New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-12-06
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

No document discussing so many diverse
questions Of grave moment and seriously affect
ing so many vital interests as the first Annual
Message Of President Johnson could reasonably
be expected to accord in every respect witt The
convictions or prepossessions of majority OF It's
readers; yet We doubt whether any former
Message has, on the whole, contained so much
that will be generally and justly approved, with
so little that will or should provoke dissent. 1t
is State paper of signal ability and of unusual
frankness, dealing unreseryedly with every
great question Of internal or international
policy, and calculated to increase the hold Of its
author on the regard and confidence of the
American People.
On single point, we n0n-concur with the
President. His assertion that, if no had as.
sumed to extend the Right of Suffrage to Blacks
in the States lately in revolt, he must have
done tie same with all the States, is clearly
mistaken, as Mr. johnson must see, if he viii
vary the form without varying the essence of
his proposition, so that it shall read" If had
assumed TO appoint Provisional Governors for
the States lately il revolt, must have appointed
such Governors for all the States" His right
to NEEDLE at all with the internal polity of any
State sprung from the participation Of that State
that's, OF its chosen representatives and rulers
in the Shareholders Rebellion. Delaware is
q very small State, and not an cmnently loyal
: one; yet the President has no more right to
provide her with Governor than to enduc her
with ChiefJustice and Legislature.
. We do not care to chop logic with those who
insist that no State has ever gone out Of the
Union. If it means only flat all the territory
included within the area Of the United States,
as defined By its Constitution and by treaties
since made in pursuance thereof, has remained
and still remains within the Union, no matter
> though temporarily in the power Of an invading
or insurgent force, We do not care to object
But II any one chooses to assert that the body
polite and corporate known to the world
!. as the State Of Georgia or Of Mississippi
has not been alienatcd from and at wal
with tho Union, We must be allowed t.
hold contrary opinion. That il had no righ
to center into any treaty. alliance or confedera.
tion," We well know; that it dill what it was
thus precluded from lawfully doing, we also
know. The dialectcs which prove that nc
State has been out Of the Union would as easily
demonstrate that no man ever committed burg
larry or forgery, because none had any right to
do aught Of the sort.
The Constitution and Government respect
lively Of ten States were perverted TO the uses
of treason, and thereby ovcrthrown. The
Union repossessed" those States by the
strong arm. 1t acquired thereby the right to
insist that their framework of government and
polity should be purged of whatever had been
proved inimical to its own existence, safety,
tranquility. And if the President, either
directly or through bis Provisional Governor,
had summoned the whole people Of each State
whether previously enfrancbised or MOTTO
choose delegates to Convention to frame and
submit q new Constitution, adapted to their
changed circumstances, he would have been
amply justified in SO doing, and would have had
as clear authority for it as for appointing
Provisional Governor and prescribing GER
tain fundamental bases of Reconstruction.
To talk Of referring the Suffrage question to
Tie States, ID 10 darkon counsel by dexterous
phrases The obvious question, {" Who cOnsii.
tuie the State Z" at once shows that the diff.
Guilty is not solved but evaded. To submit this