The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-10

| StltutlOn eDQures, the states Will endure.
| The American sy stem rests on the asser-
ton of the equal rights OF every man to
life. liberty and the pursuit of happiness,
to freedom of conscience, to the culture
and exercise of his own faculties. As q
consequence, the State Government is
limited as to the General Government in
the interest of union. as to the individual
citizen in the interests of freedom. States
with proper limitation of power are es-
sential to the existence of the Consti-
tuition of the United States. At the very
| commencement when we assumed q
place among the powers of the earth, the
Declaration of Independence was adopted
by States so were all the articles of
Confederation and when the people of
the United States ordained and estab-
lished the Constitution, it was the assent
of the States, one by one, which have it
vitality. In the event of any amend
ment to the Constitution, the proposition
of Congress need the confirmation of
States. Without States one great branch
of the Legislative Government would be
wanting, and il we look beyond the letter
of the Constitution to the character of
our country, its capacity for. compre-
J hending within its Jurisdiction an almost
continental empire is due to the system
of States. The best security for the per-
petual existence of the States is the su-
preme authority of the Constitution of
the United States. The perpetuity of
the Constitution brings with it the per>
petuity of the States. Their mutual re-
lation makes us what we are, and in our
political system their connection is in
dssoluble. The whole cannot exist
without the parts nor the parts without
the whole. So long as the Constitution
Of the United States endures. the States
will endure. The destruction of one is
the destruction of the other. The press
ervation of the one is the preservation of
the other.
l have thus explained my views of the
mutual relations of the Constitution and
the States, because they unfold the prin-
ciples on which | have sought to solve
the monstrous questions and overcome
the appalling difficulties that met me at
the commencement of my administra-
ton. 1t has been my steadfast object to
escape from the sway of momentary
passion and divine healing policy from
the fundamental and unchanging princi-
pies of the Constitution. l found the
States suffering from the effects of a
civil war. Resistance to the General Gov
appeared to have exhausted itself. The
United States had recovered possession
of their forts and arsenals, and their ar
mics were in the occupation of every
State which had attempted to secede.-
Whether the territory within the limits
of these States should be held as con-
quered territory, under military authors
ty, emanating from the President as the
head of the army, was the first question
which presented itself for decision. Now,
military Governments, established for an
Indefinite period, would have offered no
securely for the early suppression of the
discontented, and would have divided
the people into the vanquishers and the
vanquished-would have envenomed
hatred, rather than restored affection, and
would have entalled an incalcuIable and
exhausting ak Dense
Peaceful emigration to and from that
portion of that country, is one of the
best means that can be thought of for
the restoration of harmony, and that emf
grafton would have been prevented, for
what emigrant from abroad, what indus
trious citizen at home, would place him
self willingly under military rule? The
chief persons who would have followed
in the train of the army, would have
been dependent on the General Govern
ment, or men who expected profit from
the miseries of their erring fellow citizens.
he powers of patronage and rule which
would have been exercised under the
Presidents over vast and populous and
naturally wealthy region, are greater
than, unless under extreme necessity, l
should be willing to trust any one man.-i
They are such as, for myself, / could
never, unless under an occasion of great
emergency, consent to exercise. The |
wlllful use of such powers, if continued
through period of years, would have
endangered the purely of the general |
and the liberties of the |
States which remained loyal; besides the
policy of military rule over a conquered |
territory, would have implied that the |
States, whose inhabitants may have |
taken part in the rebellion, had by the
act of those inhabitants, ceased to exist I;
but the true theory is, that all pretended |
acts of secession were from the beginning
null and void.
The States cannot commit treason nor
can the individual who may have com
mitted treason any more than they make
valid treaties or engage In lawful com
merce with any foreign power. The
States undertaking TO secede placed
themselves in a condition where their
vitality was impaired, but not extinguish-
ed-their functions extended, but not
if any State neglects or
refuses to perform lis office, there is more
need that the General Government should
all its authority. and as soon as
resume the exercise of all its
functions. On this principle have act
I'd, and have gradually and quietly and
BY almost lmperceptible steps sought to
'esl ore the rlghtful energy of the Gene
al Government and of the States. To
hat and Provisional Governors have been
appointed for the States, conventions
,alled, Governors elected, Legislatures
ls.embled, and Senators and representa-
ives chosen to the Congress of the
United States. At the same time courts
ot the United States, as far as could be
lone, have been re>opened, so that the !
avs OF the Uuited States may be enforc- I
ID through their agency; the blockade ,
las been removed, and the Custom houses !
in ports of entry, SO that the ,
evenues of the United States may be {
the postoffice Department re-
lews its ceaseless activity, and the Gene> !
al Government is thereby enabled to
communicate promptly with its officers {
nd agents. The courts brings securely | i
o persons and property, the opening of (
'orts invite the restoration of industry
nd commerce, the postofiee renews the G
ABILITIES of social intercourse and of bps i
ness, and Ia il not happy for all that the ]