Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FeuOl0 Citizens of the Senate
and House of REPRESENTATIVES:

name VI the peOple, LOT the preservation
of the United States, is my first duty il
addressing you. Our thoughts next revert
to the death of the late President by al
act of parricidal treason. The grief o.
the nation is still fresh; it fnds some solact
in the consideration hat ne lived to enjoy
the highest proof of its confidence by en-.
tering on the renewed term of the Chic
Magistracy, to which he had been elected
that he brought the civil war substantially
10 a close; that his loss was deplored in all
parts of the Union; and that foreign ma
tons have rendered justice to his memory
His removal cast upon me a heavier
weight of cares than ever devolved upon
any one of his predecessors. To fulfil my
trust l need the support and confidence OF
all whoare associated with me in the vari-
Gus departments of Government, and the
support and confidence of the people
There is but one way in which l can hope
to gain their necessary aid it is, to state
with frankness the principles which guide
my conduct and their application to the
present state of affairs, well aware that
the efficiency of my labors viii, in a great
measure, depend on your and their undi-
vided appreciation.
H CONSTITUTION.
The Union of the United States
of America was intended by its
authors to last as long as the
States themselves shall last. "The Union
shah 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 declared purpose
of the Constitution. The hand of Divine
Providence was never more plainly visi-
blein theaffairs ofmen than in the framing
and the adopting Of that instrument. 1t
is, beyond comparison, the greatest event
in American history and indeed is it not,
of all events in modern times, the most
pregnant with consequences for every peo-
pie Of the earth? The members of the
Convention which prepared it, brought to
their work the experience of the Confed-
Grafton, of their several States, and of
other Republican Governments, old and
new but they needed and they obtained
a wisdom superior to experience. And
when for its validity it required the APP
proval of a people that occupied a large
part of a continent and acted separately
in many distinct conventions, what is more
wonderful han that, after earnest conten-
ton and long discussion, all feelings and
all opinions were ultimately drawn in one
way to its 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 ensure domestic tranquility. In case
of the uSurpation of the Government of a
State by one man, or an obligarchy. it be-
comes q duty of the United States to make
good the guarantee to that State of a re-
publican form of government, and so
to maintain the homogeneousness of all.
Does the lapse Of time reveal defects ? A
simple mode Of amendment is provided in
the Constitution itself, so that its condi-
tions can always be made to conform
to the requirements of advancing
civilization. No room is allowed even for
the thought of a possibility of its coming
to an 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
Madison. The parting advice of the
Father of his Country, while yet Presi-
dent, TO 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 of President Jefferson held up " the
preservation of the General Government,
in its constitutional vigor, as the sheet an
Choir 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 indestruetible as the people.
THE RELATION OF THE GENERAL GOVERN
MENT TO II STATES.
It is not strange that the trainers of the
Constitution, which had no model in the
past, should not AYE fully comprehended
the excellence of their own work. Fresh
from a struggle against arbitrary power,
many patriots suffered from harassing
fears of an absorption of the State Gov
ernments by the General Goyernmentand
many from a dread that the States would
break away from their orbits. But the
very greatness of our country should allay
the apprehension of encroachments by the
General Government. The subjects that
come PROFESSIONALLY within its jurisdic-
ton are 50 numerous, that it must ever
naturally refuse to be embarrassed by
questions that lie beyond it. Were it
otherwise, the Executive would sink be-
meath the burden; the channels of JUS
tice would be choked; legislation would
be DISTRACTED by excess so that there is
greater temptation TO exercise some of the
functions of the General Government
through the States than to trespass on
their rightful sphere. "The absolute ac-
luiescence in the decisions Of the MAORI
~" was, at the beginning of the century,
enforced by Jefferson "as the vital prin-
pie of republics" and the events of the
four years have established, we will
hope forever, that there lies no appeal to
The maintenance of the Union brings
With it Hthe support of the State Govern
nents in all their rights !" but it is not me
# the rights of any State Government
o r%enOunce its own place in the Union, or
o nullify the laws of the Union. The
liberty is to be maintained in the
discussion Of the acts of the Federal Gov
rnment; but there is no appeal from its
avs, except to the various branches of
hat Government itself, or to the people,
Who grant to the members of the Legisla-
i've and of the Executive Departments no
enure but a limited one, and in hat man
Ter always retain the powers of redress.
1.-THE sovereignty of the States is the
language of the ~Confederacy, and not the
of the Constitution. The latter
the emphatic words 'The Con-
and the laws of the United
,tates which shall be made in pursuance
hereof, and all treaties made or which
hall be made under the authority of the
United States, shall be the supreme law of
he land; and the judges in every State
hall be bound thereby, anything in the
constitution or laws of any State to the
ontrary notwithstanding"
Certainly the Government ofthe United
ftates is a limited government; and 50
every State government a limited gov
rnment. With us, this idea of limitation
preads through every form of administra-
ion, general, State, and municipal, and
ests on the great Distinguishing principle
f the recognition of the rights of man.
he ancient republics absorbed the indi-
the State, prescribed his religion,
nd controlled his activity. The Ameri-
an system rests on the assertion of the
quail right of every man to life, liberty,
nd the pursuit of happiness; to freedom
{ conscience, to the culture and exercise
f all his faculties. As a consequence, the
tate Government is limited, as to the
Government in the interest of
Tnion, as to the individual citizen in the
of freedom.
States, with prapeF limitations of pow
!, are essential to the existence OF the
constitution of the United States. At
"a r1a-,- OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES ubap Nuo no