Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-12-16

Here it is Tor you fellow citizens of the
Senate and for you fellow citizens of the
House of Representatives, TO Judge, each Of
you for yourselves, of the elections returns
and qualifications Of your own members,
The full assertion of the powers Of the
General Government rcq1ires the holding
the Circuit Courts Of the United s. ates
within the districts where their authority
has been interrupted. In the present
posture of our public affairs, strong OBJ
jeclions have been urged to holding those
courts in any of the States where the re-
belion has exi,ted; and it was ascertain.
ed by inquiry, that the Circuit Court Of
the United States would not be held
withio the District Of Virginia during the
autumn or early winter, nor until Con-
gress should have 'au opportunity to con
slider and act on the whole subject
TO your deliberations the restoration of
this branch of the civil authority of the
United States is therefore necessarily re.
terred, with the hope that early provision
will be made for the resumption of all its
functions. 1t is manifest that treason,
most flagrant in character, has been com.
mltted Persons who are charged with its
commission should have fair aud impartial
trials IN the highe civil tribunals Of the
country in order that the Constitution and
the laws may be fully vindcated the
truth clearly established and affirmed that
treason ia crime that traitors should be
punished and the offence made Infamous
aud at the same time, that the question
may be judically settled, finally aud forcv.
or that no State of its own will has the
right to renounce its place 10 the Union.
| The relations Of the General Govern
ment towards the four millions of nhabi-
tauts whom the war has called into free.
dom have engaged my most serious con
sideration. On the propriety Of attempting
to make the freedom electors by procla-
mrton eff the Executive, l took tor my
counsel the Constitution itself, the inter-
pretatlons of that instrument ny its authors
aud their cotempovares, and recent legls.
latiou Of Congress. When, at the first
movement towards indedendence the Con.
gress of the United States instructed the
everal States 10 institute governments OF
their own, they left each State to decide
for itself the conditions for the enjoy @ent
of the elective franchise.
Daring the period of the Confederacy
there continued to cxist very great di-
versi,y in the qualifications OF electors IL
the several States and even within 4
State distinction of qualifications pre-
vailed with regard to the officers who were
TO be chosen. The Constitution OF th'
United States recognizes these dlversltie
whom it enions that, in the choice o
. members OF the House Of Represent ative
of the United States, the electors in eac
State shall have qualifications requisite
! for electors of the most numerous brancI
S Of the State Legislature.
t After the formation Of the Constitution
0 it remained, as before, the uniform usag
. for each State to enlarge the body OF it
t electors, according to its own judgment
. and. under this system, one State atte
r another has proceeded to increase the mum
Der of its electors until now universal su
r frage, or something very near it, is th
a general rule.
e So fixed was this reservation of powe
IN the habits of the people, and so unque'
q tiooed has been the Interpretation oil tt
i Constitution that during the civil war ii
IS late President never harbored the purpo'
d certainly never avowed the purpose
n oil disregarding it Z; and in the acts OF 20
y grcss, during that period, nothing can
found which, during the continuance
= hostilities, much less after their clos
10 would have sanctioned any departure
% the Executive from policy which has
g uniformly obtained
h Moreover. IA concession OF the electl
n franchise to the lrecdmen, by the oct
is the President of the United States, m,
{ have been extended to all coorcd me
- wherever found, and SO must have esa
le lished change Of suffrage in the Mort
crn, Middle and Western States, not ID
of than in the Southern and Southvcster
,e Such an act would have created NJ
- class of voters, and would have been
= assumption of power by the Presld
at which nothing in the Constitution or la
in OF the United States would have warrant
all On the other hand, every danger
on conflict is avoided when the settiemen
ii. the question is referred to the sevo
of States They can, each for itself, dec
ur on the measure, and whether 1t is to
bis adopted at once, aud sb.outely, or in
bt duccd gradually and with conditions
all. In my Judgment, the freedmen, II
the show patience and manly vir'ues,wlll SC
as. er obtain participation in tho elec
Ia franchise through the States than thro
.rts the General Government, even il it
power to intervene. When the tumu
the emotions that have been raised by the
.ces denness Of the social change shall
this subsided, it may prove that they will
ace ceiyo the kindiiest usage from SOM
uch those on whom they have heretofore
ten closely depended.
,ites But while have no doubt that now
1t ter TIE close of the war, it is mot con
ctlv tent for the General Government tc
uept tend the elective franchise in the Sc
ided States, it is equally clear that good
re a requires the security of the freedme
ned their liberty and their property, their
tion to labor, and their right to claim the
return Of their labor. | cannot too st