
leach State shall have at least one repre-
sentative %; that "the Senate shall be COM
posed of two senators from each State %;
and "that no State, without its consent,
shall be deprived of its equal suffrage in
the Senate"
That instrument also makes each House
" the judge Of the elections, returns, and
qualifications of its own members %; and
therefore all that is now necessary to re-
store Arkansas in all it's 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 Congress.
This is the plain and simple plan of the
Constitution, 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 it be adopted by each House in
preference to legislation which, l respect
fully submit, is not only of at least doubt
full constitutionality, and therefore unwise
and dangerous as q precedent, but it is un-
necessary, not so effective in it's operation
as the msde prescribed by the Constitution,
involves additional delay, and from it's
terms may be taken rather as applicable to
o Territory about to be admitted as one Of
the United States than to State which has
occupied place in the Union for upwards
of quarter of century.
The bill declares the State of Arkansas
!" entitled and admitted to representation in
Congress as one Of the States of the
Union upon the following fundamental
condition
: "That the Constitution of Arkansas shall
never be so amended or changed as to de-
prive 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 as punishment for such
crimes as are now felonies at common law,
whereof they shall have been duly con-
victed under laws equally applicable to all
the inhabitants of said State PrOUided,
That any alteration of said Constitution,
prospective in its effect, may be nadein re-
gard to the time and place Of residence Of
voters" !" ~ '
- l have been unable to find in the Consti-
tuition of the United States any warrant for
the exercise of the authority thus claimed
by Congress. In assuming the power to
impose a 4" fundamental condition upon q
State which has been duly "admitted into
the Union on an equal footing with the
original States in all respects whatever" +"
Congress asserts right to enter State Us it
may Territory, and to regulate the highest
prerogative Of free people-the elective
franchise.
( This question is reserved by the Consti-
tuition to the States themselves, and to con-
cede to Congress the power to regulate this
subject would be to reverse the fundamental
principles of the Republic, and to place in
the hands of the Federal Government,
which is the creature of the States, the
sovereignty which justly belongs to the
States or the people, the true source of all
political power, by whom our Federal sys-
tenn was created, and to whose will it is
subordinate.
The bill fails to provide in what manner
the State of Arkansas is to signify its ac-
ceptance of the he1"fundamentala condition u
which Congress endeayors to make unalter-
able and irrevocable. Nor does it pre-
scribe the penalty to be imposed should the
people of the State amend or change the
particular portions of the Constitution
which it is one Of the purposes of the bill
to perpetuate, but leaves them in uncer-
tainty and doubt as to the consequences OF
such action. When the circumstances under
which this Constitution has been brought tc
the attention of Congress are considered, II
is not unreasonable to suppose that efforts
will be made to modify its provisions, and
especially those in respect to which this
measure prohibits any alteration.
It is seriously questioned whether the
Constitution has been ratified by, o majority
of the persons who, under the act of March
2, 1867, and the acts supplementary thereto
were entitled to registration and to vote upor
that issue. Section 10 of the schedule pro-
yides that "no person disqualified from
voting or registering under this Constitution
|, shall vote for candidates for any Office, mol
shall be permitted to vote for the ratification
or rejection Of the Constitution at the polli
herein authorized" Assumed to be in force
before it's adoption, in disregard of the Law
of Congress, the Constitution undertakes u
impose upon the elector other and furthel
conditions. The fifth section Of the eighth
article provides that "all persons. before
registering or voting," must take and SUB
scribe an oath which, among others, con
tains the following clause
E"tThat accept the civil and polltiea
equality Of all men, and agree not to attemp
to deprive any person OF persons, on accoun ll
fsof race, color, or previous condition, of an.
political orcivil right, privilege, or lmmu
nifty enjoyed by any other class OF men H., -
It is wen known that a very large portiol
of the electors in all the States, # nota iarg'
majority Of all Of them, do not believe IN O
acceptthe political equality Of Indians, MON
| golians, Or negroes with the raee to which
theyibelong. the voters in many Of tn
States Of the North and West were require'
to taksssreh an oath as test OF their quai