Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-12-14
M E S S A G. E
OF THE

Az cAFTcSs ETalltltuc 10 UOu, IN the namt
of the people, for the preservation of tn
. United States, is my first duty in addressing
you. Our thoughts next revert to the dealt
Of the late President by an act of parrcida
treason. The grief of the nation is still fresh
i finds some solace in the consideration tha
he lived to enjoy the highest proof of its con
tdeEce by entering on the renewed term 0
the Chiet Mag,stracy, to which he had beet
elected; that he brought the civil war sub
s'antially to close that his loss was deploiey
in all parts of the Union and that forei ~
nations have renGcrrd justice to his memory
) His removal cast upon me a heavier weight
J # cares than ever devolved upon any one o
his predecessors To fulfil my trust nce,
the support and confidence of all who are as.
socaed with me in the various departments
of Government, and the support and conf
dcnce of the people. There is but one way
IT. which eau hope to gain their necessary
aid it is to state with frankness the princi-
pies which guide my conduct and their aprli-
cation to the present state Of affairs, well
asare that the efficiency Of my labors will. in
z. cat measure, depend on your aud their
undivided appreciation.
The Union of the United States Of America
was intended Ly its authors to last as long us
the States themselves shall last. "Tur L SION
SHALL DE PERPETUAL are III. ucrds of the
| Confederation. TO FORM MORE PERFECT
UNION by an ordinance of the people of the
United States. is the declared purpose of the
Constitution. The hand of Divine Provi-
dencc was never more vi>ibly in the affairs of
men than in the framing and the adopting IF
that instrument 1t is, beyond c, mlarson.
| I ,t.S . in 4 l.;
indeed is il not of all events in modern times.
the most pregnant with consequences for every
rcoLe of the Garth ? The members uf the
Convention which prepare it brought to their
work the experience of the Confrdcratou of
their several States, and Of other republican
governments, old and new; but they needed
and they Obtained a wisdom superior to cxpe-
ricuce. And when for its validity it required
the approval of people that occupied II large
part Of continent and acted separately in
many distinct conventions what is more wou-
derful than that after earncs, contention and
long discussion all feelings and all opinions
were ultimately drawn i'll one way to its sup
port?
The Constitution to which life was thus
impaired contains within itself arpc rcsour-
ces for its own preservation. 1t has power
to enforce the laws. punish treason. and in
sure domestic tranquility. Tn case Of ,hc
usurpation of the government OF State by |
one man. or an oligarchy it becomes Il duty
of the United States to make good the guar
any to that State of gencrousness of all |
Does the lapse of time reveal defects? A !
simple mode of amendment is provided in the
Constitution itself. hat it's conditions can
alwas be madet' conform to the requirements
Of advancing civilization. No room is allowed
even for the thought Of a possibility of its
coming to an end. And these powers Of self
preservation have always been asserted in
their complete integrity hy every patriotic
Chief Magistrate. Jefferson and .Jarkson
mt less than by WAIST ington and Maii-on
The parting advice of the Father of his Cnun-
try. while yet President. to the people Of the
United States. was. the free Constitution,
which was the work of their hands. might be
sicrcdly maintained - and the inaugural
words of President Jefferson held up 1.-THE
preservation of the General Government. in
It's constitutional vicor. as the shce, anchor
f our peace at hcme and snfety abroad"
The Constitution is the work of 9 the people ,
# the United States" aud it should be as
as the people
IL IS not St'HNTc tItaI tue trainers OF the
which had no mod, | in the past, :
hould not have fully comprehcndel the ex- $
'ellencc Of their own work. Fresh from a ,
truggle againest arbitrary power. many ra- t
riots suffered from harnssirg fears of an ab- .
orption of the State governments by the /
General Government. and many from dread ,
hat the States would break away from their
'rbis But the very greatness of our coun- c
ry should allay the apprehension Of encroacl- t
uenisb by the General Government. The SUBJ I
ect that come unqucstionably within its ju- i
isdictinn are so numerous. that it must ever t
'aturally refuse to be embarrassed by qucs- '
ions that Tic beyond it, Were it otherwise. 7
he Executive would sink beneath the burden; t
he channels Of justice wonld be choked II
egslafion would be obstructcd by excess so '
hat there is a greater temptation to exercise v
"me of the functions Of TIE General Govern +
ncnt through the States than TO trrspass on c
heir rieltfnl sphere. THE absolute acddi-
sccnsn in The decisions of the majority" was. 4
E. the beginning of the century. enforced hy
Jefferson " as the vital principle of republics" f
nd the events Of the last tour years have cs- 4
ablishcd, we will hope forever, that there il
les no appeal to force =
The maintenance Of the Union brings with &
"thc support If the State Governments in a
II their rights but it is not one of the 4.
ights of my State Government to rcnounce o
Is own place in the Union. or to nulfy the I
Avs of the Union. The largest liberty is to II
e maintained in the discussion Of the act of {
he Federal Governments but there is no np- u
cal fronfits laws except to various branches d
that Government itself. or to the people. =
rho grant to the members of the Legislative Fl
nd Executive Departments no tenure but I,
United one. and in that manner always retain f
be powers Of redress. h
"The sovereignty of tho States" is the e
,nguage f the Confederacy, and not the Ian e
uage Of the Constitution. The latter con- I
,ins the emphatic words 1.-The Constitution. !,
nd the laws of the United States which shall d
g made in pursuance thereof and all the v
reaties made or which shall be made un- ~
er the authority of the United States, shall o
9 the supreme law Of the land; and the a
,lges in every State shall b. bound thereby. G
nything in the Constitution or laws of any
tate to the contrary notwithstanding. r.
Certainly the Government Of the United c
tatcs is limited government; and so is I,
verv State government a limited OOvernnent | T