Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-12-06

parts without the whole. So long as the
Constitution of the United States endures,
the States will endure; the destruction OF
the one is the destruction of the other; the
preservation of the one is the preservation
of the other. -
have thus explained my views of the
mutual relations of che Constitution and
the States, because they unfold the prin-
ciples on which have sought to solve the
nomentous questions and overcome the
appalling difficulties that met me at the very
commenceIhentb of my adminlstration 1t has
been my steadfast object to escape from the
sway Of momentary passions, and to'derive
healing policy from the fundamental and
unchanging pFiuciplesOf the C0nstitntio1P7
j found the States suffering from the eff
fects of civil war. Resistance to the Gem
eral Government appeared to haye eXT'
hansted itself The United States bad re-
covered possession of their forts and arse
nails and their armies were in the oceupa-
secede. Whetherthe territory within the
limits of those States should beheld as con-
quered territory, under military yauthority
emanatfng from the President as the head
of the army, was the first question that pre-
sented itself for decision. ~ ~
| Now, military governments, established
forl0n indefinite period, would haYe offered
nolsecurity for the early suppression OF dis
content would have divided the people 10
to the vanquishers and the yanquished; add
Would have envenOmed hatred, rather than
have restored affection. Once establishsd,
no precise limit TO their continuance vas
conceivable. They would have oecasiohed
an incalculable and exhausting' expense.
Peaceful emigration, to and from that por-
| tion of the country Is one OF the best means
II 81, - % fnr ION
of harmony; and that emigration would
haye been prevented; for -what,,emigEant
from abroad, what industrious citizen at
home, would place himself willingly under
Iniiitaryr1Ie? The Chief persona who would
have followed in the train Ofthe army would
have been dependents on the General Gov
ernment, or men who expected profit from
the miseres OF their erring fellOw-citizens.
The powers of patronage and rule which
would have been exercised, under the Pres
ident, over vast and populOus, and natur-
ally wealthy region, are greater than, un-
less under extreme necessity, should be
willing to entrust To any one man; they are
such as, for myself, Il could never, unless on
occasions of great emergency, consent to
exercise. The wilful use of such powers, if
continued through period of years, would
have endangered the purity Of the general
|
States which remained loyal. f' 10 bod +. Is
Besides, the policy of military rule over a
conquered territory would have implied
that the States whose inhabitants may have
taken partin the rebellion had, BY thelact
OF those inhabitants, ceased to exist. Bus
the true theory is, that all pretended acts
of secession were, from the begin
ming, null and void. The States can
not > commit treason, nor screen, the
individual citizen who may have COM
mitted treason, any more than they can
make valid treaties or engage in lawful
commerce with any foreign Power. The
States attempting to secede placed them
selves in a condition where their vitality
was impaired, but not extinguished-their
| functions suspended, but not destroyed.
But il any State neglects or refuses to per-
form its offices, there is the more need that
the General Government should maintain
all its authority, and, as soon as practical
bic, resume the exercise of all its functions.
On this principle have acted, and have
gradually and quietly, and by almost inn
perceptible steps, sought to restore the
rightful energy of the General Government
and of the States. To that end Provisional
Governors have been appointed for the
States, Conventions called, Governors elect
ed, Legislatures assembled, andTSenators
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 reopened, so that
the lawsyef the United States may be
enforced through their agency. The block
ade has been removed and the custom
houses re-established in ports of entry, SO
that the revenue of the United States may
be collected. The Post Office Department
renews its eeaseless activity, and the GEN
eral Government Is thereby enabled to com
municate promptly with its officers and
agents. The courts bring securityto per-
sons and property; theopening OF the ports
invites the restoration of industry and com-
Tnefce; the post office renews the facilities
of social intercourse and of business. And
is it not happy tor ms all, that the restora-
tion of each one of these functions of the
General Government brings with it bless
ing to the States over which they are eX-
tended! Is it not sure promise of har-
mony and renewed attachment to the Union
that, after all that has happened, the return
of the General Governments known only
as beneficence?
l know very well that this policy is at
tended with some risk; that for its success
it requires at least the acquiescence of the
States which it concerns; that it implies an
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, aud, Impossible, to remove all
danger,I have felt it incumbent on me to
assert one other power of the General Gov
ernment-the power of pardon. AS no State
can throw defence over the crime of trea-
son, the power of pardon is exclusively
vested in the Executive Government of the
United States. In exercising that power
4 have taken every precalltion TO connect
iG with the clearest recognition of the bind
ing force of the laws of the United States,
andhn unqualified aeknpwledgm Of the
great social change of condition in regard
to slavery which has grown out of the war.
The next step whichI have taken to re-
store the constitutional relations of the
States, has been an Invitation, to them TO
participate in the high, Office of amending
the Constitution. Every patriot must wish
for 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 of mutual con
ciliation. All parties in tue 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 contor-
nifty with willingness TO cast the disor-
ders OF the past into oblivion aud that, on
the other, the evidence of sincerity in the
future maintenance of the Uuion shall be
put beyond any doubt by the ratification
Of the proposed amendment TO the Consti-
tuition, which provides for the abolition of
a..