Year: 1864

sen, Is cOnclu, lively establishes when tllev
are rejected, It's existence is as conclusiyely
rejected and denied; and to this judgement
the President is bound TO submit.


The President proceeds to express his un-
Willingness ito declare constitutional com.
potency in Congress to abolish slavery in
states, as another reason for not signing
the bill


But the bill nowhere proposes to abolish
slavery in States.


The bill did provide that all slaves in the
rebel States should be manumitted.


But as the President had already signed
three bills manumitting several classes of
slaves IN States; it is not conceived possible
that ne entertalned any scruplcs touching
that provision Of the bill respecting which
he is silent


He had already himself assumed right
by proclamation to free much the larger
number Of slaves in the rebel States. under
the authority given him by Congress to use
military power to suppress the rebellion:
and 1t IS quite inconceivable that the Presi-
dent should think Congress could vest in
him discretion it could not exercise itself


1t Is the unintelligible from the fact that
except in respect TO a small part Of Virgin
ia and Louisiana, the bill covered only what
the proclamation covered-addcd a Con-
gressional title and judicial remedies by law
to the disputed title under the proclamation
and perfected the work ofthe President pro-
clamation and perfected the work the Pres
ident proicsscd to be so anxious to accom-
plish,


Slavery as an institution can be abolished
only by a change of the Constitution of the
United States or Of the law Of the State and
this Is the principle Of the bill


1t required the new Constitution of the
State to provide for that prohibition; and
the President, in the face Of his own proc
amation, does not venture to object to in
sisting on that condition. Nor will the
country tolerate its abandonment-yeth he de-
featcd the only p>ovision imposing it


But when he describes himself, in spite
of this great blow at emancipation, as sin.
cerely hoping and expecting that constitu
1 throughout the nation may be adopted, =" w
curiously enquire on what his expectation
rests, otter the vote Of the House Of Rep
resentatives at the recent session. and in thu
face Of the political complexion Of more
than enough Of the States to prevent thu
possibility Of its adoption within any rea
sonablc time; and why he did not indulge hi
sincere hopes with 50 large an installmen
of the blessings as his approval of the bill
! would have secured.


After this assignment of his reasons fol
preventing the bill from becoming a law,
the President proceeds to declare his pur-
pose to execute it as law by his plenary
! dictorial power.


| He says:


Nevertheless, am fully satisfied with
the system for restoration contained in the
bill as one very proper plan for the loyal
people Of any State choosing to adopt it;
/ and that am, and at oil times shall be, pre-
/ pared to give the Executive aid and assist
ance to any such people so soon as the mill
tary resistance to the United States shal
| have been suppressed in any such State
and the people thereof shall have sufficient
~ returned to their obedience to the Con


stitution and the laws of the United States
in which coses Military Governors will b
! appointed, with directions to proceed accol
t ding to the bill.


4 more studded outrage on the legisl;
5 tive authority Of the people has never bee
perpetrated.


: Congress passed bill; the President IT


fused to approve it, and then by proclaim;
: ton puts as much Of it in force as he see
fit, and proposes to execute those parts b
officers unknown to the laws of the Unite


States and not subject to the confirmation
of the Senate


The bill directed the appointment of Pro
visional Goqernors by and with the advic
and consent OF the Senate.


The President, after defeating the law
proposes to appoint without law, and with
outthe advice and consent of the senote
Military Governors for the rebel States


He has already exercised this dictoria
usurpation in Louisiana. and he defeated
the bill to prevent its limitation.


Henceforth wemust regard the followin!
precedent as the Presidential law of tn,
: Rebel States