Year: 1866

scented in either branch of Congress. 1t


would seem to be his duty on all proper oc-
| casions to present their just claims Of Con-
grcss. There always will be differences of
opinion in the community, and individuals
ntay bc guilty Of transgressions of the law
Bat these do not constitute valid objections
against the right Of State to representa-
ton. 1t would in no wise interfere with
regard to the qualification of members but
hold II my duty to recommend to you in
| the interests Of the Union, the admission of
very State TO its share Of public legsla-
ton. when, however, insubordinate, insur-
gent or rebellious its people may have
been, it presents itself not only in an att-
tude Of loyalty and harmony, but in the
persons of representatives whose loyalty
cannot be questioned under existing consti-
tutional or legal test 1t is plain that an IL
definite or permanent exclusion of any part
OF the country from representation must be
attended by spirit of disquet and com
pIaint. 1t is unwise and dangerous to pur-
sne course of measures which will unite
any large section of the country against
another section of the country, no matter
.how much the latter may predominate The
course OF immigration, the development of
industry and business and natural causes
will rise up at the South men as devoted to
the Union as those of any other part of the
land. Bat if they are all excluded from
Congress if Ill a permanent statue they
are declared not to be in full constitutional
relations to the country, they may think
they have cause to become a unite in feel
ing and sentiments against the Government.
mdcr the political education Of the Amcri-
can people, the idea is inherent and nera-
dIcablc that the consent of the ma jOrlty of
the whole people is necessary to secure a
willing acquiesccnce in legislation The
bill under consideration refers to certain of
the States as though they had not "heen
fully restored III all their constitutional re-
latlons Of the United States" If they have
not let Us at once act together to secure
that desirable end at the earliest possible
moment. 1t is hardly necessary for me to
inform Congress that, in my own Judgment,
most of those States, so far at least as de-
peuds upon their own action, have already
been fully restored, and are to be deemed
to be entitled to enjoy their constitutional
rights as members of the Union. Reason
ing 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 in the sew
eral States and in the full exercise Of their
functions, the rights and interests of all
classes of the people will, with the aid of
the military, in cases Of assistance to the
law, be essentially protected against ur-
constitutional infringement and VIC alton.
Should this expectation unhappily fail,
which do not anticipate, then the Execu
tive is already armed with the powers con-
ierred by the act of March. 1865, establish
ing the Freedn4en'S Bureau and hereafter,
as heretofore, he can employ the land and
naval forces of the country to suppress i'll
surrcction and to overcome Instructions to
the laws.


return the bill to the Senate in the ear
nest hope that measure involving qucs-
tons and interests 50 important to the
country viii not become law unless upon
deliberate consideration by the people it
shall receive the sanction If an enhghten-
ed public Judgment.


ANDREW JOHNSON.