The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-12-15
The PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,
fellor citizens Of the Senate and Houe 0
RpD7eSentdtlPs


Representatives
: 10 express gratitude to God. in the
name Of the people, for the preservation 0
the United States, is my first duty in ad
dressing You. Our thoughts next revert
to the death Of the late President bv a.
f act OF Parricidal treason. The grief O
the nation is still fresh it finds some So
lace in the consideration that he lived t(
ENJOY the highest proof of its confidence BY
entering on the renewed term of the chic
maglstracy, to which he had been elected
that he brought the civil war substantial,
to a close that his loss was deplored il
all parts of the Union and that foreign
nations have rendered uStice to his mem.
ory. Ills removal cast upon he heavier
weight OF cares than ever devolved upon
any one of his predecessors To fulfill my
trust lneed the support and confidence OF
all who are associated with me in the va
rIous departments of government, and the
support and confidence of the people
l here is but one way in which | can hope
to gain their necessary aid it is. to state
with trankness the principles which guide
my conduct, and their application to the
present state OF affairs, we'll aware that the
efficiency OF my labors will. in great
measure, depend on your and their undi-
vlded appreciation.
HE Union Of the United States of
America was intended by its authors to
last as long as the states themselves shall
last. "TnE Union SHALL BE pERpErr-
AL are the words of the Confederation
so FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION" bv
an ordinance Of the people of the United
States, Is the declared purpose Of the con-
slltu1lon. The hand OF Divine Providence
was never more plainly visible in the af-
fairs of men than in the framing and
adopting of that instrument. 1t is. be-
yond comparison. the greatest event in
American history and indeed is ii not.
OF all events of modern times, the most
pregnant with consequences for every pco-
pie of the earth! The members of the
convention which prepared it brought to
their work the experience of the Conie,ler-
alton, of their several states. and Of other
republican governments, old and new
but they needed and they obtained Wis
dom superior to experience. And when
ior It's validity it required the approval of
apeope that occupied a LARGE part of a
continent and acted separately III many
district conventions. what Is more wonder
tul than that, after earnest contention and
discussion, ali feeling and all opinions
were ultimately drawn in one way to its
support
The constitution to which life was thu,
impaired contains within itself ample -.
sources Tor Its own preservation. 1t has
power 10 enforce the laws, punish treason.
ana ensure domestic tranquility. lin case
oi the uSurpaton OF the government of a
! state by one man, or an oligarcilv. it be-
comes duty of the Cnitc, States to make
GOOD the guaranty to that state OF a re-
publican form OF government. and so to
maintain the homogcnou>nrSS OF aii.-
Docs the lapse of time reveal defects ? \
simple mode OF amendment is provided in
the constitution itself, so that its conditions
can always be made 20 conform to the re-
qulrementS of advancing civilization. No
, room Is allowed even for the thought of a
possibility OF its coming to an end. And
these powers OF self preservation have al
ways been asserted III their complete in
te@rlty by every patriotic chici' magistrate
by Jefferson and jackson, not les than
by Washington and Madison The part
ing advice OF the Father of his Country.
while yet President, TO the people of the
United States, was, that ''thc free consti-
tuition. which was the wor, Of their hands.
might be Sacredly maintained" :" and the
inaugural words OF President Jefferson held
up ''the preservation OF the general GOV
ernment, in its constitutional vigor, as the
-hect anchor OF our peace at home and
safety abroad The constitution is the
work of ''the people of the United States
ani it should be us indestructiblc as the
people.
1t Is not strange that the trainers of the
constitution, which had no model in the
past, should not have fully comprehended
the excellence Of their own work. Fresh
from struggle against arbitrary power.
many patriots suffered from halrassinn
fears OF an absorption OF the state govern
ments by the general government, and
many from dread that the states would
break away from their orbits. But the
Very greatness of our country should alav
the apprehension of encroachmentS bv the
general government. The subjects that
come unquestionably within its jurisdic-
ton are so numerous, that it must ever
naturally refuse TO be embarrassed by ques-
tions that lie beyond it. Were it other
wise, the executive would sink beneath the
burden the channels of justice would be
choked legislation would be obstructcd
10y excess ; SO that there is Il greater
temptation to exercise some of tie filnc-
tons OF the general government through
the states than to trcSpass on their right
lul sphere. "lhe absolute acquiescence
IN the decisions of the majority" was, at
the beginning OF the century. enforced bv
Jefferson ''as the vital principle Of repub-
lies and the events of the last four wears
have established, we will hope forever,
that there lies on appeal to force.
The maintenance Of the Union brings
with it 1.-THE support Of the state govern
ments in all their rights = but il is not