Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-12-07
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
E.llo.r. 0lliaena 81 the Senate

10 express EEauSuue 10 OoOi IN the
name Of the people, for the preservation
of the United States, is my first duty in
addressing you. Our thoughts next re-
vert to the death of the late President
by an act of parricidal treason. The
grief of the nation is still fresh; it finds
some solace in the consideration that be
lived to enjoy the. highest proof of its
confidence by entering on the renewed
term Of the Chief Magistracy, to which
be had been elected; that he brought
the civil war to close; that his loss
was deplored in all parts of the Union;
and that foreign nations have rendered
Justice to his memory. His removal
cast on me a heav Ter weight of cares
than ever devolved upon any one of bis
predecessors. To fulfill my trust, | need
the support and confidence Of ell who
are associal E;fh me in the various de-
partmenis Of Government, and the sup
port and confidence of the people
There is but one way in which, can hope
to gain their necessary aid; it is, TO state
with frankness the principles 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 on your and
their undivided appreciation.
The Union of the United States of
America was intended by its authors to
last as long as the States themselves
shall last. The UNION SHALL BE PER-
PRTUAI," are the words of the Confedera-
ton. ITO FORM MORE PERFECT UNION,
byan ordinance of the people OF the
United States, is the declared purpose
of the Constitution. The hand of Divine
Providence was never more plainly Wis
IDLE in the affairs of men than in the
framing and the adopting of that instru-
ment. It is, beyond comparison, the
greatest event in American history; and
indeed is it not, of all events in modern
times, the most pregnant with conse-
quences for every people of the earth
The members of the Convention which
prepared it, brought to their work the
experience Of the Confederation, of their
several States, and of other Republican
Governments, old and new; but they
needed and they obtained wisdom su.
perior 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 won
derfuI than that, after earnest contention
and long discussion, all feelings and all
opinions were ultimately drawn in one
way to its support
The Constitution to which life was
thus impaired contains within itself am
pie resources for its own preservation.
1t has power to enforce the laws, punish
treason, and enforce domestic tranquil
~. In case of the usurpation of the
government of State by one man, or
an oligarchy, it becomes the duty of the
United States to make good the guaran-
tee to that State Of republican form OF
government, and so to maintain the no.
mogeneousness of all. Does the lapse oil
time reveal defects 2 A simple mode OF
amendment is provided in the Constitu
ton itself, so that its conditions can al
WAYS be made to conform to the require
ments of advancing civilization. Nc
room is allowed even for the thought oil
possibility of its coming to an end
And these powers of selfpreservatior
have always been asserted in their com
plete integrity by every patriotic Chief
Magistrate--by Jefferson and jackson
not less than by Washington and Madi
son. The parting advice of the Father
of his Country, while yet President to
she people of the United States, was
that the free Constitution, which was
the work of their hands, might be sa
credly maintained" and in the inaugu
g Toeo IL LII
up "the preservation of the General Gov
eminent, 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.
1t is not strange that the trainers Of
the Constitution, which had no model in
the past, should not have fully compre-
hended the excellence of their own work
Fresh from a struggle against arbitrary
power, many patriots suffered from har-
RAISING fears of an absorption of the
State Governments by the General Gov
eminent, 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
encroachments by the General Govern
ment. The subjects that come unques
tionably within its jurisdiction are SO nu
merous, that it must ever naturally re-
fuse to be embarrassed By questions tina
lie beyond it. We're it otherwise, the Elk
ecutive would sink beneath the burden
the channels of justice would be choked
legislation would be INSTRUCTED by ex
cess; SO that there is q greater tempta
t;on to exercise some of the functions d
the Gereral Government through the
State 49, "a r s2ass on their rightfu
sphere. The absolute acquiesceuce il
the decisions of the majority" was, q
the beginning of the century, enforced b.
Jefferson /" as the vital principle of Re
publics,' and the events of the last fou
years have established, we will hope for
ever. that there lies no appeal to force
The maintenance of the Union bring
with ii " the support of the State Gov
ernments in all their rights" but it i
not one of the rights of any State Gov
eminent to renounce its own place in tn
Union, or to nullify the laws OF the Union
The largest liberty is to be maintained
in the discussion of the acts OF the Fed
eral Government; but there is no appea
from it's laws, except to the varlou
branches of that Government itself, o
to the people, who grant to the member
of the Legislative and Of the Executive
Departments no tenure but a limited
one, and in that manner always retain
the powers of redress,
1.-THE sovereignty of the State is thu
language Of the Confederacy, and no
the Language of the Constitution. Thu
latter contains the emphatic words
HThe Constitution, and the laws of tht
United States which shall be made ii
pursuance thereof, and all treaties made
or which shall be made under the eu
thority Of the United States, shall be thu
sunreme law OF the land; and the judge
in every State shall be bound thereby
ANYTHING in the Constitution or laws o
anv State to the contrary notwithstand
ing"
Certainly the Government ofthe United
States is q limited Government; and Sc
is every State Government limited
Government. With us, this idea of limi
tation spreads through every form of ad
ministration, general, State, and MUM
cipal, and rests on the great distinguish
ing principle of the recognition of the
rights Of man. The ancient republics
absorbed the individual in the State,
prescribed his religion, and controlled
his activity. The American system
rests on the assertion of the equal rights
of every man to life, liberty, and the
pursuit Of happiness; to freedom of con-
aciance. to the culture and exercise of