The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-02
u,aet cSoverncr Amendments.

srshttker the Geversor would sigFor reluse
sr,-Stgn the amebdu sut TO the Stste CoDstl-
nutleu un regusd to the capisation taxi
-wtY4ch has been proposed by the swo houses
81 tte General Assembly. We had thought
tttge,lled that the Governor hiss nothing to
do with the proposing Of amendments 10 tue
4Csustftution. We have heard Indeed, that
Governor KBxrERS signed the joint resolu-
itson passed -auriag bis administration pro-
.Dosing certain amendments the Constitu-
dion: but we suppose that he did so because
ne approved Of those amendments, and be-
.csuse poauestiop was raised as to bis power
;tosveto them.
The language Of our State Constitution
and that Of the Constitutional the United
States are Almost identical SO far as the ques-
'tion wesre'now discussing Is concerned.
-Tbe-State Constitution provides:
"Any.amendmeut or amendments to the
sConstiiatioE may be proposed in the Senate
and House OF Delegates, and II the same
shall be agreed to by majority OF the MEM
hers elected to each Of the two houses"
&c.
ThesUailed States Constitution provides
.Tbe. Congress, whenever t,ro thirds Of
both houses shall deem it, necessary, shah
opeseameDdments to this Constitution
&c.
These two provisions are nearly the same
lin so 1ara they affect the right OF tie Gov
ernor or the President to veto Joint reso-
1u,ion proposing amendments to the State
orlto the Federal Constitution. Both Con-
stitutions have provisions requiring every
resolution to which the assent OF both
branches of the law-making body is neces-
sary to DE submitted TO the President or the
Governor for bis approval; but that In the
FederaEC Constitution rs much less clear In
defining what sort Of resolutions are
meant than Is that contained in the
Virginia Constitution. The former pro-
.yides that before any such resolution
."shail take effect" the President mus
sign II. The latter .ilrovides that every
such resolution shall ''ibsfore it becomes q
latc" be presented to the Governor for hi
signature. So thatin ihe case OF an amend
ment proposed by Congress, the President
might possibly have tharight to veto it. thu
language ."beiore 1t shall take effect
being broad enough t0eover joint resO
Hiuti0n proposing such an amendment
But the language OF eur state Constitution
cannot be made 10 include any resolution
except such as AZ become laws" when signed
by the Governor.
Mr.,LIxCoEx declined to sign the joint
resolution proposing the thirteenth amend.
,ment to the,U United States Constitution, &C.
scorling 10 eurrecollection ;,but as we have
,nothipg before rs TO show the fact, we viii
mot insist upon It,
But ANDREw JOHNSON. set a precedent
(which covers the case fully. In 1866 th'
two. houses Of, Congress proposed the four
teen,h amendment to the State Legislatures
for ratification. Nr.J0HEssNowas request
ED by Congress to submit the amendment
The record adds:
.HOnsIune Goth tie President [Johpson
submitted the report OF the Secretary Of
State THAT he had sent the joint resolution
proposing the amendments 10 the severa
sGovernox1 10 Congress. expressing at tn
same time his disdPraacat cfitAc amend
,saent."-7faStune Alssenae, 1867.
Evidently President JOHNSON had no,
fbeen asked to sign the idoint resolution,
since he tosSx. this occasion to express his
disapproyalsof the amendment, anu since
bedd not, veto 1t, as he ,wsalld certainly
bsyessxpne II te bad had the power.
II. tsen, bePresident bias not the power
in question, it's absolutely certain that il is
not possessed By our Governor. The latter
is required to sign only such deiat reselu-
kions as lssill :. become laws so soon as he
1eigps them. Ajjeint resolution proposing
q constitutional amendment is act lawlin
.this sense.
We conclude, therefore, that the Gov
Aasner of'yTginia has no power TO veto a
1sint resolution psoposing an amendment.
TO fhe Constitution il he signs one, his
Act gives itno ADDITIONAL validity.