Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1865-12-16

|
Union that after all that has happened, the
return of the General Government is known
only as benefcencel
| know verpwell that this policy Is at
tended with some risk that for its success
| it requires at least the acquicsccnce of the
States which it concerns that it implies an
invitation to those States, by renewing their
allegiance to the United States, to resume
their functions as States of the Union. But
it is risk that must be taken in the choice
Of difficulties, it is the smallest risk and to
diminish, and if possible, to remove all dan
ger, have felt it incumbent on me to assert
one other power of the General Government
the power of pardon.
| AS no State can throw defense over the
crime of treason, the power of pardon is ex-
J clusivcly vested in the Executive Govern
( ment of the United States. In exercising
that power, have taken every precaution
to connect it with the clearest recognition of
I the binding force of the laws of .he United
States, and an unqualified acknowledgment
of the great social change of condition in
regard to slavery which has grown out of
the war.
The next step which l have taken to
restore the constitutional relations of the
States, has been an invitation to them to
the Constitution. Every patriot must wish
for a general amnesty at the earliest epoch
consistent with public safety. For this
great end there is need of a concurrence of
all opinions, and the spirit oc mutual con-
| ciliation. All parties IN the late terrible
| conflict must work together in harmony. 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 con-
formity with willingness 60 cast the disor
ders of the past into oblivion; and that,
on the other, the evidence of sincerity in the
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 abolition of slavery
forever within the limits of our country. So
long as the adoption of this amendment is
delayed, so long will doubt and jealousy and
uncertainty prevail. This is the measure
| which will etlacc the sad memory of the
past; this is the measure which will most
certainly call population and capital and
security 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 i: is done, the past, however much
we may desire it, will not be forgotten
The adoption of the amendment rcunites us
beyond all power of disruption. 1t heals
the wound that is still so imperfectly closed;
it removes slavery, which has SO long per-
picked and divided the country it
makes Of us once more united people, re-
newcd and strengthened, bound more than
ever to mutual affection aud support.
The amendment to the Constitution being
adopted, it would remain for the States,
whose powers have been SO long in abey-
ance, to assume their places in the two
branches of the National Legislature, and
thereby complete the work of restoration.
Here it is for you,.:ellow citizens of the
Senate, and for you, ellowcitizens of the
House of Representatives, to judge, each of
you for yourselves, of the elections, returns,
and qualifications of your own members.
The full assertion of the powers of the,
General Government requires the holding of
Circuit Courts of the United States within
the districts where their authority has been
interrupted. 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 ascertained. 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, nor
until Congress should have "an opportunity
to consider and act on the whole subject"
To your deliberations the restoration of
this branch of the civil authority Of the
United States is therefore necessarily refer
red, with the hope that early provision will
be made for the resumption Of all its func.
tions. 1t is manifest that treason, most
hagrant in character, has been committed
Persons who are charged with its com.
mission should haze fair and impartial trials
in the highest civil tribunals of the country.
in order that the Constitution and the laws
may he fully vindicated; the truth clearly
established and affirmed that treason is u
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
alta own viii has the right to renonnGe It's
place in the Union.
The relations of the General GoYeynment
towards the four millions of inhabitants
whom the war has called into freedom have
engaged my most serioua aconsids.a,ion. On
the propricty of attempting to make the
freedmen electors by the proclamation of the
Executive, took !or my counsel the Consti-
tuition itself the interpretations OF that instru-
ment ny its authors and their contemporaries,
and recent legislation by Congress. When, at
she first movement towards Independence,
the Congress of the United States in-
structed the several States to institute gev-
| ernments of their own. they left each State
to decide for itself the conditions for the en-
joyment of the elective franchise
During the period of the Confederacy,
there continued to exist a verygreat diversity
in the qualifications of electors in the several
States; and even within State distinc-
tion of qualifications prevailed with regard
to the Officers who weFc to he chosen. The
Constitution of the United States recognizes
these diversities when it eninins that, in the
choice of members of the House OF Repre-
sertatives of the United States "the electors
in each State shall have the qualifications
requisite for electors of the most numerous
branch of the Stats Legislature"
After the foymatian OF the Constitution.
it remained, as before, the uniform usage
for each State to enlarge the body of its
electors, according to its own Judgment; and,
under this system, one State after another
has proceeded to increase the number of its
electors until now universal suffrage, or
something very near it, lis the general,rule.
So fixed was thisSeseryation of power in