The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-12-20
ri From the Ohio Statesman. a
The Presidents Message.

President johnson has spoken to the
American people through an annual mes.
sage to Congress. Under existing circuri-
stances, II is as acceptible rs we had any
right to expect it, The President makes
the. argument that it IS impossible for a
] State to obtain from the Constitution of the
1 United States any sanction to withdraw from
the Union. He argues that the perpetuity
Of the Constitution of the United States
any sanction to withdraw from the Union.
be argues that the perpetnity of the Ccnsti-
tuition and of the States are insepaTably
connected, that the destruction of one is
the destruction of the other; that the States
| by attempting to secedc,, simply put them
selves in, "A condition wffre their vitality
was impaired, but not extinguished--th
functions suspended, but not destroyed
His argument is forcible; and to most minds
must be conclusive that no State succeeded
in withdrawing from the Union. 1t then
| follows, inevitably, that the respective
| Southern States that were lately in insur-
rection, possess the same rights and privi-
leges that they enjoyed before their people
| undertook to take them forcibly out of the
| Union. Those rights and privileges were
never impaired, except IN SO far as they
were impaired by the Military power of the
so-called Southern Confederacy. As soon
as that pressure was removed, the functions
of the States assumed their wonted tone,
unless they were again put in allegiance by
some other power. ~ I'i 81
The President says that he discarded the
idea of Military rule for the late insurgent
States, inasmuch as such rule would have
endangered the purity Of the general ad-
ministration and the liberties of the States
which remained loyal, and because it
would be putting into the hands of one man
more power than he should be willing to
trust to any one man, Fer this reason he
alleges that he has, gradually and quietly,
and by almost imperceptihle steps, sought
to restore the rightful energy of the Gener.
al Government, and of the States.p He
admits that the policy ad9pted was attend
I'd with some risk" 'fof tt$ success Yeq,tsres,
at least, The dcqstaescence of tte States aohich
1t concerns; that it implies an invitation to
those States, by renewing their allegiance
to the United States, to resume their func-
tions as States in the Union;' and for tho
purpose of securing the 'sacquiescence'' of
those States to renew their allegiance to
the United States, and to resume their pla-
ces in the Union,' he felt it incumbent on
him to offer to them an inducement to do
so, and that inducement he offered through
the pardoning power. This position would
seem to imply that if that should not be to
therl satisfactory inducement it would be
optional with them whether they would re-
new their allegiance to the United States
and resume their places in the Union or not.
In addition to this he has ''mctted' those
States to adopt the constitutional amend
ment abolishing slavery. He does. not claim
ihat he had any right q exact this at their
H.~iS, -. W. ..e tarWee lliem 10 aucr. t i i
through belief that its adoption would re-
move the bone of contention ut which the
North and South have becf knawing for
years, and over which they fought most
| desperately for four years, aud would there
by secure to the country fraternal feeling
amp lasting peace He contends that ''the
| amendment to the Constitution being adop-
ted, 1t aco,tld re'naha for the States whose
| powers had been so long in abeyance, to
resume tier pieces an tie ttco branches Of
| the National legislature, and this compile.
the acork Of reconstruction. All that Con
gress has to do in the matter, is to Judge Of
''the elections, returns and qualifications" of
its own members. 1t is no business of theirs
to make any other demands of those States
after they shall have adopted the Congress
sional amendment abolishing slavery-they
have no right to demand that, even, any
more than they. had right to demand its
adoption by the Legislature Of Ohio. y
The Presidents argument against Negro
Suffrage is about as conclusive as his argu-
ment against Secession, or against the the
ory that any Of the Southern States are out
of the Union, He thinks great point he's
been gained in securing the freedom Of the
Slaves, and all that is now necessary to do
in their behalf is to see tina. they are secu-
red in their freedom, aud in their rights of
person and property. 10y "a ,''''a