The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1865-12-08
The Presidents Message.
FellOp Citizens Of Tie Senate

To express gratitude to. God, in
the name of the people. for the pre-
servation of the United States, is my
first duty in addressing you. Our
thoughts next revert to the death OF
the late President by an act of par
icidal treason. The giief ,of the ma
ton is still fresh; it finds some solace
in the consideration that he lived to
enjoy the highest proof of its conf.
dence by entering on the renewed
term of the Chief Magistracy, to
which he had been elected: that he
brought the civil war substantially to
a close; that his loss was deplored in
ail parts of the Union; and that for
eign nations have rendered justice TO
his memory. His removal cast up
on me heavier wei hit of cares than
ever devolved upon any one OF his
predecessors. To fulfill my trust l
need the support and confidence of
all who are associated with me in the
various departments of Government,
and The support and confidence OF
the people. There is but one way in
which can hope TO gain their neces
sary all; it is, to state with frank
ness TIL principles which guide my
conduct, and their application to the
prese It state of affairs, well aware
mat the efficiency OF my labors will,
in n great measure, depend on your
and their undivided appreciation
The Union of the United States OF
America was intended by its authors
10 last as long as the States them
selves shall last. "rhc Union shall
I've perpetual" are the words of The
Confederation. "To form more
perfect Union,' by an. ordinance of
The peoI L. of the United States, is the
declared purpose of the Constitution.
The hand of Divine Providence was
never more plainly visible in the af.
fairs of men than in the framing and
the adopting of that instrument. I,
is. beyond comparison, the greatest
event in American history; and in
diced is it not, oil all events in modern
,ipes, the most pregnant with con
sequences for every people OF the
earth? The members of the Con
vention which prepared it, brought
to their work the experience of the
Confederation, of their several States
and of other Republican Govern
lnents, old and new; but they needed
and they obtained wisdom superio
TO experience. And when Tor it
validity it required the approval OF
people that occupied a large part o
continent and acted separately il
many distinct conventions, what i
more wonderful than that, after ear
nest contention and long discussion
all feelings and all opinions were III
timately drawn in one way to its sur
porp
The Constitution to which life wa
t'rur,r5-r vsotn I, 1t,r; e, S-oi"n; Icsvi
vation. 1t has power to enforce tn
laws, punish treason, andsinsurc dc
mestic tranquility. In case of til
usurpation of the Government of
State by one man, or an oligarchJ
it becomes a duty of the Unite
States to.make good the guarante
to that State OF republican form {
government, and 50 TO maintain tn
homogeneousncss of all. Does tn
lapse of time reveal defects? A sin
pie mode of amendment is provide
in the Constitution itself so that it
conditions can always be made t
conform to the requirements of nc
vancing civilization. No room is Il
lowed even for the thought of POS
sib!lity Of its coming to an end
And the powers of self preservatio
have always been asserted in the
complete integrity by every patrio
Chief Magistrate-by Jefferson al
Jackson, not less than by Washing
ton and Madison. The pal lting n,
vice of the Father of his Countr
while yet President, to the people
the Tn ted States, was that "the frt
Constitution, which was the work
their hands, might be sacredly mail
taincd;" and the inaugural words ,
President Jefferson held up "tl
preservation of the General Cover
ment, in its constitutional vigor, ,
the sheet anchor Of our peace ;
home and safety abroad" The Cor
stitution is the work of the "Peopl
of the United States nnd it shoul
be as inlestructble MS the people.
1t is not strange that the frameI
of the Constitution, which hal n
model in the past, should not hay
fully comprehcndcd the excellence
their own work. Fresh from a strug
gle against arbitrary power, man
patriots suffered from harassin
fears of an absorption of the Stat
Governments by the General Go,
ernment, and many from a drea
that the States would break ava
from their orbits. But the yer
greatness of our country should ALA
the apprehension of encroachment
by the General Government. Th
subjects that come unquestonabl
within its jurisdiction are so numC
rous, that it must ever naturally rc
fuse to be embarrassed by question
that lie beyond it. Were it Other
wise, the Executive would sink be
meath the burden; the channels G
Justice, would be choked; legislatio
would be obstructed by excess; S
that there is greater temptation t
exercise some OF the functions ofth
General Government through th
States than to trespass on their right
ful sphere. "The absolute acquies
cence in the decisions of the major
ity' was, at the beginning of the cen
fury enfOrrad NV JafYaraon ssas th