Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-12-12

activity. The American system rests on the
assertion of the equal right of every man to
! life, berty and the pursuit of happiness: to
freedom OF conscience, to the culture and
exercise of all his faculties As a couse-
qucnce, the State Government is limited as
to the General Government in the interest of
Union, as to the individual citizen in the
| interest Of freedom.
States with proper Limitations of power. are
essential to the existance of the Constitution
OF the United States. At the very commence
ment, when we assumed place among the
| Powers OF the earth, the Declaration of Indc
Pendence was adopted by States; so also were
the Articles Of Confederation; and when .sthe
people Of the United States" ordained and es-
tablished the Constitution, it was the assent
OF the States, one by one, which gave it vi
taIity. In the event, too, Of any amendment
10 the Constitution. the proposition Of Con-
| Sfess needs the confirmation Estates. With
| out States, one great branch of the legislative
| government would be wanting. And. if we
! look beyond the letter of the Constitution to
the character Of our country, its capacity for
! comprehendng within its jurisdiction a vast
continental empire is due to the system of
States. The best security for the perpetual
! eXlstance OF the States is the ''suDreme ou
th"rlty' OF the Constitution of the United
States. The pcrpetuity Of the Constitution
brings with 1t the perpetuity of the States:
| their mutual relation makes us what we are
! and IN our political system their connexion is
lndiSso!uble. The whole cannot exist with-
out the parts, nor the parts without the whole,
80 long as the Constitution of the Unitcd
| States endureS the States will endure: the do
| structIon OF the one is the destruction of tho
other; the preservation Of the one is The, nros.
crvatIun Of the other
have thus explained my views of the NIL
tual relations ut the Constitution and tho
States, because thcy unfold the PRINCIPLES on
which L have sought to solve the momentous
questions and overcome the appalling Difficult
ties that met he at the very commencement
OF my administration. 1t has been my stead
last UhJect to escape from the sway Of moment
ary passions, and to derive healing policy
from the fundamental and uuchanging prin,
cIpes Of the Constitution.
L found the Stutrs SUFFERING from tho Of
tects ofn civil war, Resistance to the Gene.
raj Government appeared to have exhausted
itself: The United States had recovcroJ ,,,,s
session OF their forts and arscaals; and their
armies were i'll the occupation Of cvcrv State
which had attempted to scccdv Whether
the territory withln The limits of those States
should be held as conquered territory. under
military authority cImara;ing iroIu tie Prcsi,
deht as the head OF the array, was the first
question that presented itscIf for decision.
Aow. military governments established for
an indefinite perl4d -XYnnld-hara- efleeed mo
security tor the riy su preston Of discon-
tent; would have divided the people into the
vanI"ishcrs and the vanqushcd; and w,uid
have cnrcnomed hatred, rather than have
restored affection. Once established, no nrc
clSc limit to their continuance was cuucciv-
hay Il
calculahie aud eXhaustimg expense. Peaceful
emigration to and from that portion of t,a
country is one OF the best means that can he
Thought OF tor the restoration of harmony.
AND that emigration would have been nrcvnn
tcd; lur what cmIgraut from abroad what
Industrious cIiiZcu at homc would Mace
E!n'scIi willingly under military rule? The
chief persons who would have fpIIowrd in
the train OF the army would have been de.
Pcmdcnts on the General Government ,r
men who expected profit from the mIserics rf
their crring fellow citizens The bowers of
patronage and rule which would have been
exercised, under the President over a vast
and Eopulous, and naturally wealthy rcriop'
are greater than, unless under extreme NO.
cesslty, l should re wiling to catrust to anv
one man, they are such rs, !Or myself. could
never, unless on occasions Of urcat eupr,crcv
1 e
powers; if continued through period If
yeas, would have endangered the purity Of
the general adniln@tration and the liberties
OF the States which remained !oyal.
besides, the policy of military rule over
conquered territory would have implied that
the States whose inhabitants !uAy have taken
part IN the rebellion had, by the act Of those
Inhabitants, ceased to exist Bat the trne
theory Is. that all pretended acts Of secession
were, from the beginning. null and void
lie Statcs Cannot cuE4mt treason ror
screen the individual citizens who NAV haze
Committed treason, any more than thev can
make valid treaties or engage in iL7;fni conn
merce with any foreign Power The States
attempting to secede placed themselves in a
condition where their vitality was impaired.
but not ngui,hcd-their functions sus.
pended, but not destroyed.
but |! any State ne lects or refuses n nor
form liz offices, there is the more need that
| the General Government should maintain all
rs authority, and. as soon as practicable. re-
sumo the exercise Of all its functions, On
;hIs prime pie 1 have acted. and have Grad
raily and quietly, and by almost impercep.
tlNie steps, Sought TO restoIe the ri"htful
energy OF the General Government and of
the States. 10 tAat end Provisional Cover
i nors have been appointed for the States.
Conventions called, Governors elected, Lee,
islatures assembled, and Sc ators and Rem
resen'atlves chosen to the Congress of the
United States At the saIie time the courts
ofthe United States, as far as conId be done
have been reopeued SO that the laws of the
United States may be enforced through their
agency. The blockade has been removed
| and the custom houses re-cs,ablishod in ports
ofentry, SO that the revenue Of tile Tinted
States may be collected. The Postofice De-
Partment rcncws its ceaseIess activity, and
the General Government is thereby enabled
to communicate promptly with its officers and