Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1865-12-16
PREsIDENT,s MESSAGE,

nile. for the preservation Oh the Uhlteu
States is my first duty in addressing you.
Our thoughts next revert to the death oil
the late President by an act Of parricidal
treason. The grief Of the nation is still
fresh. II finds some solace in the consid-
Grafton that he lived to enjoy the highest
proof of its confidence by entering in the
renewed term of the Chief Magistracy TO
which he had been elected; that he
brought the civil war substantially to
close that his loss was deplored IN oil
parts of the Union and that foreign ma
lions have rendered justice to MS memory.
HIS removal cast upon me heavier weight
of cares than ever devolved on any one q
his predecessors. To fulfill ny :Eust
need the support and confidence of all who
associated with me in all the various de"
purtments of the Government, and the sup
mort and confidence OF the people. There
is but one way in which can hope 10 gain
their necessary aid. 1t is TO state
with frankness the principles which
guide my conduct and their
application to the present state Of affairs,
we'll aware that the efficiency Of my Ia
bors will in a good measure depend on
your and their undivided appreciation. The
Union of the United States of America was
intended by its authors TO last as long as
the States themselves shall last. The
Union shall be perpetual are the word S
the Confederation, to 70. Ia mure pcrlect
Union by an ordinance Of the people of the
United States, is the declared purpose OF
the Constitution.
The hand of divine Providence was never
more plainly visible in the 8tfairs OF men
than in the framing and adopting Of that
instrument. 1t is beyond comparison the
greatest event in American history, and
indeed in most of all events in modern
time, 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 Confederation Of their several States
of their republican Governments, old and
new, but they needed and they obtained o
wisdom superior to experience, and for
its validity it required the approval Of a
people that occupied q large part OF CON
tinent ahd acted separately in many dis
tiuct Conventions, what is more wonderful
than that, after earnest contention and long
discussion, all feelings and all opinions
were ultimately drawn in one way to its
support. The Constitution to which life
was thus impaired, contains within itself am
pie resources for its own preservation. 1t
has power to enforce laws, punish treason,
and insure domestic tranquility. In case of
the usurpation of the government of q State
by one man Or an oligarchy, it becomes a
duty of the United States to make good the
guarantee to that State, ofa republican form
OF government. and so to maintain the no
righteousness of ALL Does the lapse Of
time reveal defects; a simple mode of
amendment is provided in the Constitution
itself, so that its condition eau always be
made to conform to the requirements Of ad-
vancing civilization. No room is allowed
even for the thoughts OF Il possibility of its
coming to an end and these powers OF self
preservation have always been asserted in
their complete integrity by every patriotic
Chief Magistrate-by Jefferson and Jack
aon, not less than by Washington ami Madi>
sou. The parting advice of the Fatber OF
his Country while yet President, 10 the
people Of the United States, was, that the
free Constitution, which was the work of
their hands, might be sacrcdly main aimed.
And the inaugural words of President JEFF
ferson held up the preservation Of the Gem
eral Government III its constitutional vigor,
as the sheet-anchor of our peace at home
and safety abroad. The constitution IS the
work of the people of the United States
and il should be rs iudestructiblc as the
people. II is not strange that the trainers
of the constitution, which had no model IL
the past, should net have fully compre"
hended the excellence of their own work.
Fresh from struggle against arbitrary
power, many patriots suffered, from har-
RAISING fears OF absorption of State Gov
eminent 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 allay
the apprehensious Of encroachments by
the General Government. The duties Of
the Government are so numerous that II
must ever naturally refuse to be embar-
raised by questions that lie beyond it,
Were il otherwise the Executive would sink
beneath the burdens. The channels of
Justice would be choked. Legislation
would be cbstructed by excess. So that
there is q greater temptation 10 exercise
some OF the functions Of the General Gov
ernmepi, through the States, than 10 tress
pass on their righlful sphere; the absolute
acouiescepce in the decisions Of the ma
iority was at the beginning Of the century,
enforced by JcffersoD as the vital princi-
pie OF republics. And the events Of the
last four years have established, we will
hope forever, that there lies TO appeal to
force. The maintainance Of the Union
brings with it the supper, Of the State gov
ernmenis in all their rights, but it is not
Que of the rights OF any State government
10 rsnounce its own place in The Union, or
20 uullify the laws of the Union.
The largest liberty is 10 be MAINTAINED
IN the discussion of the acts of the Federal
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