The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-12-14
was the first question that presen

would have offered no security fol
the carly suppression ofdiscontent;
would have divided the people in.
to the vanquishcrs and the van.
quishcd ; and would have cnven
omed hatred rather than restored
affection. Once established, nc
precise limit to their continuance
was conceivable. They would have
occasioned an incalculab'e and tx.
hausting expense. Peaceful emf.
grafton to and from. that portion OF
the country is one of the best means
that can be thought of for the res.
toration of harmony: and that EN-.
igration would have been prevent
ed: for what emigrant from abroad
what industrious citizen at home,
would have placed himself willing.
y under military rule : The chief
persons who would have followed
in the train of the army would
have been dependents on the Gen.
oral Government, or men who OK.
pected profit from the miserics OF
their erring fellow citizens. The
powers ofpatronage ard rule which
would have been exercise !, under
the President, over a vast, and
populous, and naturally wealthy
region, are greater than, unless
under extreme necessity, | should
be willing to ontrust to any one
man they are such as, for myself,
could never, unless on occasions
Of great emergency. consent to ex.
ercise. The willful use of such
powers, if continued through q
period of years, would have en-
dangcred the purity ct the gcner,
al administration, and the liberties
of the States which remained 10y.
al.
Besides, the policy of IN m'litary
rule over a conquered territory
would have implied that the States
whose inhabitants may have taken
part in the rebellion had, by the
act of those inhabitants, ceased to
exist. But the true theory is, tha,
all pretended acts ofsecession were
from the beginning, null and void.
The States cannot commit treason,
nor screen the individual citizens
who have committed treason, any
more than they can make valid
treaties or engage in lawful COM
merce with any foreign power
The States attempting to secede
placed themselves in q condition
where their vitality was impaired,
but not cxtinguished (; their func-
tions suspended, but not destroy.
ed.
But if any State neglects or re.
fuses to perform its offices, there
is the more need that the General
Government should maintain all
its authority, and, as soon as prac
ticable, resume the exercise of al
its functions. On this principle
have acted, and have gradually and
quietly, and by most impercepti
bic steps, sought TO restore the
rightiul energy Of the Genera,
Government and of the States.--
10 that end Provisional Govern
ors have been appointed for tht
States, Conventions called, Cover
nors elected, Legislatures assem-
bled, and Senators and Represen
tatives chosen to the Congress
Of the United States. At tn,
same time, the Courts of the Uni
ted States, as far as could be done
have been re-opened, so that tn,
laws of the United States may b,
enforced through their agency
The blockade has been removed
and the custom houses re.establis'
ed i'm ports of entry, so that th'
revenno of the United States may
be collected. The Post Office De
partment rcnews its ceaslcss activi
ty, and the General Governmen
is thereby enabled to communicat,
promptly with its officers and it
agents. The courts bring securit,
to persons and property; the open
ing of the ports invites the restor
alton of industry and commerce
the post Office renews the facilit,
of social intercourse and business
And is it not happy for us all, tina
the restoration of each one OF thes
functions of the General Govern
ment brings with it a blessing t.
the States over which they are ex
tended Is it not a sure promis
of harmony and renewed attach
ment to the Union that, after al
that has happened, the return c
the General Government is know
only as a benefcence
| know very we'll that this poll
cy is attended with some risk /; tina
for its success it requires at leas
the acquiescence ofthe States whic
it concerns that it implies an in
vitation to those States, by renew
ing their allegiance to the Unite
States, to resume their functions a
States of the Union. But it is
risk that must be taken in tn
choice of difficulties, it is the sma
lest risk; and to diminish, and,
possible, to remove all danger,
have felt it incumbent on me
assert one other power of the Ger
eral Government--the power {
pardon. AS no State can throw
defence over the crime Of treason
the power OF pardon is exclusivel
vested in the Executive Govern
ment of the United States. In es
ercising that power, | have take
every nrecnution m connact II Nuif