Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-12-14
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Gea,lcn,ca Qfhc Senate

OI the ttOHlcs lOl Nut IiNoNANh'iph VI w
Unitod States, is my first duty in address
ing YOU. Our thoughts next revert to tn
death of the late President by an act Of par
iicidal treason. The grief of the nation i
sill fresh; il finds some solacc in the con
silcration that he lived to enjoy the highes
proof of its confidence by entering on til,
renewed term of the Chief Magstracy, tC
which he had been elected that he brought
the civil war substantially to close; that
his loss was dcplorcd in all parts Of the
Union; and that foreign nations have rem
dered justice to his memory. His removal
cast upon me heavier weight of cares thar
ever dcvolved upon any one Of his predc
cessors. To fulfil my trust need the sup
port and confidence Of all who are associ
nted with me in the various department.
Of Government, aud the support aud conf
dcnce Of the people. There is but one way
in which can hope to gain their necessary
aid it is, to state with irankncss the prin-
ciplcs 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 upon your
and their undivided appreciation.
The Union Of the United States of Amer
lea was intended by its authors to last as
long as the States themselves shall last
The Union shall bc perpetual are the
words of the Confederation. TO form d
more perfect Union" by an ordinance OF
the people Of the United States, is the de-
clared purpose of the Constitution. The
hand Of Divine Providence was never more
plainly visible in the affairs Of men than il
the framing and adopting of that instru
ment. 1t Is, beyond comparison, the great.
est 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 Coniedcr-
alton, of their several States, and Of other
Republican Governments, old and new; but
they needed aud they obtained wisdom
supcror to experience. Aud when for its
validity it required the approval Of II peo-
pie that occupied large part of a continent
and acted separately in many distinct con
ycntilus, what is more wonderful than that,
after earnest contention andIoug discussion,
all feelings aud all opiuons were ultimately
drawn in one way to its support?
The Constitution 10 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 ensure domestic tranquility. In ctsc
of the usurpatiun Of the Govercmcnt of
State by one man, or an oliglrchy, il be-
comes duty OF the United States to make
good the guarantee to that State Ola rcpub-
llcan form Of government, and so TO main
tain the homogencou,ncSs ofall Does the
lapse of time reveal defects? A simple
mode of amendment isproyded in the Con,
stituton itself, 80 that its conditions can
always be made to conform to the require
mcnts of advancing civilization. No room
Is allowed even Tor the thought of posi-
blIlty OF Its coming to AN end And these
powers Of sclt-prc ,crvatiOn have always
been asserted in their complete integrity by
every patriotic Chief Magistrate by JctTer.
son aul jackson, not less than by Washing
ton and Madison. The parting advice OF
the Father Of his Country, while vet prcsi.
dent, to the people of the United States,
was, that "thc free Constitution, which was
the work Of their hands, might be sacrcdy
maintained and the inaugural words of
PRESIDENT jefferson held up the prescrva-
ilun OF the General Government in its con.
stltutonal vlgor, a. the sheet anchor of our
peace at home and safety abroad The
Constitution is the worl, of "thc People o
the United States and it should be as in
dc-truetible as the people.
1t l. not strange that the Trainers Of tn
Constitution, which had no model in tn
past, should not have fully comprchrndc,
the excellence of their own work. Frcs
from Il struggle AGAINST arbitrary power
many patriots suffered from hnra ssing fear
Of an u,urpation of the State Government
by the General Government, aud many from
IL dread that the Stntos would break ava
from their orbits. But the very grraircs
ofourcounty should aIlay the apprehension
Of encroachmcnts by tie General Govern
mcnt. The subj Cts that comc uuquestion
ably within its urls iiction are 50 numerous
that it must ever naturally refuse to be en-
barras,cl by questions that lie beyond it.
Were it otherwise, the Executive wOul
sink beneath the hurdcn the channels q
Justice would be chokcI; legislation woul,
DC obHructeI by excess, 50 that there is
greater temptation to exercise some Ol TIA
functions of the General Government
through the States than to trcsspass o
their lightiul sphere Tho absolute ad
qulcsccncc in the decision, Of the majority
wa, at the beginning Of the century, en-
forced by Jefferson "as the vital princpl
o" the republics, and the events ofthc las
four years have established, we will hop
forever that there lies no appeal to force
The mlIutainlnce Of the Union bring
with It. the support Of the State Govern
mrnts in all their rights but it j. not on
- Wv ll-lNN VI any tniIit hbNtIlllllthl Il
renpnncc its own place in the Union, or t.
npllity the laws Of the Union. The largcs
liberty i to he maintained ia the discussion
of the act, of the Federal Government; bu
there i, no appeal from its laws, except t,
the various branches of that Govcrnmcn
itself, or to the people, who grant to til,
members OF the Legislative aud of the Tx
ecnJIre Departments no tenure but a lin
ltc one, and in that manner always retair
the lowers OF redress.
80 The Sovereignty OF the States" is tho
language OF the t~sfGicracy, and not Tia,
language ut the Constitution. The latter
contains the emphatic words "'rhc Con
sttu'lon, and the laws ofthc United State.
which shah he mllc ia pursuance thereof
AMI aIl treaties made or which shall be made
unl ,r the authority OF the United States.
thall BE- the supreme law of the land: and
the judges IN every State shall be hound
thereby, anything in the constitution or laws
olany State to the contrary nDtwithstanl-
inG
Certainly the Government of the Vnitod
States l'a limited government; AMI SO i.
every State government limited govern
lnent. With u, this idea of limitation
spreads through every form of adminstra,
ton, general, State, and municipal, and
rest on the great distinguishing principl,
OF the recognition of the rights of man --
The ancient republics absorbed the in livil