The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-12-09
THE pREsIDENT,s MEssAGN.

THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
President. Johnson. first amman tdessags was
delivered to Congress on Tuesday morning. 1t
is an able and well-tempered document and-will
give general satisfaction throughout the country !
We give the folowining synopsis Of its con-
tents from the Ba,dAorefdactio6n o.,
AflerAn acknowledgement ofFi zine favor and
a reference to the death of MIR. Lincoln,3 he dis
cusses the Constitutional relations Of The States
and The Federal Government, maintaining that
the Union, as whole, is as ndestructibe as its
parts; that it was intended to last as long, as
the States last that ''the Constitution of the
T" United States is the work of the people
" of the United States, and it should be
T" as indestructible as the people"
He maintains that the very greatness of the
country should allay all apprehensions of en-.
croarhmenls by the General Government, and
that the maintainapce of the Union involves the
support of the State Governments in all their
s'figits, but IL IS not one Of The fights OF any
)" State Governments TO renouneei its sOwn place
9 in the Union, or to nullify the laws of the
+" Union" He repudiats the very term Z" Sow
eregnty Of the States, y as the language of the
old Confederation, which was superseded by the
Constitution intended to make . more perfect
Union. -. $3.50 "a
+ The President says that these views unfold
" the principles on which I have sought to solve
1.-The lnomentous questions and overcome the
,tnappalling difficulties that met me at the very
I" commencement of my Administration. 1t has
- been my sieadfast object to escape from the
g sway OF momentary passions; and to derive a
$ unhealing policy from the Fundamental and
(" changing principles Of the Constitution
He then proceeds 10 discuss the effects Of estab
fishing military. governments for an. indefinite
period over the States lately in revolt, as mere
territorial appendages of the Union, and says
that the power of patronage and rule, which
must have been exercised bvthe President, would
be much greater than he would be willing to en-
trust TO any one man, and are such as he him
self could never consent to exercise except in the
case Of great emergency. He, moreover, deemed
continuance of military rule as an implication
that the States had ceased to exist, while the
true theory is that all acts of secession were from
the beginning null and void. The States could
not commit treason-thtir functions we're sus-
pended, not destroyed e :iu.asit
3 The neglect orrefusal of any State to perform
its functions, made it necessary for the United
States toexerciSei its authority hence, Provi-
" sional Governors were appointed, conventions
&c called, Governors elected, Legislatures assem-
" bled, and Senators and Representatives chosen
" TO the Congress OF the Omitted States
He confesses that this policy is attended with
was the smallest risk. To diminish the danger
he had asserted the power Of pardon, which be-
longs exclusively 10 the Executive of the United
States, and had coupled its exercise in every in
stance with the clearest recognition of the
6 binding force of the laws of the United States,
" and an unqualified acknowledgment Of the
" great social change of condition in regard to
" slavery, which has grown out of the war"
He refers TO the adoption by the late Rebel
O. a. ~ n
measure which will efface the sad memories OF
the past and reunte the country beyond all pow
er OF disruption. This Amendment being adopt
ed, it remained for the States g to resume their
'',places in the two branches Of the National
Legislature and thereby complete the work Of
restoration" The message continues, 6 Here
" it is for you, fellow-cirzens of the Senate and
=" fellow-citizens of the House Of Representatives
F" to judge, each Of you for yourselves, Of the cleo
" tom returns and qualifications Of your own mem
g 6ers.n
He ad vises a speedy restoration Of the United
States Courts throughout the South, and that
the laws he INDICATED: q the truth clearly es-
g tablished that treason is a crime, that traitors
g should be punished and the offence made infa-
&C nous.
The relations of the General Government to-
wards the freedmen are reviewed and reasons
given why the President onght not TO assume the
Of making them electors He says
that from the foundation Of the Government down
to the present time the right Of the States to reg
nlate suffrage has been recognized and that the
Constitution itself prescribes as qualifications for
voters in the choice of members to the House of
that 'the electors in each State
F." shall have the qualifications requisite for cleo
- tors OF the most numerous branch of the State
legislature" He states that the late President
never harbored the purpose of disregarding this
provision, and that il would be An g assumption
I" ofpower by the President which nothing in the
I" Constitution and laws of the United States
g would have warranted" He maintains that
good faith towards the freedmen requires that
they shall be protected in life, liberty and prop
erty their right to labor and to claim the Just
return of their labor
The powers of Congress are alluded to, and
ground justly taken against the right Of any State
to tax travel or merchandise in transit over its
soil. Every obstacle to the tree circulation Of
commerce between the States should be ''sternly
9 guarded against by appropriate legislation. -
Reference is had TO the dangers of monopolies,
and the duties of Legislators to accord "equa
and exact justice TO all men, and special priv
ileges TO none.
The financial condition of the country is rep
resented as demanding especial attention-the
debt deemed secure-but paper money redundant,
and desire expressed that means shall be taken
for an early approximation towards specie basis
The reports of various departments are referred
to at length, and prominence given to domestic |
affairs because Of their transcendant importance.
Dur foreign relations are next dwelt upon Chi |
ma Russia, Brazil and Tnnis, mentioned as espe-
cially consGerate of our feelings and interests
The President animadverts upon the unjustifable |
course of Great Britain, and discloses an unsat-
lsfactory state of our relations with that power.
He also speaks of the relations between the Uni |
ted States and France, and says that 9 we should
u regard 1t as great calamity, to ourselves, TO
Z" the cause of good Government, and TO the peace
q of the world, should any EUROPEAN power chal- |
" lenge the American people, as it were to the de-
. fence Of Republicanism against foreign inter
" ference
A review of the progress of the Nation, and |
a statement of the advantages enjoyed by the |
citizen of the Republic, closes this interesting
and important State paper.
It's temper is kindly-its statements clear |
and the reasons of the Executive for the course |
he has thought best to pursue given with per-
spicuity. To sum up the gist of the Message
in distinct propositions, we should state the |
PRESIDENTS platform to be:
l. The Union-a perpetual Government Of
the people. 5a
2. The Federal Constitution-creating Linn
tied Government of defined powers, and invol-
wing protection of the rights of the States
8. The States of the Union--Limited Govern
ments of underlined powers, subordinate to the
Federal Union, and pledged to the protection
Of individual freedom a
a. Military Government Objectionable be-
cause indefinite as to time and involving the
exercise of too great patronage and power.
s. The Constitutional Amendment abolish
ing Slavery link to cement the Union be-
yond all power of disruption.
6. The Elective Franchise-belongs to the
and 3EtQmnf Of 10 President 70
confer it would be an assumption Of unconsti-
.utional power.
T. The Freedmen must be protected in their
tights.
s. Internal Commerce-Should be free with.
nut state restrictions or levy of tribute.
.. Monopolies are odious and ought not to be
tolerated. 81 II ~ aea Snt