The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-12-14
ss@s oTTUMWA, IOWA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER ID 1865.

hss been my steadfast object to escape fror
the sway OF momentary passions and to oe
Irive healing policy from the fuudamen,.
and unchanging principles Of the constitd
ton. ! found the states suffering from tn
effects Of civil war. Resistance to the ger
sral government appeared to have exhauste
itself. The United States had recoyere
possession Of their forts and arsenals, AM
their arrnies were In the occupation of ever
state which had attempted to secede-
Whether the territory within the limits q
those states should be held rs conauere,
territory, under military authority emana
ting from the President as the head of tn
army, was the first question that preseRte,
itself for decision. No military government
are established for an indefinite period. I
would have offered no security for the earl,
suppression Of discomfort. 1t would hav
divided the people into the vanquishing an,
the vanquished, and would have envenurne,
hatred rather than restored affection
Once established, no precise limit to thei
continuance was conceivable. They woul,
have occasoned an incalculable and exhaus
ting expense. PcaCvruf enfgratinn tn an,
from that portion of the country, is one o
the best means that can be thought of fo
the restoration Of harmony; and that emi
grafton would have been prevented, 70,
what emigrant from abroad, what industri
Gus citizen at home, would place himsel
willingly under ,nilitary rule? The chic
persons who would have followed in the
train Of the army would have been depen
dents on the general government, or mer
who expected profit from the miissries o
that erring people. ... ..
Fellow citizens, the powers of pat.
ronage and rule which would have been
exercised under tho President over a
vast and popnlons, and naturally veal
thy region, are greater than, unless
under extreme necessity, I should be
willing to entrust to any one man.
They are such, as for myself, I could
never, nnless on occasions of great
emergency, consent to exercise. The
wiltul use Of such powers, if continued
through period of years, would have
endangered the purity Of the general
administration, and liberties of the
states which remained loyal. Besides
the policy of military rule over con-
quered territory, would have implied
that the states whose inhabitants m ay
have taken part in the rebellion. had
by the act Of those inhabitants, ceased
to exist; but the true theory is, that all
pretended acts of secession were, from
the beginning null and void,
The states cannot commit treason
nor secession. The individual citizens
who may have committed treason, can.
not commit secession any more than
they can make valid treaties or engage
in lawful commerce with any foreign
power. The states attempting to So.
eede, placed themselves in a condition
where their vitality was impaired, but
not extingulshcd, their. functions sus,
pended, but not DESTROYED. Blu. if any
siits sstiits-pe esshIeeet sheet or refuses to perform its
general government should maintain
all its authority, and as soon As praeti-
cable, resume the exercise of ALL its
funs ions. On this principle l have
acted, and ha gradually and quietly,
and by almost imperceptiblc steps,
sough: to restore the rightful energy
of the gene al government, aud OF the
states. TO that end, po, ,visional govern
ors have been appointed for the sta'ts,
conventions called, governors elected,
legislatures Assem- 1led, senator's and
representatives chosen To congress of
of,he United States. At til. same time
the courts of the United States, as far
a. evuld be done, have been reopened,
SO that the laws of the United States
may be enforced through their agency.
The blockade has been removed,
and custom houses re established in
ports OF entery, SO that the revenue OF
tire, United States may be collected.
The postoffice department renews its
ceaseless activity, and the general gov
ernment is thereby enabled TO com
municate promptly with its officers
and agents.
The courts bring security topersons
and property. The opening Of the
courts in, ties the res oration Of i'll.
dustry and Commerce.
The post office renews the facilities
Of social Intercourse, and Of business;
and it is happy for US all thar the resto-
ration Of each cne OF these functions OF
the general government brings with it
a blessing to the states over which
they are extended. l. it not Il sure
promise of harmony and renewed at
tachment 10 the Union, that after all
that has happened, the return of tbs
govt is known only as u bencticence.
/ know very well that that policy is at
tended with some risk; that for its
success it requires, at least, the acqui'
esccnce of the states which it concerns;
that it implies an invitation to those
states, by renewing their allegiance tc
the United States, to renew their func
tons as states of the Union. But it il
a risk that must be taken. In The
choice of difficulties it is the smallest
risk, and to diminish, and, if possible
to remove all danger, have felt it in
cumbent on me to assert enc Other
power Of the general governmental,
power of pardon. AS no state car
throw a defense over the crime of trea
son, the power of pardon is exclusivel.
vested N the Executive of tho Unitet
States. .......... .....s . ..... ..-.
] In exercising the power, have ta
ken every precaution to connect it Will
the clearest recognition Of the binding
force Of the laws of the United States
aud al unqualified acknowledgement o
the great social change of condition il
regard to slavery, which has grown ou
I Of the war, nana# a ...s. .....
4 This next step which / have taken Il