Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-12-14

u Cd with some risk; that for its success it RI
Il qnircs at least the acquicscence of the STATE
g which i: concerns that it implies an invitatio
u to those States, by renewing their alleganc
10 the United States. to resume their funs
II tions rs States OF the Union. But it is RIG
. that must be taken; in the choice of Difficult
II ties, it is the smallest risk; and to diminish
and. If possible, to remove all danger, | hav
: felt 1t incumbent on me to assert one othc
power of the General Govcrnment-thc pow
: rr OF pardon. As no State can throw dc
fence over the crime of treason, the power O
pardon is exclusively vested in the Executiy,
Government Of the United States. In excr
clsing that power. have taken every precau
ton To connect it with the ccarost recognition
of the binding force Of the laws Of the United
States. aud an unqualified acknowledgment Of
The great social change of condition ii, regard
to slavery which has grown out of the war
The next step which have taken to rest IRE
the constitutional relations of the States ba.
been an invitation to them to participate in
the high Office of amending the Constitution.
Every patriot must wish for general amues-
ty at the earliest epoch consistent with public
safety. For this great end there il need Of a
concurrence of all opinions, and the spirit of
mutual conciiation. All parties in the late
terrible conflict must work together in harmo
ny. II 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 Tie disorders of the
past into oblivion: and that, on the other, the
evidence Of sincerity in the future nainten-
ance of the Union shall be put beyond any
doubt by the ratification of the proposed
amendment to the Constitution, which pro-
vdcs for the abolition Of slavery forever with
in the limits of our country. So long as the
adoption of this Amendments. is delayed so long
will doubt, and Jealousy, and uncertainty pre-
vail This is the measure which will ef.re
the sad memory Of :he past. this is the mea-
sure which will most certainly call population
aud 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
nov resuming their places in the family of
the Union to give this pledge of perpctus
loyalty and peace. Untilit is done, the past,
however much we may desire it, will not be for
gotten. The adoption OF the amendment re-
nnItes us beyond AL power ofdisrup.ion. 1t
heals the woul that is still impcrscily closed;
it removes slavery. the element which has so
long prrpeScd and divided the country; it
makes t US once more united people, renewed
and strengthened. bound more than ever to
mutual affection and support.
The amendment to the Constitution being
adopted, it would remain for the States whose |
powers have bsen 50 long in abcyance, to re-
sumo their places in the two branches of the |
National Legislature, aud thereby complete
the work of restoration Here it is for YOU,
fciow-ciiinens of the Senate, aud for YOU,
klow-ctizcns Of the House Of Representa-
tivcs to judge, each of you for yourselves. Of
the elections, returns, and qualification of
your own members
The full assertion of the powers of the
General Gcvernmcn: requires the holl-
ding of Circuits Courts of the United
States within the districts where their authori-
ty has been interrupted In the present pos
iure of our public affairs. strong objections
have been urged to holding those courts in
my Of the States where the rebellion has ex-
isieti; and it was ascertained, by inquiry. that
The Circuit Court of the United States would
not be held within the District of Virginia
'nrlng the autumn or early winter. nor until
Congress should have IAN opportunity to J
consider an act on the whole subject" To
your deliberations the restoration of this |
branch of the civil authority of the Unite
States is therefore necessarily referred. with
he hope that carly provision will be made for
he resumption of all its functions. 1t is mani
est that treason, most fragrant in character,
las been committed. Persons WHO are cIlarr- ,
ID with its commission should have fair and {
trials in the highest civil tribunals i
# the country, in order that the Constitution
md the laws may lie fully vindicated; the {
ruth clearly established and affirmed that {
reason IS crime. that traitors should be {
punished and the offence made infamous; and
it the same time, that the question may be {
u'licially settled. finally and forever, that no s
'tate of its own will has tho right to rcnouncc |
Is place in the Union. ,
The relations Of the General Government
owards the four millions Of inhabitants |
whom the war has called into freedom have
ngagcd my most serious consideration. On t
he prnprcty OF attempting to make the freed {
lcn electors b. the proclamation Of the Exc ,
utivc- took for my counsel the Constitution
tself. tee interpretations Of that instrument
y its authors and their contemporaries, and
eccnt legislation by Congress. When. at
he FIRST movement towards Independence, the .
congress ofthc United States instructed the 5
e;cral States to institute governments of their |
wn. they left each State to decide for itself I
he conditions for the enjoyment of the elect |
ve franchise. During the period of the Con- |
tderacy there continued to exista great di. \
ersity il the qualifications Of electors in the /
cveral States; and even within State dis.
incti'n of qualifications prevailed with re- !
ard to the officers who were to be chosen {
he Constitution Of the United States rccog- {
lies these dversties when it enjcins that, in 1
he choice of members Of the House Of Re- t
resentatives Of the United States "t,e elec- i
Irs in each State shall have tho qualifications ,
equisite for electors Of the most numerous i
ranch of the State Legislature. At the for. q
lation Of tho Constitution, it remained. as be- G
inform forc. usage for each State to enlarge {
he body of Its electors. according to it's own ]
u igement and under this system. one State af- l
,r another has proceeded to increase the num- i
er of its electors. until now universal suffrage
r something very near it. is tho general rule. i
70 fixed was this reservation Of power in tho Q
abits of the paople, and so unquestion ed has q
ecn the Interpretation Of the Constitution, j
bat during the civil war the late President
ayar harbnrat tho cart,;nlv ,ouo. | ,