The States themselves had been asked to take Dart in the high function of amending the Constitution, and of thus sanctioning the extinction of African slavery as one of the legitimate results of our internecine struggle.
Johnson emphasizes the role of states in amending the Constitution to abolish slavery after the Civil War.
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I transmit to Congress the accompanying documents, which I deem it proper to state are all the papers* that have been submitted to the President relating to the proceedings to which they refer in the States of South Carolina and Arkansas.
Feeling constrained to withhold my consent, I herewith return the resolution to the Senate, in which House it originated, with a brief statement of the reasons which have induced my action.
I have been unable to find in the Constitution of the United States any warrant for the exercise of the authority thus claimed by Congress.
I transmit to the Senate, in further answer to their resolution of the 14th of April last, the accompanying report from the Secretary of State.
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