The Indianapolis daily herald. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1865-1868, 1865-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fslio,s c'iis,ns q u. sssa.


states, J. my hr.t Outs IN addressing you. Our
thoughts next revert b. the death u the late
frcsl'ient BY an at " parrcida treason. The
grief II the nation l. stIli fresh; Il find. some
-olaee tn the consideration that he lived 20 en-
JOY the highest proof ofits confidence by enter
ing on the renewed ffrn Of the Chief Marls-
tracy. q which h. had been elected: that he
brought the dsii war Substantially 20 ! close;
that his loss was dcplorcd In MI parts OF the
Union; aud that foreign nations have rendered
justice 10 hts msinory. Ills removal east upon
me heavier weight o. cares than ever de
VOWED upon any one u his predecessor-. To
iIihi my trust l ncol the support and cond.
ience ~ all who are as.0ciatcd with mc IN the
various departments q Government, aud the
support aEd confidence Of the people. There
u but one way In which | can hope % gain
their Necessary aid, II Il, 10 state with frank
ness the principles which guide my conduct.
and their application 70 the present state OF AZ.
fairs, well Az are that the efficiency u my la
bors, will, In great measure, depend on your
aud their undivided Approbatlon.
The Union OF the United States ~ America
was Intended BY IT. authors 10 last a. long a.
The state. themselves shall last :" Tbs Union
.hall be perpetual are the words q the Con-
federation. ITO form a more perfect Union"
by an ordinance Of the people Of the United
states, Is the declared purpose Of the Consttu-
lion. The hand OF Divine Providence was
never more PLAINLY visible In the affairs Of
men than la the flaming and the adopting Of
the greatest event In American history; and
indeed II 70 not. Of all events In modern times,
the most pregnant with consequences for every
people Of the earthl Tho members Of the Con.
vention which prepared II, brought 10 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 superior 10 expe-
rience. And when for It, validity 10 required
the approval Of people that occupied large
q "A L.
many distinct conventions, what II more won
dcrful than that, after earnest contention and
long discussion, all feelings and sill opinions
were ultimately drawn In one way 10 ia sup
port'
The Constitution 10 which life was thus i'm
parted contains within Itself ample resources
Tor its own preservation. IL has power TO en-
force the laws. punish treason, and ensure do
nestle tranquility. In case Of the usurpation
Of the Government VI n state by one man. or
an Ollgarchy, IL becomes duty Of the United
states 10 make good the guarantee TO that
State 81 republican form OF government, and
80 % maintain the hOmogeneousness OF all.
Does the lapse Of time reveal defects' A sim
pie mode 81 amendment Is provided In the
Constitution itself, 80 that Its condition can
/ always be made to conform ~ the require
ments Of advancing civilization. No room Is
allowed even for the thought Of possibility 81
IT. coming 10 an end. And these pow ms Of
self-preseryation have always been asserted In
/.
l Chief Magistrate-by Jefferson and Jackson,
not less than by Washington and Madison
i The parting advice Of the Father Of bis Coun-
l try, while yet President, 10 the people Of the
United states,was, that " the free Constitution,
which was the work Of their hands, might be
sacredly maintained;" and the inaugural words
/ II President Jefferson held up 1.-The preserya-
Il ton Of the General Government, in It's consti-
tutional yigor, as the sheet anchor of our peace
at home and safety abroad" The Constitu-
81. T. q
states" and It should be a. indestructible as
! the people.
Its not strange that the framer. Of the Con-
stitution, which had no model in the past,
should not have fully comprehended the cX-
cellence Of their own work. fresh from strug-
gle against arbitrary power, many patriots
I suffered from harrassing fears Of an absorb
I ton Of the state Governments by the General
Government, 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 cncrOachIncnts by
the General Government. The subjects that
| come unqucstiOnably within It's jurisdiction
areso numerous, that 10 must ever naturally
refuse 10 be embarrassed by questions that lie
beyond il. Were IL otherwise, the Executive
would sink beneath the burden; the channels
Of justice would be choked; legislation would
bc 0bstructed by excess; SO that there Is a
! greater temptation 70 exercise some of the
\ functions OF the General Government through
sphere. 1.-The absolute acquiescence in the de-
| cisIOns of the majority was, at the beginEng
OF the century, enforced by Jefferson n the
vital principle Of republics" and the events Of
the last four years have established, we will
hope forever. that there lies no appeal 10 force.
The maintenance of the Union brings with
/ IL =. the support Of the State Governments in
all their rights but II Is not one of the rights
OF any state Government 10 renounce its own
place in the Union. or to nullify the laws OF
the Union. The largest liberty il TO be main
| tanned IN the discussion Of the acts Of the Fed
| eral Government; but there Is no appeal from
IT. laws, except 10 the various branches Of that
| Government itself, or TO the people, who grant
to the members Of the Legislative and OF the
! Executive Departments no tenure but limit
ed one, and in that manner always retain the
powers of redress.
The sovereignty Of the States" Is the
language Of the Confederacy, and not the
language OF the Constitution. The latter con-
tains the emphatic words: "The Constitu-
4 ton. and the laws Of the United states which
shall be made In pursuance thereof, and all
treaties made or which shall be made under
/ the authority of the United States, shall be the
supreme law OF the land; and the judges in
every State shall be bound thereby, any
\ thing In the Constitution Or laws Of any State
| 10 the contrary notwithstanding"
Certainly the Government OF the United
/ states is a limited Government; and so Is every
state Government "A limited Government. With
Us, this idea of Limitation spreads through
every form Of administration, general, State,
and municipal, and rests on the great distin-
gushing principle OF the recognition Of the
rights OF man. The ancient republics absorb
ed the individual i'm tue state. prescribed his re-
| lfgion. and controlled his activity. The Amsri-
can system rests - the assertion Of the
\ equal right Of every man 10 life. liberty, and
/ the pursuit OF happiness; to freedom OF con-
science. To the culture and exercise Of all his
faculties. Asa consequence, the State Gov
eminent il limited. as to the General Govern
ment in the interest 81 the Union, As 10 the in
dividual citizen IN the interest q freedom
| Safes. With proper lint stons of power, are
essential 10 the existence Of the Constitution OF
/ the United States. Atthe very commencement
shen We assumed the place among the Powers
% TIE earth. the Declaration OF Independence
~as adopted by States. So also we're the articles
I Of Confederation; aud when 1.-The People OF the
United States" ordained and established the
Constitution. il sss the assent Of the States.
one by one, Which gave IL vitality. 10 the
event. too. OF any amendment to the Consttu-
ZION, the proposition of Congress needs the cor
/ 6rm ton of States Without States one
great branch of tne legislative government
sOuld be wanting And, We look beyond the
elter OF the Constitution 10 the Character OF our
country its capacity Tor compFehepding ~ithin
its jurisdiction q vast continental empire Is due
10 the system of States The best security
tor the perpetual existence Of the States Is the
"surrcmc authority OF the Constitution OF the
United States The perpeIuity OF the Con-
ssitution brings with i the perpeiuiiy OF the
States: their mutual relation makes what ~e
are. ana in our political system their conRe1ion
a indissOluhle. The whole cannot exist with
out the parts. nor the parts without the ~hole
So long The Constitution Of the United
States eDdures, the States Gill endure: the de
struction OF the one IL the destructioR of the
other: the preservation Of the one is the preser-
vatiou OF the other
have thus explained my views Of the mu-
tual relations Of the Constitution and the
>tstes, because they unfold the principles on
which have sought 10 solve the momentous
questions ana overcome the appalling diiiicul-
tie that met me al the very commencement Of
my administration. IL has been NV steadfast
object 70 escape nom the sway Of momeniary
passions. and 70 derive healing policy from
the fundamental and unchanging principles Il
.he Constitution
! found the states suffering from the effects
"a 4 civil war Resistance 70 the General q 0s-
ernment appeared 20 have exhausted itself
The United states had recovered possession Of
their furts and ar~ensls: and their armies were
ia the occupation CT every State which had at
F...., a IL o.