Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1865-12-20
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.

IN advance.
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.
u the Senate o1fthe United States;
In reply to the resolution adopted by the
Senate on the 18th instant, | have the honor
= state that the rebellion waged by a portion
# the people against the properly constituted
authorities OF the Government Of the United
States. has been suppressed: that the United
States are in possession OF every State IN whlch
the insurrection existed and that, as far as
could be done, the courts of the United States
have pceu r1stulcd, post oilree rc-es.aDilsi.ed,
and steps taken to put into effective operation
the revenue laws Of the country
81. As the results Of the measures instituted by
the Executive, with the view of inducing
resumption Of the functions Of the States COM
mnrehended NJ in the inquiry of the Senate, the
neople lin North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Ar
Kansas, and Tennessee, have reorganlzed their
respective State governments. and "are yield.
inr obedience to the laws and Government OF
the United States with more willingness and
greater promptitude than under the clrcum-
/ stances could reasonably have been anticipated.
8 The proposed amendment OF the CONSTITUTE
tion providing for the abolition OF slavery
forever within the limits OF the country has
been ratified by each one OF those States with
theexception Of Mississippi, from which no
official information has been received, and IN
nearly all of them measures have been adopted
or areInow pending to confer upon freedmen
the privileges which are essential to their com,
fort, protection, and security. In Florida and
Texas the people are making commendable
progress in restoring their State governments,
! aud no doubt is entertained that they will at an
early period be in a condition to resume all OF
their practical relations with the Federal Gov
eminent.
is h ssthat portion of the Union lately in
5rehelfion'' the aspect of affairs is more promis-
9inp than in view of all the circumstances could
we'll have been expected. The people through
out the entire South evince laudable desire
!. to renew their allegiance to the Government,
and to repair the. devastations of war by
prompt and cheerful return to peaceful pur-
suits. An abiding faith is entertained that
p their actions will conform to their professions,
and that in acknowledging the supremacy OF
the Constitution and the laws Of the United
States their loyalty will be unreservedIy given
to the Government, whose lenency they cannot
fail to appreciate, and whose fostering care WILL
soon restore them to condition OF prosperity.
It is true that in some Of the States the de.
moralizing effects Of the war are to be seen IN
occasional disorders; but these are local In
character, not frequent in occurrence and are
RAPIDLY dlsapp, airing as the civil authority IS
extended and sustained Perplexlng questions
were naturally to be expected from the great
and sudden change in the relations between the
two races; but systems are gradually deVeiopy,
ing themselves under which the freedman VIII
receive the protection TO which he is justly
entitled, and, by means OF his labor, MAKE
himself useful and independent member OF
the community in which be has his homas<,
From all the information IN my possessloE;
and from that which [ have recently derived
tromthe most reliable authority, am induced
to cherish the belief that sectional anlmoslty IS
surely and rapidly merging itself into spirit
of nationality, and that representation, connec
ted with properly adjusted system OF " taxa :
ton, ill.result in harmonious restoration "
the relations of the States to the Natlonal
Union.
The report of Carl Shurz is here with i trans
mitted, as requested by the Senate: NO re-
ports from the Hon. John Covode have been
received BY the President The attention OF
the Senate is invited to the accompanying s
report Of Lieutenant Gensra Grant, who re-
Gently made tour of inspection through seV-
eral of the States whose inhabitants partlclpat-
ed in the rebellion ANDREW JOHNSON
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. l0, 1860.
The Comptroller of the Currency isexposlng
the sharp practices Of some Of tie New YORK
banks, and letting out some important secrets
He desires attention called to the fact that GER
tain parties are endeavoripg to raise, by means
~ Nat mol