The weekly union record., 1865-12-09
PRESIDENT JoHNsoN's MESSAGE


message has been received by telegraph. 1t
opens as follows:
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 the act of parricidal treason.
The grief OF the nation is still fresh. II finds
some solace in the consideration that be lived
TO enjoy the highest proof OF its confidence By
entering on renewal Of term Of the Chief
Magistracy 10 which be had been elected that
be brought the civil war substantially to a
close; that his loss was deplored 10 all parts
OF the Union, and that foreign nations have
rendered justice 10 bis memory. His removal
cast upon me beaver weight Of care than
ever deyolved upon any one Of his predecessors
TO fulfill. | need the support and confidence
OF all who are associated with me in the various
] Departments Of the Government, and the sup
port and confidence of the people. There is
but one way by which Can hope TO gain their
necessary aid; it is to state with fraUkness the
principles which guide my conduct and their
application TO the present state of affairs
The message then discusses the powers of
the Constitution of the United States and the
relations OF the States of the Union. 1T is
not the right Of State Government to renouuce
its own place in the Union or to nullify the
laws of the Union. The largest liberty is to
be maintained in the discussion of the acts Of
the Federal Government, but there is no appeal
from its laws, except to the various branches
of the Government to itself, or to the people
The sovereignty Of the States il the language
of the Coniederacy 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 com
NIT treason nor screen individual citizens who
may have committed treason. States attempt
ing to secede placed themselves 10 condition
where their vitality was impaired. not extin
guished; their functions suspended, not de
stroyed. But if any State neglects or refuses
to perform its offices, there is the more need
that the General Government should maintain
all its authority, and as soon as practicable
resume the exercise Of all its functions. On
this principle have acted aud sought to re
store the rightful energy of the General Gov
eminent and of the States. To that end.
Provisional Governors have been appointed for
the States, Conventions called, Governors
elected, Legislatures assembled and Represent.
atiyes and Senators chosen to the Congress of
Congress of the Uaited States know very
well that this policy is attended with some
risk that for lis success it requires the acqui
esceuce of the States which it concerns that
it implies an Invitation to these States, by
renewing allegiance TO the United States 10
resume their functions as States of the Union ;
but it is risk that must be taken, as no State
. can throw a defense over treason. The power
of pardon is exclusively vested 10 the Executive
branch Of the Government of the United States
In exercising that power, have taken every
precaution to connect with it the cearesl
, recognition of the binding force Of the laws of
the United States, and The unqualified acknowl
edgement OF the great change of condition in
regard to slavery. which has grown out of the
war" Again he says "All parties in the
late terrible eouaict must work together in
harmony 1t is not too much to ask. ia the
name Of the whole people, that on one 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 future maintenance
of the Union, shall be put beyond any doubt
by the ratification Of the proposed amendment
to the Constitution. which provides for the
abolition of slavery forever within the limits
of our country. The adoption of this amend.
ment u1ltes the United States beyond all
power Of disruption.
at is manifest that treason, most fragrant in
character, has been committed Persons who
are charged with its commission should have
fair aud impartial trials in he highest civil
tribunals of the country IN order that the
: Constitution aud the laws may be fully vindi
Gated, aud the truth clearly established and
affirmed that treason is crime, hat traitors
should be punished and The Cfieuse made iuia.
nous. ard at the same time that the question
may be judcially settled, finally and forever.
. that DO State, OF It's own will, has the right to
rcuounce It's place in the Union"
: The relations of the General Government
3 toward four million Inhabitants, whom the war
has called into freedom, have engaged the
, serious attention Of the President. IN regard
to the proprely Of attempting TO make the
freedmen electors by the proclamation Of the
Executive, took for my counsel the Cousttu
ton itself, the interpretations of that instrument
+ by lis authors and cotempoFaries and recent
legislation by Congress" The President thinks
granting the elective franchise to the freedmen
2 would have been assumption OF power which
! nothing in the Constitution 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
: la my Judgment, freedmen, if they show
? patience viii sooner come into participation 10
the elective franchise through the States than
through the General Government, even if it
had the power to intervene. Good faith
: requires the security Of the freedmen in their
+ liberty, tbeir right to labor, AID their night to
claim q fair return for their labor" The
President urges dispassionate treatment Of
this subject aloof from all party strife.
} He then discusses the Department reports.
Under the provisions of the Homestead Law,
l.I6O 533 acres OF land were entered during the
last fiscal year. On the first of May, the total
number of persons on the pension list was
$3.50. requiring for annual pay SS023,445.
The revenue OF the Post Office for the past
year foots up Sl4,556 l5S and the expe1dit
ures Sl3,694,72e.
: By the report Of the Secretary Of the Navy,
it will be seen that at the commencement OF
the present year there were 10 commission $50
vessels, armed with 5000 guns, aud manned by
$1,000 men. The number Of vessels now in
! commission is ll7,with $50 guns, l2,l2S men.
By the report of the Secretary of War it is
shown that the military force on The Isl of May
was .000,5l6 men. Over 100000 Of these
men have been mustered out, and the Depart
| ment is still rapidly reducing the number The
war estimates are reduced from S5l0,240.13l
to So sl446l, which amount, in the opinion
OF the Department, is adequate for the peace
establishment.
tn, pra-; Int discusses .ba sroro;ai r,-asf; -,,