Veto Message
01/04/1867
https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu...
When this shall have been consummated, I pray God that the errors of the past may be forgotten and that once more we shall be a happy, unite...
A military republic, a government rounded on mock elections and supported only by the sword, was nearly a quarter of a century since pronoun...
I confidently believe that a time will come when these States will again occupy their true positions in the Union.
All this legislation proceeds upon the contrary assumption that the people of each of these States shall have no constitution except such as...