, 1865-12-06
PRESIDENTS message.
Message of the President of the
United States to the Two Houses
OF Congress, at the Commence
ment Of the First Session of the
Thifty-ninth Congress.


ever ocvOlycd upon any one OF Ats pfcdcceS-
eors. To fulfil my trnst need The support
me in the various departments Of Govern.
ncut, and tho support md confidence of the
people. There Is but one way IN which can
hope to gain their necessary aid II Is, to state
with trnnkness the principles which guide my
conduct, and their application to the present
Of my lahors will, in great measure, depend
on your and their undivided appreciation.
The Union OF the United Staies OF America
was intended by its nuthors TO relnnin rs long
as the States themselves shall last. - The
Union shall be perpetual" arc the words of
the Confederation. t'To form more perfect
Onion, - By IN ordinance Of the people OF the
United States, Is the declared purpose of the
Constitution. The hand Of Divine Providence
was never more plainly visible in the atfairs
Of men, than in the framing and the adoption
Of that instrument. II is, beyond compa1i-
son, the greatest event In American history,
md indeed is It not, Of all events in modern
times, the most prcenant with consequences
for every people Of the earth. The members
Of The Convention which prepared it brought
10 their work the experience OF the Confedcr-
alton, Of their several States, md of other
Republican Governments, old and new. But
they needed and they obtained wisdom su-
pefior TO experience. And when for It's valid
ity II required the approval Of people that
tH
ed separately In many distinct Conventions,
what Is more wonderful than that, after car
nest contention and long discussion. all feel.
nes and ell opinions were ultimately drawn
In .!ne way 10 Its support?
The Constitution to which life WIS thus im-
parted contains within itself ample resources
ior Its own preservation. 1t has power TO Gu
force the laws, punish treason, and insure do
mesttc tranquility. In case fthe usurpaliop
OF the Government Of q State By oae man. or
an olisarchy. it becomes duty Of The United
States to make good the guarantee to that
State or republican form of government,
and 90 to maintain the homogencousncss Of
all. Docs the lapse Of time Teveal dcfcctss
a simple mode Of amendment is provided In
the Constitution itself, so that its conditions
can always bc tnndc to conform 10 the rcnufra-
mcnts Of advancing civilization. No room is
allowed even for the thought Of possibility
Of It's coming to an end. And these powers
lo their complete integrity by every ratri-
otto Chief MaEistrate-by Jefferson and jack
son, not less thnn By Washington and MAdi-
son. The parting advice Of The Father OF his
Country willie yet President, to the people of
the United States, was, That 1.-THE free Con-
6titutaon, which WINS the work Of their hands,
might be sactcdly mafn taincd :" md the iu-
augural words Of President Jefferson held up
q the preservation of the General Govern
lncnf, In Its constitutions. vigor, as the sheet
anchor Of our peace a. home and safety
abroad" Tie Constitution Is the work Of
1.-THE People Of the u1ited statcs,'' and It
should be as tndestruGble rs the people,
II Is not strange that the fralncrs of the
Constitution, which hxdno model in the past,
should not have fully comprehcndcd the ex-
cellencc Of their own work. Fresh from q
struggle against arbitrary power, many pm
triots suffered from larassfng fears Of IN ab-
fo.ption of tic snie Governments by tho
dread TINT the States would break away from
their orbits. But the very greatness Of our
country should allay the apprehension Of en-
crcachments BY the general Government. The
subjects that cunlc unQucsttonably within
Its jurisdiction arc 50 numerous, that II must
eyer naturally refuse to be embarrassed by
questions that lie beyond It. We're it other
wise, the Executive would sink beneath the
burden; tie chunnels Of Justice would be
capked ; }e7rlsti.ihticn would be INSTRUCTED by
excess; so that there is greater temptation
10 exercise some uf the functions Of The Gen.
cral Government N.nurh the States than 10
uespass on their riEhtl.l sphere .'The at,-
jority" vas, nj the beginning OF the century,
enforced by Jefferson "as tile vital principle
OF republics" i" and the events Of the last four
ycnrs hare established, VIC will hope forever,
That there lies no appeal TO force
The maintenance Of the Union brings with
all their rights;'' but it is not one Of the
rights Of any State Government to renounce
its OVID place In the Onion, or to nullifv the
laws Of the union. The largest liberty Is to
be maintained In the discussion OF the acts OF
the Federal Government; but there Is no ap-
peul from It's laws, except to the various
branches OF that Government Itself, or TO the
people, who grant the members of the LesEts-
1aliye and Of The Executive Departments no
tenure but limited Que, and In that manner
always retain the powers Of redress
"The sovereignty Of the States" Is the
language Of the Confcderacy, and moi the
language Of the Constitution. The latter
contains the emphatic words: "Thc Cou.
stitution, md the laws Of the United States
" l1cl ehall be made IN pursuance thereof,
and all treaties made or which shall be mnde
End.r the authority Of the United States,
shall be the supreme lan O! the land 6nd
the judges IN every State shall be bound
thereby, anything in the constitution or Laws
Of amy Slate 10 the contrary notwIthstand-
ing"
Certainly the Government Of the United
States Is limited government; md 50 is cv-
cry State government limited government.
With Us, this idea of limitation spreads
craI, state and municipal, and rests on the
great distinguishing principle ol the reeognl--
ti6n Of the tights OF man. The ancient re-
p1blics absorbed the individual in the State,
prescribed his religion, and controlled his ac-
ti,ity; The american system rests on TIE
life, liberty and the pursuit Of happiness; to
freedom OF conscience, 10 the culture and e1-
erc{se III all lis faculties. As consequence,
the State government Is limited, as TO the
General Go yet1ment In the interest Of Union,
rs to the Individual citizen In the interest OF
freedom. ;"
States, with proper limitations Of power,
are essential to the existence of the Consti-
tuition Of tho United States. At the very
commencement, when VIC assumed q place
among the Powers Of the earth, the Declara-
ticn Of Independence was adopted by States; !;
60 also were the Articles Of Confederation
and when stthe People OF the United statcs''
vas the assent Of the States, one by one.
which gare it vitality. In the event, too, Ut
any amendment TO the Constitution, the prop
oeition of Congress needs the confirmation Of
States. Without States, one great branch Of
the legislative Government would be want.
inr. And, II We look beyond the letter OF
the Constitution, 70 the character Of our
country, its capacity for comptchending
withm It's jurisdiction a vast continental en-.
pire L. due to the system Of States. The best
security for tho. perpetual existence OF tne
Stntes, is the "supreme authority OF the
Constitution Of the United States. Ihe per
pctuity o1 the Constitution brings Wskh It The
pcspetuity Of the Statesi their Hutnai rela'
lion makes Us what We are, and In our po!iti
cal system their connection Is indissoluble
The whole cannot exist without the: parts
nor the parts without the whole So long u
| The Constitution Of the United States cDdures
| the States will endure the destruction Of tlt
! one Is the destruction OF the other the pres
eryation Of the one is the preservation Of tht
o'l' ! have thus explained my views of the mu
tual relations OF the Constitution and hi
States, because they unfold the principles OF
which hare sought to solve the momcntoa
questions and overcome the appalling diff
| culties that met nc at the very commence
| ment Of my administration. It has been N,
| eseadtast object TO escape from the Eway o
mcncntnry passions, and to derive healing
policy ftom the fundamental and unchanginI
principles Of the Constitution.
found tho States suffering from the effect
81 n civil war. Resistance TO the Genern
Government appeared to hive exhausted II
self. The United States had recovered pos
session Of tleir forts and arscnals; and thei
which had attempted TO seecdc. Whether th
territory within the ll.uiH Of those State
should be held rs conquered territory, unde
military authority e1Danating from the Pres
dent nj tie head OF the army, was the firz
question that presented itself for decision.
Now, military governments, established 70
an indefinite period ,!would lave offered no s.
|
would have divided tho people Into the vas
quishers and the vanquished; and woul
lave cnrenomed hatred, rather than have r
stored affection. Once established, no precl!
limit to their continuance was concciyahi
| They would have occas1oned an mcalculab
and cxhausting expense. Peaceful emicratio
TO and from that portion Of the country is OF
Of the best means that can be thought of ft
| The restoration ofhcrmony; and that emlGr
ton would hare been prevented; Tor whs
cm1e1ant from abroad, what industrious cit
zen at home. would place himself willing
under military rule? The chief persons VII
would have followed In the train OF the arm
would lave been dependents on the Gcncr:
, Government, OF men who expected prot
from the miscries Of their erring lellow-ci,
: zens. The powers Of patronage and ~
which would have been exercised, under II
. President, over vast, and populous, and n
less under extreme necessity, should be vi
: ling to entrubt TO any one man they ase SUI