Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1865-12-15
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fsll0so Citizens gf the Senate

you. Our thoughts next advert to the
death of the late President byan act of par
ricidal treason. The grief of the nation is
still fresh; it finds some solace in the consid-
Grafton that he 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 be brought
the civil war substantially to a close; that
his loss was deplored in all parts of the
Union; and that foreign nations have rem
dered justice to his memory. His removal
cast upon me heayier weight of cares than
ever deYoiyed up0nsHny one of his predeces-
sors. To fulfil my trust need the support
and confidence ofall who are associated with
me in the various departments of Govern
ment, and the support and confidence of the
people. There is but one way in which |
can hope to gain their necessary aid; it is, to
state with fraBkness the principles which
guide my conduct, and their application to
the present state Of affairs, well aware that
the efficiency of my labor will, in a great
measure, depend on your and their undiyi-
ded appreciation.
The Union of the United States of Amer
lea was intended by It's authors to last as
long as the States themselves shall last.
THE UNION SHALL BE PERPETUAL, are
the words of the Confederation; To form
a more perfect Union, by an ordinance of
the people of the United States, is the de-
clared purpose of the Constitution The
hand of Divine Providence was never more
plainly visible in the affairs of men than in
the framing and the adopting of that instru-
ment. 1t is, beyond comparison, the great
est 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 earth The members of the
Convention which prepared it, brought to
their work the experience of the Confedera-
ton, of their several States, and other Re
publican Governments, old and new; but
they needed and obtained wisdom superior
to experience. And when for its validity it
required the approval of people that occu-
pied large part of a continent and acted
separately in many distinct conventions,
what is more wonderful than that, after
earnest contention and long discussion, all
feelings and all opinions were ultimately
drawn in one way to It's support?
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 of State
by one man, or an olgarchy, it becomes a
duty Of the United States to make good the
guarantee to that State Of a Republican
form of government, and so to maintain the
homogeneousness of all. Does the lapse of
time reveal defects? 4 simple mode of
amendment is provided in the Constitution
itself, so that its conditions can always be
made TO confirm to the requirements of ad-
vancing civilization No room is allowed
even for the thought of a possibility of its
coming toan end And these powers of self
preservation have always been asserted in
their complete integrity by every patriotic
Chief Magistrate-by Jefferson and Jack
son, not less than by Washington and by
Madison. The parting advice of the Father
of his Country, while yet President. to the
people of the United States, was, the free
Constitution, which was the work of their
hand, might be sacredly maintained" 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 peo-
pie
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 struggle against arbitrary power,
many patriots suffered from harassing fears
of an absorption of the State Governments
by the General Government, and many from
a dread that the States would break away
from their orbits. But the very greatnesso of
our country should allay the apprehension
of enroachments by the General Govern
ment. The subjects that come unquestiona-
bly, within its jurisdiction are so numerous,
that it must ever naturally refuse to be en-
barTassed by questions that lie beyond it.
Were it otherwise the Executive would sink
beneath the burden; the channels of Justice
would be choked; legislation would be OBJ
by excess; so that there is a greater
to exercise some of the functions
of the General Government through the
States than to trespass on their rightful
sphere. The absolute aequiescence in the
decisions of the majority, was, at the be-
ginning Of the century, enforced by Jefferson
as the vital principle of republics, and
the events of the last four years have estab-
lished, we will hope forever, that there lies
no appeal to force.
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
its own place in the Union, or to
nullify the laws Of the Union. The largest
liberty IS to be maintained in the discussion
Of the acts of the Federal Government; but
there is no appeal from It's laws, except to
the various branches Of that Government it.
self, as to the people, who grant to the mem
bers of the Legislative and of the executive
no tenure but limited one,
and in that manner always retain the power
0f redress
The sovereignty Of the States is the
anguage of the Confederacy, and not the
anguage of the Constitution. The latter
contains the emphatic words ''The Consti
.ution. and the laws of the United States
which shall be made in pursuance thereof,
md all treaties made or which shall be made
lnder the authority Of the United States,
shall bethe supreme law of the land; and the
Judges in every State shall be bound there
by, anything in the constitution or laws
'f any State to the contrary notwithstand-
ng.
Certainly the Government of the United
states IS a limited government; and so is
very State government a limited govern
nent. With us, this idea of limitation
spreads through every form of administra-
ion, general, State and municipal and rests
IN the great distinguishing principle of the
of the rights of man. The an
:ient republics absorbed the individual In
he State, prescribed his religion, and con-
rolled his activity. The American system
ests on the assertion Of the equal right of