The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1865-12-14
PRESIDENTS MESSiGE.
Feiiow Citizens ot' the Scnote
0nd House or Rruressnt1

and House Of Representatives.:
Toexpress gratitude to God, in the name
OF the people, ioi the preservation Of the
Iuited States. is my first duty in address
ing you. Our thoughts next revert
to the death OF the late President
by an act ofparricidai treason. The grief
Of the nation is stil fresh it finds some
solacc in the consideration that he lived to
enjoy the highest proof Of its confidence
by entering on the renewed term Of the
Chief Magistracv, to which he had been
elected: that he brought the civil war sub
stantially to a close; that his loss was de-
plored in all parts of the Union; and tlat
foreign nations have rendered justice to
his memory. His removal cast upon ne a
heavier weight of cares than ever devolved
upon any one of his predecessors. To full
ii!l m; trust ! need the support aud conf
dcuce at ali who are associated with me in
the y'rious departments If Government
.nd tie support and confidence OF the l.eo-
pie. There IS but one way in winch
can hope IT, gain their necessary aid; il i,
u stale with irankness the principles which
guide my conduct and their application to
The present state Of aiiairs, we'll awa.c that
I'll efficiency Of my labors. will. in a great
mea urc. depend on your and their undi>
viucd arrroi'ation. The Union of tie
United Sta,es of America was Intended by
Is authors to lat d. long rs the Stttcs
themselves shall las. The Un;on hall
be perpetual. are The wosls o. lhc Com
federation. 10 form Il more perfect
Union by an ordinance Of tie people Of
the nited States. Is the declared purpose
of the Constitution. The hand OF Divine
/ Providence Was never more plainly visible
in the affairs Of men than in the ironing
and adopting of that instrument 1t is
beyond comparison, the greatcst event in
American history; and indeed is it not, of
all events IN modern times, the most preg,
nant with consequences for every people
of the earth? The members Of the Con
vention which prepared it, brought to their
work the experience of the Confederation
OF their several States, ard of other Re-
publican governments, old and new; but
they needed and they obtained wisdom
superior to experience. And when for
ITS validity it required the approval of
people that occupied large rars Of {
continent and acted separately in many
distinct oU,4' ~..ti7-, "iiet - more
tul than that, after earnest contention and
long discussion, all feelings and all oj,in-
ions were ultimately drawn in che way 10
its support?
The Constitution to which life was thus
Impaired contains within Itself ample re-
sources for lis own prcservation 1t has
power to enforce the laws, punish treason.
and insure domestic tranquility. Ia ease
OF the u>urpation Of the government Of
State by one man, CT an oligarchy, it be.
comes duty Of the United States to make
good the guarantee to that State q rcpub-
ilcan ior,n OF government and so to main
tain the homogenousncSs os all. Does tie
lapse OF time reveal defects? \ simple
mode or amendment is provided in the
Constitution itself, So that its conditions
can always be male to conform to the re
fulrcGenls OF advancing civilization. No
rom is allowed even for q tho.,ht Of =
possibility oi It's coming to ~ end And
these powers Of SELF preservation have al
wa 8 been asserted IN their complete in
ie.-rity by every patriotic Chief Magistrate
by jefferson and Jackson. no less than
by Washington AMI Madison. The part
ing advice of the Father Of his Country.
while yet President, to the pc oplc of the
United States. was, that the s'free Contis
tuition. which was the work of their hands,
might be sacredly mantained;" and the
inaugural words Of President Jefferson
held up 'the preservation of the General
Government IL It's constitutional vleor as
The sheet anch.r OF our peace at home
and sa'ciy abroad" TIE Constitution is
he wo'N al The Pcoa,e Of tie t-niie9
N'a'cs. ansi it should be rs inles ructible
Is the people.
II Is mat strange that the fr4mcrs of
the Constr u;ion, which hal ~ model il
'hc past, should not have fully campre
hchdei he excellence IT their own w1r..
Fresh from a struggle against aro;,, a y
power, nany patriots suffered from Tar
rass:ng fears OF an absorption OF the Stale
governments by tie General Corcrnincnt.
and many from Il dread that the STATE,
would break away from their orbits. But
the very grcaincss Of our corn,ry should
a:lay the apprehension OF encroachmen,s
- the General Government TIE subjects
hat come unGuestionably within its ju~
rsdiction are 50 numerous, that it must
ever naturally refuse to bee nbarrassed bv
questions that lie beyond it, Were il
o,Lcrwisc, the Executive would sink be
meath the burden; the channels of Justice
would BE- choke1; legislation would be Oh
structed 10y excess; that there is n grca-
ter temptation to exercise sDG.c Of the
functions Of the General Government
through the States than 10 trcsrass ON
their rlghtiul sphere. The absolute ac~
quescence in the decisions of the major-
~" was, at the beginning of the century.
enforced by Jefferson "as the vital prin,
ciplc of republics, and the events of the
last four years have established we Will
hope forever, that there lies 10 appeal to
force.
Tn. maintenance Of the Union brings
with it ''the support of the State govern
ments in all their rights" but it is not one
of the rights Of any State government to
rcnounce its Own place in the Union, or to