Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

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Representatives: N %
To express CRU Nsitude to God, in the name
OF the People, iot, the, preservation of the
United States, is my first duty in address
ing YOU. Our thoughts next revert to the
death of the late President by an act ofparri-
cidal treason. The grief of the nation Is
still fresh; it finds some sOlace In the con-
sideration that he lived to enjoy the highest
proof of its confidence by entering on the
renewed 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 tne
Union; and that foreign nations have rem
dered Justice to his memory. His remoy-
al cast upon me a heavier weight OF cares
than ever devolved upon any one OF MS
predecessors. TO fulfill my trust need
the support and confidence of all who are
associated with me in the various DEPART
nents OF GOvernmeht, and the support and
confidence of the people. There is but one
way in which | can hope TO gain their nee
essarV aid; is, TO state with frankness the
principles which guide my conduct, and
their application to the present state OF af-
fairs, well aware that the efficiency OF my
labors will, in great measure. depend on
yeur and their undivided appreciation, The
Union OF the United States of America was
lQbenu6U Dy lCS NJ ldSb iOhB % WV
States themselves shall'last. THE UNION
SHALL BE PERPETUALr are the words Of
the confederation ITO FORM MORE
PERFECT UN1oN,% by an ordinance OF the
people of the United 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
framing and adopting of that instrument.
1t is, beyond comparison, the greatest 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 earth9 The-members of the
Convention which prepared it brought to
their work the experience of the Confedera-
ton, of their several States, and OF other
Republican Governments, old and new ;
but they needed and they obtained a wis
dom superior to experience, And when
for its validity it required the approval OF
a people that occupied large part of a
continent and acted separately in many
distinct conventions, what is more wonder
full than that, after earnest contention and
long discussion. all feelings and all opinions
were ultimately drawn in one way to its
support ara1uu.'!l .9ly.. t.l's.
The Constitution to 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 insure domestic tranquility. In case
of the usurpation of the Government OIL
State by one man, or an Oligarchy, it be-
comes a duty of the United States to make
good the guarantee to that State of re-
publican form of government, and so 10
maintain the homogeneOusness OF all.-;
Does the lapse of time reveal defectsI A
simple mode of amendment is provided in
the Constitution ITSELF so that its conditions
can always be made to conform to the
requirements of advancing civilization.
No room is allowed even ), for the
thought of q possibility of its coming to
an end. And these powers OF selt-preserva=
tion have always been asserted in their
complete integrity by every patriotic Chief
Magistrate--by jefferson and Jackson, not
less than by Washington and Madison. The
parting advice of the Father of his Coun-
try, while yet President, to the people OF
the United States, was, that "the free Con-
stitution, which was the work of their
hands, might be sacredly maintained;V and
the inaugural words of President Jefferson
held up 'the preservation of the General
Government, in its constitutional vigor, as
the sheet anchor of our peace at home and
safety abroad" The Constitution is the
work of ''the People of the United States"
and it should be as indestructible as the
people, a..I ..l- gt...t. Grs r...n
1t is not strange that, the trainers of the
Constitution, which had no model in the
past, should not have fully comprehended
the excellence of. their own work. Fresh
from a struggle against arbitrary power,
many. patriots suffered FROM harassing fears
of an absorption of the State Governments
by the General Government and many
from dread that the States would break
away from their orbits. But the very
greatness of our country should allay the
apprehension of fencrOaehments by the Gem
eraI Government. The subjects that come
unquestionably within its Jurisdiction are
so numerous, that it must ever naturally
refuse to be embarrassed by questions that
lie beyond it. Were it otherwise, the Ex-
ecutive would sink beneath the burden;
the channels of justice would be chOked;
legislation would be obstructed by excess
so that there is greater temptation to ex-
ercise some of the functions of the Gener-
al Government through the States than to
trespass on their rightful sphere, THE
absolute acquiescence in the decisions OF
the majority" was, at the beginning of the
century, enforced by Jefferson las the vi
tai principle of republics" and the events
of the last four years have established, we
will hope forever, that there lies no appeal
to force. w 't '.ls| ''.'' 'l- W't
The 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
renounce It's own place in the Union, or to
nuIIlify the laws Of the Union. The larg-
est liberty is to be maintained in the dis
ctission of the acts of the Federal Govern
ment; but there Is no appeal from its laws,
excert to the various branches of that Gov
ernment itself, or to the people, who grant
to the members OF the Legislative and OIL
the Executive Departments no tenure but
a limited one, and in that manner always
retain the powers of redress. lhs M \
DjD'The sovereignty of the States'o is the
language of the Contederacy, and not the.
Language of the Constitution. The latter
euntains the emphatic words: "The- -Consti-
tuition and the laws of the United States
which shall be made in pursuance thereof,
and all treaties made or which shall be
made under the authority of the United
States, shall be the supreme law OF the
land; and the judges in every State shall
be bound thereby, anything In the Consti-
tuition or laws of any State to the contrary
Notwithstanding" H i' .f
Certainly the Government Of the United
States Is a limited government; and so Is
every State government "a limited govern
ment. With us, this idea of Limitation
spreads through every form of administra-
tion, General, State, and municipal, and
rests on the great Distinguishing prin-
ciple of the recognition of the rights
of man. The ancient republics, alb
sorbed the individual in the State,
prescribed his religion, and controlled his