Weekly Trinity journal. [volume] (Weaverville, Calif.) 1857-1972, 1865-12-16
WEEKLY TRINITY JOURNAL.
PRESIDENT JoHNsoN's MESSAGE.
The following summary of the Presidents Mes

sage was received by telegraph. It begins:
"To express gratitude to Cod, 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 Pres
ident by the act of a parricidal treason The
grief of the nation is still fresh. 1t finds some
soace in the consideration that he lived to enjoy
the highest proof of its confidence by entering on
Il renewal of a 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 men,
DRY. His removal cast upon a heavier weight
OF care than ever devolycd upon any of his
predecessors to fulfill. | need the support and
confidence of all who are associated with me III
the various Departments of the Government, and
the support and confidence of the people. There
is but one way by which can hope to gain their
necessary aid it is to state with ranknesS the
principles which guide my conduct, and their ap-
plication to the present state OF affairs
The Message then discusses the powers of the
Constitution of the United States, and the rel'-
tions of the States of the Union. = 1t is not the
right of the State Government to renounce It's
own place in the Union, to nullify the laws OF
the Union. The gestliberty is to be maintain
ed in the discussion of the acts OK the Federal
Government, but there is no appeal from its laws,
except to the various branches of the Govern
ment, to itself, or to the people. The sovereign
~ of the States is the language of the Confeder
acy, and not the language of the Constitution"
Again he says. - The true theory is, that all
the pretended acts of secession were, from the
beginning, null and void. States cannot commit
treason nor screen individual citizens who may
have committed treason. States attempting to
secede placed themselves in Il condition where
their vitality impaired, not extneushed
their functions suspended, not destroyed. But
if any State neglects or refuses to perform its Of
fees there is the more need that the General
Government should maintain all its authority,
and practicable resume the exercise of
all its functions On this principle have acted,
and sought to restore the rightful energy of the
General Government and of the States. To that
end, Provisional Governors have been appointed
for the States, Conventions called, Governors
elected, Legislatures assembled and Representa-
tives and Senators chosen TO the Congress of the
United States. know very well that this poll
cy is attended with some risk that for its sue
cess it requires the acquiescence of the States
which it concerns /; that it implies an invitation
to these States, by renewing allegiance to the
United States to resume their functions as States
of the Union but il is risk that must be taken,
US no State can throw a defense over treason
The power of pardon is exclusively vested in the
Executive branch of the Government of the Uni
ted States. In exercising that power, have ia
ken every precaution to with il the clear
est recognition of the binding force of the laws
OF the United States and the unqualified acknowl-
,edgment of the great change of condition in re-
gard to slavery, which has grown out of war"
Again he says All parties in the terrible con-
fict must work together in harmony. 1t is not
too much to ask, in the name of the whole peo-
pie that side the plan of restoration shall
proceed in conformity with willingness to cast
the disorders of the past into oblivion and on the
other, that the evidence of sincerity on the fu-
ture maintenance of the Union, shall be put be-
yond any doubt by the ratification of the propos-
ed amendment to the Constitution, which pro-
vides for the abolition of slavery forever within
the limits of our country. The adoption of this
amendment unites the United States beyond
all power of disruption
@ 1t is manifest that treason, most fragrant in |
character has been committed. Persons who arc I
charged with its commission should have fair and |
impartial trials in the highest civil tribunals of
the country, in order that the Constitution and
the laws may be fully vindcated, and the truth |
clearly established and affirmed that treason is a !
crime that traitors should be punished and the |
ofenSc made Infamous and at the same time that |
the question may be judcially settled finally and /
forever, that 40 State, of its own will, has the
right to renounce its place in the Union"
The relations of the General Government to-
ward four million inhabitants whom the war has
called into freedom, have engaged the serious at
teuton of the President - In regard to the pro-
priety Of attempting to make the freedmen cleo
tors by the proclamation of the Executive. | took
for my counsel the Constitution itself the inter
pretations of that instrument by its authors and
contemporaries, and recent legislation by Con-
gresS. The President thinks granting the cleo
tive franchise to freedmen would have been as
sumption of power which nothing in the Consti-
tuition or laws of the United States would have
warranted On the other hand every danger of
conflict is avoided when the question is referred
to the States . In my judgment, freedmen, if
they show patience, will sooner come into partc-
ipation i'll the elective franchise through the
States than through the General Government.
even If 1t had the power to intervene Good
faith requires the security OF the freedmen in
their liberty, their right to labor and their right
10 claim a fair return for their labor" The Pres
ident urges dispassionate treatment of the sub
ject, aloof from all party strife.
He then discusses the Department reports
Under the provisions of the Homestead Law, =
l6O,53 acres of land were entered during the /
last fiscal year On the first of May the total |
number of persons on the pension list So
936, requiring for annual pay IS, 023, 445
The revenue of the Post Office for the past year
ioots up Sl4,o3G, l5s, and the expenditures $l3,-
694,12S
BY the report of the Secretary of the Navy it |
is shown that at the commencement of the pres |
ent year there were in commission $50 vessels. |
armed with 5000 guns. and manned by 81 coo |
men. The number of vessels now in commits |
sion is III, with $50 guns and II l2s men,
By the report of the Secretary of War it il !
shown that the military force the lst of May
was 900, SIG men. over 500, coo of these have
been mustered out, and the Department is still
rapidly reducing the number. The war estimates
reduced from S5I0 $40, 1871 TO S22 ,Sl4, 4Gl
which amount in the opinion of the Department,
is adequate for the peace establishment.
The President discourses the financial question
Mt length. He recommends the people TO be con-
stanuy on their guard to liqudate debts con-
tracted in paper currency, andby conducting bus
ness nearly on cash basis or short credits to
hold themselves prepared to return to specie
standard. The gradual reduction of the curren-
cy is the only measure that can save the business
CT the country from disastrous caiamites. 1t is |
estimated by the Secretary of the Treasury that /
the expenditures for the fiscal year ending Goth /
June, 1866, will exceed the receipts by SIP, 1884,
9I1 1t is gratifying, however, TO state that it
Is also estimated that the revenue for the year
ending goth June, 1867 will exceed the expendi- +
lures in the sum of Sill ,6s2, SIS. This amount
OF so much as may be deemed sufficient for the
purpose, may be applied to the reduction Of the
pnotic debt, which on the 3lst October, 1865 was
S2,7i0, $50. $50