The tri-weekly news. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, 1865-12-14

prlnclplpS on Wh'cH.' nave SoHgnb lo
solve The momcntous questions and over.
come the appalling difficulties that set
me the very commencenent of ny
administration. 1t h,s been my stead.
fast object to escape from the .Swa, o!
momcutary passo',s:' and to deriv"
healing policy fro the fundamental and
unchangng principles Of the CunStitu'
ton.
l found The States suffering from the cI.
fcc,s f a civil wars r. sistancc to the
General Govcrnme,,t aHurarcd to
hove exhausted itself The United
States had recovered possession f
thcir ior,s and their ar&rnals; and
their armies were in the occupRtlon
of every State which had a'trmpteh to
seccdc. Wheeler the terri ~ vi hiN
the lu'i Of nose N,a'cs shoull be- cid
as conquered i"rritorv. undr miiilary
authoI.y clha ng i'om the President
as the head of the army was ,hc, first
question that prcsen ed tsr for dccis,
ion.
Now, military %ov"'nmc" is cs,ah'iSh,
cd for an 'udrGri PERIOD would have
offered no security toi The early npprcS.
sior of dscaHi,nt; wtld haze divil q
the p"oplc into van1ui>hcys 'ad the
van ,uiShed and wonld have cnv, To- .
haired. rat ~ shan res orrl affection
Once es;a' l'shta.no ,rc,isr Unit to heir
con,;nucrce ewasconrciva'lc. They would
have occas;onyd NniHcalc"'.s lr md c&
hausSed c"pen.r. P1ac";u' c,r rra,ion 10
ana S,om nat por,;n} @t III" C ,'n;rv IL
one ortNc br5. r"1u timt G N be lhoy ght'
of 70. the o., "a. on of harmony; and
that rm;or,, on W.. ii have been pre-.
vented; or what c giant ION n road,
what ind riots Il zen at homc. wond
place h; ,sel' WILLINGLY ,mG&r mili'%rv
rule? The chitf persons VINO vol
have 'olowcd III thc lain o. tic ar ~
would have cen dependents OF tI.t;
General Government. ormen WHO rx.
pec,cd profit from The misr;ies Of CIR
e,inc ir'low-cI,i%cns. The powa.S Of
patronage and lu'e which w0u'l lave
been exercised under the President
over II vast, and populous, and naturally
wealthy region, are greater tan, unless
under extreme necessity, | should b"
willing to enurst to any one man they
arie such as, for myself. [ con'd ncvcr,
unless on occasions of s;reat rm"rg. nc,',
consent to exercise. The Niliui use oi
such powers, il continued through a
period Of years. would have endangered
the pi'itv of thc general administration
Ill, ILL.,. e. IL -. I
remained lovn'.
Besides the policy of military rule
over a conquered territory would have
implied that the States whose mhabi.
tapts may have taken part m the rebel.
lion had by the act OF those mhabi
tants, ceased to exist. But The tue
theory is, that al, prc:cndad acts Of So.
cession were. from the beginning, null
and void. The State: cannot commit
treason, nor screen the indvidual cii
Hens who may have committed treason.
any more than they can make valid
treaties or engage in lawful commerce.
with any foreign Power. The States
attempting.to sccede placed themselves
In a condition where their vitality was
impaired, but not eylin"uShcd--thtir
functions suspended, bHt not destroyed
But if any Ststc ncglccts Or refuses to
perform lis Offices, there is the mare need
that the General Government should
maintain all its authority aud as soon as
practicable, resume The exercise of an
its functions. On this principle haVei
acted, and have gradually and quietly,
and by almost impcrccptiblc steps.
sought to restore the rightnul energy of
the General Government and of the
States. To that end, Provisional Gov.
ernors have been appointed for the
States, Convent ms called, Governors
elected, Legislatures assembled, and
Senators and Representatives, chosen to
the 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 emf reed through
their agency. The blockade has been