The Portland daily press., 1865-12-06
Peaceful emigration to and


from that portion of the country is one OF the
best means that can be thought OF for the res
toraton of harmony; and that emigration
would have been prevented; for what emil
grant abroad what industrious citizen at
! home, Vo,1ld place himself WILLINGLY under
! military rules The chief persons who would
| have followed in the tram OF the army would
have been dependents on the General Govern
| mant or men who expected profit from the
misayies of their erring fellow-citizens. The
mowers of patronage and rule which would
have been exercised, under the President, oy-
o. a vast and populous and naturally wealthy
region, are greater than, unless under extreme
necessity, should be willing to entrust to any
one man; they are such as, for myself, I
| could never, unless on occasions of great emer-
Sency. consent to exercise. The wilful use of
such powers, if continued through period of
years, would have endangered the purity of the
general administration and the liberties OF the
States which remained loyal.
Besides, the policy Of military rule over a
conquered territory would have implied that
the States whose inhabitants may have taken
| part in the rebellion had, by the act of those
inhabitants, ceased to exist. But the true
theory is, that all pretended acts of secession
were, from the beginning, null and void
The States cannot commit treason, nor
screen the individual citizens who may have
| committed treason. any more than they can
make valid treaties or engage in lawful COM
merce with any foreign Power. The States
attempting to secede placed themselves in
condition where their vitality was impaired,
but not extiguished-their functions suspend
| ed, but not destroyed.
But if any State neglects or refuses to per-
form its Offices, there is the more need that the
General Government should maintain all its
authority, and, as soon as practicable, resume
the exercise of all its functions. On this prin-
ciple l have acted, and have gradually and
quietly, and by almost imperceptib!e steps,
| sought to restore the rightiul energy of the
General Government and OF the States. To
that end, Provisional Governors have been ap-
pointed for the States, Conventions called,
Governors elected, Legislatures assembled, and
Senators and Representatives chosen to the
I Congress of the United States. At the same
time, the courts of the United States, as far as
could be done have been re-Opened, so that
the laws of the United States may be enforced
through their agency. The blockade has been
removed and the custom-houses re-estab!ished
in ports of entry, SO that the revenue of the
United States may be collected. The Post
Office Department. renews its eeaSeless activity,
and the General Government is thereby ena-
'bled to communicate promptly with its officers
and agents. The courts bring security to per-
sons and property; the opening OF the ports
| invites the restoration of industry and COM
merce; the post office renews the facilities of
social intercourse and OF business. And Is 1t
not happy for us all, that the restoration OF
each one of these functions OF the General
Government brings with it blessing to the
States over which they are extended2 Is it
not sure promise of harmony and renewed
| attachment to the Union that after all that
has happened, the return of the General Gov
ernment is known only as beneficence?
! know very well that this policy is attend
ed with some risk; that for its success it re-
1 quires at least the acquiescence of the States
which it concerns; and it implies an invita-
ton to those States by renewing their allie
| glance to the United States, to resume their
| functions as States of the Union. But it is a
risk that must be taken; in the choice of diff
ficulties, 1t is the smallest risk; and to dinlin
| ish, and If possible, to remove all danger, l
have felt it incumbent on me to assert ole
other power of the General Government-the
| power of pardon. AS no State can throw a
| defence over the crime of treason, the power
of pardon is exclusively vested in the Execu=
| tive Government of the United States. In
exercising that power, | have taken every pre-
caution to connect it with the elearast reeog-
milton of the binding force of the laws of the
United States, and an unqualified acknowl-
edgement of the great social change of con-
dition in regard to slavery which has grown
| out Of the war. 49, -v,4t s77Sa
| l.
the constitutional relations Of the States, has
been an invitation to them to participate in
the high Office of amending the Constit- ,tion.
| Every patriot must wish for general amnes-
| ty at the earliest epoch consistent with public
safety. For this great end there is need of o
concurrence Of all opinions, and the spirit of
mutual Cancellation. All parties in the late
terrible conflict must work together in harmo-
ny. 1t Is not too much to ask, in the name of
The whole people, that, on the one side, the
plan of restoration shall proceed in conformity
with willingness to cast the disorders Of the
past into oblivion; and that, on the other, the
evidence of sincerity in tbs future maintenance
of the Union shall be put beyond any doubt by
the ratification Of the proposed amendment to
the Constitution, which provides for the aboli-
ton OF slavery forever, within the limits OF our
country. So long as the adoption of ti:is
amendment is delayed, SO long will doubt, and
| jealousy, and uncertainty prevail. This is the
measure which will efface the sad memory of
| the past; this is the measure which will most
| certainly call population, and capital, and Sc
curity to those parts of the Union that need
| them most. Indeed, it is not too much to ask
Of the States which are now resuming their
places in the family Of the Union, to give this
| pledge of perpetual loyalty and peace. Until
it is done, the past, however much we may de-
| sire it, will not be forgotten. The adoption of
the amendment reunites us beyond all power
of disruption. 1t heals the wound that is
still imperfectly closed it removes slavery, the
element which has so long perplexed and di-
vided the country; it makes OF us once more
united people, renewed and strengthened,
bound more than ever to mutual affection and
support. -,,s- -~s~...-.
The amendment to the Constitution being
adopted, il would remain for the States, whose
powers have been solong in allegiance, to re-
sumo their places in the two branches of the
National Legislature, and thereby complete
the work of restoration. Here it is for you
fellow-eitizens Of the Senate, and for you fel-
low-citizens of the House of Representatives,
to judge, each of you for yourselves, of the
elections returns, and qualifications of your
own members.
POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The full assertion of the powers of the Gen
eral Government requires the holding of Cir
cult Courts of the United States within the
districts where their authority has been inter
rupted. In the present posture of our public
affairs, strong objections have been urged to
holding those courts in any of the States where
the rebellion has existed; and it was ascer-
tanned, by inquiry, that the Circuit Court of
the United States would not be held within
the District OF Virginia during the autumn or
early winter, mol. until Congress should have
San opportunity to consider and act ON the
whole subject" To your deliberations the
restoration of this branch of the civil author
ify of the United States is therefore necessa-
riiy referred, with the hope that early provision
will be made for the resumption of all its
functions. 1t is manifest that treason, most
fragrant in character, has been committed.
Persons who are charged with its commission
should have fair and impartial trials in the
highest civil tribunals Of the country, in order
that the Constitution and the laws may be
! fully vindicated; the truth clearly established
and affirmed that treason is CRIME, that
traitors should be punished and the offence
made infamous; and, at the same time, that
the question may be judicially settled, finally
and forever, that no State of its own will has
the right to renounce its place in the Union.
THE FREEDMEN.
The relations of the General Government