Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-05
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Elsewhere we present TO the readers of the
REPUBLICAN the first message Of President
JOHNSON to the two Houses of Congress- This
document Is not only his regular annual mes.
sage, but 1t must also be viewed as the in
augursl Of President JoHSsoS since this is
the hrst session Of Congress assembled sub
sequent to the assassination Of President
LINCOLN.
Seldom has a State paper been more anx.
iously looked for than this, and, from hur.
ried review Of its contents, we venture to
predict that no message, since the formation
Of the Government, will be more thoroughly
read, criticised, and debated by all classes
Of people, at home and abroad. 1t seems to
US that 1t must be everywhere approved by
the wise and thoughtful who love their coun.
try, love liberty, and desire to see the Con.
stitution perpetuated inviolate and the Union
Of the States preserved forever.
The President, after expressing thanks to
Almighty God for the preservation of the
United States, and paying q touching and
just tribute to the lamented LINCOLN, pro-
oeeds at once to announce with frankness
the principles whioa shall guide his conduct
and their application to the present state Of
affairs.
The message discusses with clearness the
formation of the Union, and shows that il
was intended to be perpetual also the
framing Of the Constitution, developing the
truism that it contains within itself ample
resources Of preservation that it has power
to enforce the laws and punish TREASON
This part of the message is worthy of the
closest attention Of the statesman and the
devoted thoughts of the American student
throughout the land. No State can nullify
the laws Of the Union. "The sovereign nty
Of the States" is the language of the Con.
foderacyt" and not the language of the Con.
stitution Of the United States.
The President explains clearly, ably, and
elaborately his views of the mutual relations
Of tho Constitution and the States. In this
explanation he unfolds the principle on which
he has sought to solve the momentous ques-
tions and overcome the appalling difficulties
that met him at the very commencement of
his administration.
The President sombats the idea of consid. |
ering the late rebellious States as 80 much
conquered territory. He thinks such a pol.
10y would endanger the purity of the general
administration and the liberty of the States
which remained loyal. The policy of mill
tary rule over conquered territory implies
that the late rebel inhabitants thereof have
ceased to exist. The President thinks that
the true theory is that all pretended acts of
secession were, from the beginning, null and
v0id.
II any State neglects or refuses to perform |
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
principle President JOHNSON has acted.
Tho President reviews his record in the
work Of restoration by a very concise and
interesting statement.
In exercising the power of pardon the
President says he has taken every precau.
tion To connect It with the clearest recogni.
tion Of the binding force of the laws of the
United States, and an unqualified acknowl-
edgment Of the great social change of con.
dition in regard to slavery which has grown
out Of the war. He also alludes to the step
he has taken to restore the constitutional
relations of the States by invitation to them
to participate in the high Office of amending
the Constitution-the adoption Of which re-
unites us beyond all power of disruption, and
Is "a pledge of perpetual loyalty and peace"
Having brought the States to the doors of
the two branches of the National Legisla,
ture, h< Leaves 1t to the member, Of tho,s tteo
SOdie' 10 Judge Of the elections, rsturns, and
gEaigfeations' Of their Oron members! Thus
the President, after faithfully doing his own
part Of the great work of restoration, with.
out trsnohing upon the Legislative branch
Of the Government with even suggestion,
he leans upon 1t oonhdingly, trusting in it.
wisdom and good judgment.
We call special attention to the PrsSidsnt'I
remarks on the subject Of treason and his
efforts to have traitors tried for that high
crime. He asks the early attention Of Con.
grsss to the subject to the end that, treasOnl