Year: 1866

But the grayest objection remains 10 be
considered The Constitution Imperative
ly demands that every State shall be re-
presented in Congress, but here is a bill
affecting important interests, proposed TO
be passed at time when those States which
are particularly affected by it are excluded
from representation. The presence of
their delegates is necessary now, when
all conceivable assaults are made upon
the character and motives of their pao-
pie.


In the Presidents own words:


1t is plain that an indefinite or permc
nent exclusion of any part of the county
from representation must BE attended by
spirit OF disquiet and complaint 1t is
unwlse and dangerous to pursue course
of measures which VIII unite very large
section of the CO Qantry, however much the
latter may preponderatc. The course Of
emigration, the developments of industry
and business and natural causes, will raise
up at the South men as devoted to the Tn
ion as those of any other part of the land
But, if they are all excluded from Con-
gress-if, in a permanent statue, they are
declared not to be III full constitutional re-
lations to the country. they may think they
have cause to become a unit IN feeling and
sentiment against the government. Tn
der the political education Of the American
people, the idea i. inherent aud ineradi.a-
bic that the consent of the majority Of the
whole people is necessary to secure will
ling acquiescence in legislation.


The bill under consideration refers to
certain of the States as though they had
not been fully restored in all their consti-
tutional relations to the United States Ii
! they have not, let us at once act together
/ to secure that desirable end at the earliest
! possible moment 1t is ,rdlv necessary
/ for me to inform Congress that in my own
jud dgmcnt most of those States, so far at
least as depends upon their own action,
have already been fully restored, and are
to be deemed as entitled to enjoy their
constitutional rights as members of the
Crion. Reasoning from the Constitution
/ itself, and from the actual situation of the
country, feel not only entitled, but
bound to assume that with the Federal
courts restored, and those of the several
States in the full exercise of their func-
tons, the rights and interest of all classes
of the people will with the aid of the mil
itary in cases of resistance to the law, be
essentially protected against unconstitu-
tional Infringement and violatiou.' y


We congratulate the country on the
possession of so able, clcar-headed and
conscientious President, and rejoice tia;
he has taken issue with the radicals in 50
open, bold and patriotic a Document. -
/ Those wrctchcd scribbcrs who have been
trying to make the people Of the North
believe that if the bill were returned, it
would be objected to only on grounds of
detail, that could be easily accommodated,
now stand before the public in their true
light, as dcceivcrs, whether wilfu or from
! ignorance, We do not pretend to say
! The objections are of the most fundamcn-
tai character, and cannot be met except
by absolute retractons on the part Of Con-
greSs.


The issue is now joined and every man
must decide whether he will stand by An
DRE,3 JonN1eS in the interests of peace
prosperity and reconciliation, or rush with
the radical majority into anarchy and ruin
We have no doubt Of the decision Of the
great mass Of the people, and regard this
veto as the first crushing blow against the
wretchcd faction which has usurpcd the
powers lawfully belonging to Congress
of the Nation.