The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1868-07-29
The Veto of the Eleo oral College Bill.
WAsMINGrON July 20

ioE, ouiS ~.
President Johnson sen, IN to Congress to
day his message yctoing the electoral. col.
lege bill Tho message sent on Saturday
was ono constaining suggestions Of amend.
mcnis 10 the Constitution.
In vctoing this bill the President men i,
lions that the Southern Stntcs were never
| out Of the Union, and asserts that they were
practically ana constilutionally restored
previous to March, 1867 In nnrrating the
provisions Of the Constitution tho President
says; "Thc j"int resolution by implication
nj least, comedies tint these States were
states by virtue Oc ih"il Organization prior
10 the .tth Of. March, 1867, but denies 10
them ,hc right to voto in the election of
President and Nico President OF the United
States. 1t follows either that this assump
ton of power is wholly unauthorized hy the
Constitution, or that the states 50 excluded
from voting were out Of The Union by rcn.
son Of rebellion, and have never been
lcgiiimate!y rcstorcd. Being fully satisfied
that that they were never out of the Union,
and that their relations thereto have been
legally and constitutonally restored, AIN
forced to the conclusion that the Joint rcso-
luton which dnprvcs them of The right TO
have their vote for President received and
rountcl is in conflict with the Constitution,
ana that Congress has no more power to
reject their votes than those Ct the States
which have been uniformly loyal 10 the
Federal Government.
"lt is worthy ofrcmark, that if The States
whose inhabitants were recently in rebel
lion we're legally and constituionaily or
ganizcd and restored to their rights prior TO
lhe 9TH Of March, 1867, rs am satisfied
they were, the only Legitimate authority
under which the election for President and
Nicc.P President can be held therein must be
derived from the govcrnmen,s Instituted
nefmc that period 1t clearly follows that
all the State governments organized in those
States under the nets ofCongrcss for that
purpose, and under military control. arc
legitimate and of no validity whatever
ana in that view, the votos cast in those
States for President aud Vice President of
me united States, i'll pursuance Of acts
passed since the 18th Of March, 1857. and in
obedience to the SO-callcd reconstruction
acts ol Congress: cannot be legally received
and counted, while the only votes in those
States that can be legally cast and counted
wlll be those cast in pursuance of the laws
IN force in the several States prior TO the
legislation by Congress upon The SUBJECT of
reconstruction"
The President proceeds TO argue that
while the people ofthc Southern States were
Northern States were j. rebellion, and That
the rretext for cxe!U IN applies logically
and equally New York ANA Virginia. The
message concludes thus:
"ltCongrcss were to provide by law that
the votes Of none of the States should be
received and counted if cast ror candidate
who differed in political Scn,ment with n
majority of the two Houses. such lcgisla-
ton would at once be condemned by the
country MS an unconstitutional and rcvolu.
tionary usurpation of power. II wou'd.
however, be exceedingly difficult to find n
,hc Constitution any more authority Tor tho
passage OF the joint resolution, under con
Sideration than for an enactment locking
directly to tho rejection OF all votes not cast
in accordance with the political preferences
of majority OF Congress. No power exists
in the Constitution authorizing the Joint
resolution or the supposed !aH, the only
difference being that one would be more
palpahly unconstitutional and revolutionary
than the other. Both would rest upon the
Radical error that Congress has the power
10 prescribe terms and conditions to the
light Of the people Of the States to cast
their votes for President and Vice President
Of tho United States