Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-12-08
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,
Feiio.C Citizens of the Senate and House
of Representatives.

by an act of parricidal treason. Tn,
grief Of tho nation is still fresh: i
finds some solace in the consideration
that he lived to enjoy the highest proc
of it's confidence by entering on the re
newed term OF the Chief Magistracy. t.
which he had been elected that ht
, brought the civil war substantially to {
close; that this loss was deplored in al
parts of the Union; and that foreign
nations have rendered justice to hi:
|, memory. His removal cast upon me 4
: heavier weight of cares than ever de.
volved upon any one of his predeces
sors. To fulfil my trust | need the sup
port and confidence of all who are asso-
ciated with me in the various depart
ments of the government, and the sup
port and confidence of the people
There is but one way in which can
hope to gain their necessary aid it is,
to state with frankness the principles
which guide my conduct, and their APP
plication TO the present state of affairs,
well aware that the efficiency of my la
bors Will, in great measure, depend
on your and their undivided apprOba-
ton.
The Union Of the United States OF
EAmerica was intended by its authors to
last as long as the States themselves
|
petual,n are the words of the confedera-
ton. ITO form more perfect Union"
by an ordinance of the people of the
| United States, is the declared purpose
of the constitution. The hand of Di-
vine Providence was never more plain
ly visible in the affairs of men than in
this framing and the adopting of that
instrument. 1t is, beyond comparison,
the greatest event in American history;
and indeed is it not, at all events in
modern times, the most pregnant with
consequences for every people of the
earth? The members of the Conven-
ton which prepared it, brought to their
work the experience of the Confedera-
ton, of their several States, and of 9TH
cr Republican Governments. old and
new; but they needec and they OBJ
tanned wisdom superior to experience.
And when for It's validity it required
the approval of q people that occupied
a large part of a continent and acted
separately in many distinct conven-
tons, what is more wonderful than
! that, after earnest contention and 10. &
! discussion, all feelings and all opinions
were ultimately drawn in one way to
its support?
| The Constitution to which life was
| thus impaired contains within itself
ample resources forts own preservation.
lt has power to enforce the laws, punish
| treason, and ensure domestic tranquil
| ty. In case OF the usurpation of the
! Government of a State by one man, or
an oligarchy, it becomes a duty of the
. United States to make good the guaran-
| tee to that State of " Republican form
of Government, and so to maintain the
| homogeneousness of all. Does the lapse
! nf IL ii, Ia D.,
Of amendment is provided i'm the Con-
stituton itself, SO that it's conditions
| can always be made to conform to the
! requirements of advancing civilization.
/ No room is allowed even for the tho't
! Of possibility of it's coming to an end.
/ And these powers of sulf-preservation
/ have always been asserted in their COM
piete integrity by every patriotic Chief
! Magistrate-by Jefferson and Jackson
not less than by Washington and Mad
ison. The parting advice of the Father
Of his Country, while yet President, tC
the people of the United States, was
that the free Constitution, which was
the work of their bands, might be sa
credly maintained; - and the inaugural
words of President Jefferson held "a,
1.-THE preservation of the General Gov.
crnment, in it's constitutional vig0r. af
~
and safety Abroad The Constitution
is the work of 1.-THE people OF the Unit
ed States,n and it should be as indie
. structible rs the people.
1t is not strange that the trainers 0
the Constitution, which had no mole
in the past, should not have fully com
. pretended the excellence Of their OWL
work. Fresh from a struggle aga!na
arbitrary power, many patriots suftare,
from harraSsing fears Of an absorption
, of the State Governments by the Gen
; eral Government, and many from {
? dread that the States would break awaS
from their orbits; but the very great
ness of our country should allay the ap
prehensions of encrOaChmentS by Tx
General Government. The subject,
that come unquestionably within It.
jurisdiction are SO numerous, that i
must ever naturally refuse to be embar
rassed by questions Cat lie beyond it
. Were it otherwise, the Executive W Quiz
sink beneath the burden; the channel
Of justice would be choked: legislation
would be INSTRUCTED by excess; so tina
there Is greater temptation to eXerCiS
some of the functions of the Genera
Government through the States than T.
, tre5pass on their rightful sphere. 9TH
, absolute acquiescnce in the decisions @
the majority was, at the beginning o
the century, enforced by Jefferson "a
the vital principle of republics" ant
the events of the last four years hay.
, established, we will hope forever, tina
there lies no appeal to force.
The maintenance of the Union bring
with it - the support of the State Gov
|. ernments in all their rights" but it il
not one OF the rights Of any State Gov
RI 70 Il /,
the Union, or to nullify the laws of tn,
: Union. The largest liberty is to b.
, maintained in the discussion of the act
of the Federal Government; but Their
is no appeal from its laws, except to tn
various branches of that Goverhmen
itself or to the people, who grant to til
members of the Legislative and of tn
Executive Departments no tenure bu
Il limited one, and in that manner al
, ways retain the powers of redress.
The sovereignty of the States" i
the language of the COntederacy, ant
not the language of the Constitution
. The latter contains the emphatic words
, THE Constitution and the laws of til
. United States which shall be made il
pursuance thereof, and all treaties mad
or which shall be made under the au
, thority of the United States, shall b
=
Judges in every State shall be boun
thereby, anything in the Constitution
or laws of any State TO the contrar,
; Notwithstanding
, Certainly the Government of the L
;. is limited Government; and so
every State Government limited Gov
ernment. With us, this idea of limita
ton spreads through every form of ad
ministration, general, State, and munic
4 ipal, and rests on the great distinguish
5 ing principle of the recognition of tn
!, !iistts OF man. The ancient republic
), absorbed the individual in the State
prescribed his religion, and controlle
= his activity. The American system
rests on the assertion of the equal RICH
of every man to life, liberty, and til
'! pursuit of happiness to freedom {
/ conscience; to the culture and exercis
g of all his faculties. As consequence
the State Government is limited, as t
> the General Government in the interes
4 of Union, as to the individual citizen i
/. the interest of freedom.
States, with proper limitations of pow
2 er, are essential to the existence of til
- n