The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1865-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

QepFeSeHtdttOeS
To express gratitude to God; in the name of
the people, for the preservation of the United
States, is my first duty in addressing you. Our
thoughts next revert to the death of the late
President by an act Of parrici6al treason. The
grief of the nation is still fresh; it finds some
solace in the consideration that he lived to eL-
ioy the highest proof Of it's confidence by enter
ing 90 the renewed term Of the Chief Asglstra-
CT, to which he had been elected; that ne
brought the civil war substantially to close;
that his loss was deplored in all parts of the
Union; and that foreign nations have rendered
Justice to his memory. His removal cast upon
me q heavier weight of cares than ever devolved
upon any one of his predecessors. To fulfil my
trust need the support and confidence Of all
who are associated with me in the various de-
partments Of Government, and the support and
confidence Of the people. There is but one way
in which l can hope to gain their necessary aid;
it is to state with frank ness the principles which
guide my conduct, and their application to the
present state of affairs, we'll aware that the eff
cheney of my labors will, in great measure, de-
pend on your and their undivided appreciation.
The Union of the United States of America
was intended by its authors to last as long as
the States themselves shall last. 1.-THE UNION
SHALL BE PERPETUAL" are the words of the
Confederation. "To FORM MORE PERFECT
UNION" by an ordinance Of the people OF the
United States, is the declared purpose Of the
Constitution. The hand of Divine Providence
was never more plainly visible in the affairs of
men than in the framing and the adopting of
that instrument Ii is, beyond comparison, the
greatest event in American history; and Indeed
Is it not of all eyeDts in modern times, the most
pregnant with consequences for every people of
the earth? The members of the Convention
which prepared it, brought to their work the
experience Of the Confederation, of their several
States, and of other Republican Governments,
old and new; but they needed and they obtained
a wisdom superior to Experience. And when
for its validity it required the approval of a
people that occupied large part of continent
and acted separately 10 many distinct conven
tions, what is more wonderful than that, after
earnest contention and long discussion, all feel
ings and all opinions were ultimately drawn in
ono way to its support?
The Constitution to which life was thus i'm
parted contains within itself ample resources for
its own preservation. 1t has power to enforce
the laws, punish treason, and ensure domestic
tranquility. In case of tie usurpation of the
Government of State by one man, or an oil
garchy, it becomes a duty of the United States
to make good the guarantee to that State of
TepuD :CdH lOEul OI government, anu 81 W ildlu-
tain the homogeneousness Of all Does the lapse
Of time reveal defects? A simple mode Of
amendment is provided in the Constitution it
self, so that lis conditions can always be made
to conform to the reS .lrements of advancing
civilization. No room is allowed even for the
thought of a possibility of its coming to an end,
And these powers Of solf-preservation have al
ways been asserted in their complete integrity
by every patriotic Chief Magislrate-by Jeffer-
son and Jackson, not less than by Washington
and Madison. The parting advice of the Father
Of his Country, while yet President, to the PEG
pie Of the United States, was, that ''the free
Constitution which was the work of their hands,
might be sacredly maintained;" and the inau-
gural words of President Jefferson held up ''the
preservation of the General Government, in its
constitutional rigor, as the sheet anchor of our
peace at home and safety abroad" The Con-
stituton is the work of "the people of the listed
States" and it should be as udestructible as the
people.
It is not strange that the trainers of the Con
stitution, which had no model in the past,
should not have fully comprchended the excel
lence Of their own work Fresh from strug-
gle against arbitrary power, many patriots suf-
fered from harrassinS fears of an absorption of
the State Governments by the General Govern
ment, and many from dread thas the States
would break away from their orbits. But the
very greatness of our country should allay the
apprehension of encroachments by the General
Government. .ate az subjects that come unques-
tionably withA'ats jurisdiction are so numerous,
that it must ever naturally refuse to be embar-
raised by questions that lie beyond it Were
1t otherwise, the Executive would sink beyond
the burden; the channels of justice would be
choked; legislation would be obstructed by ex-
cess; SO that there is greater temptation to
exercise some of the functions of the General
Government through the States than to trespass
on their rightful sphere "The absolute acqui-
essence in the decisions of the majority was at
the beginning of the century, enforced by JEFF
tersou ''as the vital principle of the republics"
and the events of the last four years have estab-
lished, we will hope forever, that there lies 10
appeal to force.
The maintenance Of the Union brings with
it "the support of the State Governments in all
their rights but it is not one of the rights of
any State Government to renouncc its own place
in the Union, or to nullify the laws of the In
ION. The largest liberty is to be maintained in
the discussion of the acts of the Federal Gov
eminent; but there is no appeal from its laws,
except to the various branches of that Govern
mcnt itself, or to the people, who grant to the
members Of the Legislative aud of the Execu-
tive Departments no tenure but limited one,
and in that manner always retain the powers of
redress.
''The sovereignty of the States" is the Ian
guage Of the Confederacy, and not the language
of the Constitution. The latter contains the
emphatic words: THE Constitution, aud the
Jaws of the United States which shall be made
in pursuance thereof aud all treaties made or
which shall be made under the authority of the
United States, shall be the supreme law of the