Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1865-12-06
SUPPL { M { N T
TO TIE
DAILY COMMERCIAL.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Felton, Ctiscas Of The Senate and

people. for the prc,cryaton of the United States
revert 70 the ciih of the late President by an act
parricida treason. The grief Of the nation IS still
fresh it dnds some solace in the consideration tina
he lived enjoy the highest proof of is conidcnc
by entering ON the renewed term of the Chief MagS
tracy To which he had been elected that he brough
the civil substantially n close that his los
was dopIoTcd m all parts Of the Union; ana ina
foreign nations have rendered justice to his memory
III removal cast upon me heavier weight OF care
10 fulfil my trust FEED the support and confidence
"I all who are associated with Heim the various de-
L%rtment: q Government. and the suprort and con
dence of the reore. There "a but one way m winch
can hope to gain their necessary aid; i j. 10 stat
with trankucls the principles which guide my CON
duct and their application the present state OF al-
fairs well aware that the efficiency Of my l2b9rs Will
m great measure. depend ON your az" their uodl-
The Jn;on af the tied States Of America was
intended 10y it, authors to last long the States
rETr u aye tie words of he Confederation. To
The peope Of tbc Inifrj States is the declared pur
pose of the Constitution. The hand of Divine Prov
idcuce was never more plainly visible in the affairs
Of than IL 1ac framing and the adopting Of that
instrument It's. beyond comparison. the greatest
event in Amogr yn history, and, indeed is If not 81!
all events ~ modern times, the most pregnant with
consequences IgE every uHpEiC Of the earth: The
members Of tho Convention which prepared H.
BROUGHT 90 the work the experience Of the Contci
lean governments, old and new; but they needed
and they obtained wisdom superior to experience
And when for Its validity Il required the approval OF
people that occupied large part of continent
and ac.cd separately in many distinct conventions
what is wonderful than that. after earnest cor
tenlion aud long discussion, all feelings and ali op
ions were ultimately drawn III one way to It's sup
The Constitution to which life was thrs impaired
contains within itself ample resources for its Own
pre- crYation 1t has power TO enforce the laws pun
ism treason, and ensure domestic tranquility. In
case of the usurpatiGn of the government of state
by one man, IN oigarchy, it becomes duty of the
United States to make good the guarantee 10 that
State OF republican form OF government aud So to
maintain the homogcncousnesS of alt Does he laps,
OF time reveal defects? 4 simple mouc of amend
mcnt j. provided III the Constitution itself that it
conditions always be made to conform 10 the re
quiTemontS Of advancing civilization No IN Is
allowed even tur the Thought OF possibility OF lts
coming to end. And these powers Of sclt-rrcSer-
yaton have always been asserted in their cnInplG,e
Jefferson and Jackson, not less than b. Washington
and Madison. The parting advice Of the Father Of
his Country while yet President - the people of the
United States was that the free Constitution, which
was the work Of their bends, might be sacredly main
taned:" and the inaugural words of President JEFF
ferson held p the preservation of the General Gov
eminent in it, constitutional vgor, a. the sheet an
chor of our peace at hcme and safety abroad" The
Constitution is the work Of the people ut the United
States and it should be as indestrnctible as the
people.
ton which had no modcln the past. shOuldnot have
fully e0mpreheneed the excellence of their work.
Fresh from a struggle against arbitrary power, many
patriots suffered from harasSing fears of an absorption
of the State Governments by the General Govern
ment, and many from dread that the States would
break away from Their ormtS; But the very great
ness of our country should al!ay the Apprehension Of
encroachmentS by The General Government. The sub
ieets that come unquestionaby within its jurisdiction
numerous that 1t must ever nat orally refuse 10
be embarrassed b questions that lie beyond 1t. Were
1t otherwise the EXECUTIVE would Sink Iehcttn the
burden; the channels OF justice would be clicked;
legislation would he ob-tructGd ny excess: 80 thai
there is greater temptation TO exercise of the
functions Of the tiene,al Government through the
States than to trcspass ti"r rlgnttui sphere III"
absolute acquescence N lhe I@cision pi the ina}H
rty' was the beginning of the century, enforced
~ IL ' Nv, i,i o siatbI we
HON f,,viy- hat u -,
The maintenance Of the Union brings with II thy
support oihe State Governments in all their rights;
but il j. not of the rights Of any state govern
ment to renOuncc its own place in the Union, or TO
nulIify the laws Of The Union The largest liberty Is
be maintained in the discussion of the acts OF the
laws, except to the various branches Of that Govern
mcnt itself, to the people who grant to the Nom
bers of the Legislative and o. the Executive De
partments no tenure but limited one and i'll that
manner always retain the powers Of redress
The Coniederaey. and not the language OF the Coust
tuition. The latter contains the emphatic words
"The Constitution. ana the laws of the United States
which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all
treaties made or which shall be made under the al
thOrity Of the nltcd states, shall be the Supreme
law Of the land; and the Judges in every State shall
be bound thereby, anything in the constitution or
laws of state to the contrary Notwithstanding.
Certainly the Government Of the nited States is
limited government: ana 80 Is every state govern
ncnt With us this idea of limitation spreads through
every form of admins tmtion general, State and
nicipal, and rests the great Distinguishing prnci
Pio of the recognition of the rights Of man. The
prescribed his religion, and controlled his activity
The American system rests on the assertion OF the
suit of happiness: to freedom Of conscience, to the
culture and exercise Of all his faculties As a cOnse-
4uence; the State government Is limited, rs to the
TO the individual citizen i'll the interest of freedom.
States with proper limitations Of power, arc essen
tial to the existence OF the Constitution OF the Uni
ted States. At the very commencement, when we
assum ed place the Powers of the earth, the
Declaration of independence adopted by States;
so also were the articles of Contederatou and when
the "people o. the United States ordained and cStab
shed the Constr uon it the assent of the States
one by one which gave it vitality. In the event,
too any amendment to the Constitution, the Propo-
siton of Congress needs the continuation OF states
Without States, great BRANCH oil the legislative
government would be wanting. And, II we look be-
yond the letter Of the Constitution 10 the character
of country its capacity for comrrcheha!ng within
its jurisdiction vast continental empllS Is duc TO
the system of States The best security for the per-
petual existence of the states is the supreme au-
thoriy of the Constitution Of the United States me
pcrpetuity of CONSTITUTION brings with it the pcrpe-
tuity of the States: their mutual relation makes us
nexon is indissoluble. The whole cannot exist with
out the parts nor the parts without the whole So,
long as the Constitution o the United States endurcs
the States will endure the destruction of the one is
the destruction of the other: the preservation of the
one is the preservation of the other.
! have thus explained my views of the mutual re-
lations of the Constitution and the States because
they unfold the principles ON which have sought to
solve the momentous questions and overcome the
appalling difficulties that met Mt the very com
mencement of my administration. 1t has been my
AIRY passions, and to derive healing policy from the
fundamental and unchansing principles of the Con-
stltutlUn.
found the States suffering from the effects of civil
war. Resistance to the General Government ap-
peared to have exhausted itself The United States
had recovered possession OF their forts and arsenal
and their armies were III the occupation of every
State which had attempted to secede; Whether the
territory within the limits OF those States should be
held rs conquered territory, under military authority
emanatng from the President the head of the
army, was the irS question that presented itself for
decision.
Now, military governments. established for an in
definite period, would have offered no security for
the early suppression Of discomfort would have di
vided the people int the vanQuishers and the
ouished; and would have cnycnomed hatred rather
than have restored affection. Once established no
precise limit to their continuance was conceivable
They would have occasoncd nm incalculabIe and ex-
hausting expense. Peaceful emigration to aud from
that portion of the country is one of the best
that can be thought OF for the restoration of har-
mOny; and that emigration would have been pre-
vented for what emigrant from abroad, what indus
trious citizen at home would place himself willingly
under military rule? The chief persons who would
have followed in the train Of the army would have
been dependents ON the General Government, or men
who expected profit from the mlseries OF their crring
fellow citizens. The powers OF patronage and rule
which would have been exercised under the Presi-
dent, over vast, and populous. and naturally
wealthy region, greater than, unless under eX
IRENE necessity should be willing TO cntruSt to any
one man. they such for myself, could never,
exercise The wiiliui se of such powers. # con-
tnued through period OF years would have endan-
gered the purity OF the general administration and
the liberties of the States which remained loyal.
Besides, the policy of military rule over n conquered
territory would have implied that the States whose
inhabitants may have taken part in the rebellion had
by the act OF those inhaplants ceased to exist But
the true theory is that all pretended acts of secession
we're from the beginning null and void. The States
cannot commit treason, nor screen the Individual
citizens who may have committed treason, any more
than they make valid treaties engage III law
full commerce with any foreign Power. The States
attempting to scccde placed themselves i'll condition
where their vitality impaired, but not extin.
guished-ther functions suspended. but not de-
stroyed.
But if any State negccts refuses to perform it,
offices there il the need that the General Gov
ernment should maintain all its authority, and, a
soon as practicable resume the exercise Of all it
functions On this principle have acted, and hayt
gradually and quietly. and by almost impcrceptbl
steps sought to restore the rightful energy of the Gen
eral Government and of the states. To that end
Provisional Governors have been appointed for tht
States Conventions called, Governors elected Legisla
lures assembled, and Senators and Representative
chosen to the Congress of the United States,
At the same time. the courts of the United States
as far could be done, have been reopened, tina
the laws of the United States may he enforced
through their agency. The blockade has been re
moved and the custom houses re-eStabished in port
of entry, SO that the revenue of the United State
may be collected. The Postoffcc Department re
news its ceaseless activity and the General Govern
ment is thereby enabled TO communicate promptly
with its officers and agents. The courts bring secu
rity to persons and property; the opening of tn
ports invites the restoration of industry and com
merce; the postoicc renews the facilities of soca