Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1865-12-15
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT
70 THE
TT. q. CONGRESS.
Fe1lou-C Citizens Of the Senate and House Of
Representatives:

TCuOW-Lut~CUo " tftC h1o'''''0 oNN0 AA0'N-N :.
Representatives.:
To express gratitude to God, in the name
Of the people, for the preservation OF the
United States, is my first duty in addressing
you. Our thoughts next revert to the death
of the late President by an act OF parrlcidal
treason. The grief of the nation is still
fresh it finds some solace in the considera-
ton that he lived to enjoy the highest proof
of it's confidence by entering on the renewed
term of the Chief Magistracy, to which he
had been elected; that he brought the civil
war substantially to a close; that his loss was
deplored in all parts of the Union and that
foreign nations have rendered justice to his
memory. His removal cast upon me heavier
weight of cares than ever devolyed upon any
one of his predecessors. To fulfil my trust
/ need the support and confidence of all who
are associated with me in the various depart
ments of Government and the support and
confidence of the people. There is but one
way in which can hope to gain their nee
cessary aid; it is, to state with frankness the
principles which guide my conduct, and their
application to the present state OF affairs, well
aware that the efficiency of my labors will,
in great measure, depend on your and their
undivided appreciation.
The Union of the United States was inten-
ded by its authors to last as long as the States
themselves shall last. THE UNION SHALL
BE PERPETUAL are the words of the Confed-
Grafton. 80 FORM A MORE PERFECT UNION"
bv an ordinance of the people of the United
States, is the declared purpose of the Con-
stitution. The hand Of Divine Providence
was never more plainly visible in the affairs
Of men than in the framing and the adopting
of that instrument 1t is, beyond compare
son. the greatest event in American history !;
and indeed is it not, of all events in modern
times, the most pregnant with consequences
for every people Of the earth The members
Of the Convention Which prepared it, brought
to their work the experience of the Confed-
Grafton, of their several States, and of other
Republican Governments, old and new bnt
they needed and they obtained d wisdom SUI
pcrior to experience. And when for its va
iidity it required the approval of a people
that occupied a large part OF a continent and
acted separately in many distinct conventions,
What is more wonderful than that, after earn
est concl ton and long discussion, all feel
ings and all opinions were ultimately drawn
in one way to its support?
The Constitution to which life was thus
impaired contains within itself ample re-
sources for its own preservation. 1t has
power to enforce the laws, punish treason,
and ensue domestic tranquility. In case OF
the ,lsurpation Of the government Of a State
by one man. or an oligarchy, it becomes a
duty of the United States to make good the
guarantee to that State of a republican form
of government, and 50 to maintain the homo
geneousness of all. Does the lapse of time
reveal defects? A simple mode of amend
mcnt is provided in the Constitution itself,
so that its conditions can always be made to
conform to the requirements Of advancing
civilization. No room is allowed even for
the thought of possibility Of its coming to
an end. And these powers of self-preserva-
ton have always been asserted in their COM
plcte integrity by every patriotic Chief Mag
istrate-hy Jefferson and Jackson, not less
than 10y Washington and Madison. The
parting advice of the Father of his Country
while yet President, to the people Of the
ton, witch was the work of their hands,
might be sacredly maintaincd;' > and the in
augural words of President Jefferson held up
the preservation of the General Govern
ment, in its constitutional vigor, as the sheet
anchor of our peace at home and safety
abroad" The Constitution is the work of
the s'people of the United States" and it
should be as indestructble 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 ex-
cellence of their own work. Fresh from
struggle against arbitrary power, many pat
riots suffered from harrasslng fears OF an alb
sorption of the State Governments by the
General Government, and many from dread
that the States would break away from their
orbits. But the very greatness Of our coun-
try should allay tie apprehension of encroach-
ments by the General Government The
subjects that come unquestlonably within It's
jurisdiction are 50 numerous, that 1t must
ever naturally refuse to be embarrassed by
questions that lie beyond it. Werclt other
wise, the Executive would sink beneath the
burden; the channels of justice would be
choked so that there is greater temptation
to exercise some of the functions OF the
General Government through the States
than to trespass on their rightful sphere
1.-THE absolute acquiescence in the decisions
of the majority was at the beginning of the
century, enforced by Jefferson "as the vital
principle of republics" and the events of the
last four years have established, we will hope
forever, that there lies no appeal to force.
The maintenance of the Union brings with
it 1.-THE support of the State Governments in
all their rights but il is not one of the rights
of any State Government to renounce its own
place in the Union, or to nullify the laws of
the Union. The largest liberty is to be main
tanned in the discussion Of the acts of the
Federal Government but there is no appeal
from its law, except to the various branches
of that Government itself, Or to the people,
who grant to the members of the Legislative
and of the Executive Departments no tenure
but limited one, and in that manner always
retain the powers of redress
1.-The sovereignty of the States" is the Ian
guage of the Confederacy, and not the Ian
euage of the Constitution. The latter con-
tains the emphatic words: 1.-The Constitution
and the laws Of the United States which shall
be made in pursuance thereof, and all treat
a, el,i1 no ,,,afln ,,r;iar tho