Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1865-12-10

the President as the head Of the army
was the first question That presented it-ei
for decision.
MILITARY GOVERNMENTS NOT ENPE
DIENT.
Now, military Governments, estah
lished for an indefinite period, would have
offered no security for the early sUppreS
sion Of discOntent; would have divided
the people into the vauquishers and IN,
vanQuished and would have envenomeC
hatred rather than have restored afiec
[ ton Once established, no precise limit
TO their continuance was conceivable
They would have OCcGsioned an inCalcui-
able and eXhausting expense. Peaceful
. emigration % and from that portion OF
I the country is one Of the best means that
can be thought of for the restoration OF
/ harmony; and that emigration would
/ have been prevented; for what emigraut
from abroad, what industrious citizen
! at home, would place himself VII
lngly under military rule The
I chief persons who would have fol-
/ lowed in the train Of the army would
/ have been dependents on the General
! Government. or men who expected
profit from the miseries Of the erring fell
/ lOw-ciriZens. The powers Of patronage
and rule which would have been eEer-
ciSed under the President, over q vast
and populous, and naturally wealthy re
giOn, are greater than, unless under eN-
3 rrerna necessity. should be willing %
entrust TO any one man they are such
+ as. for myself ] could never, unless on
occasions Of great emergency, consent to
exercise. The wilful use of such powers,
if continued through a period Of years,
would have endangered the purity OF the
general administration and the liberties
Of The States which remained loyal.
ACTS OF SECESSION VOID.
Besides, the policy of military rule over
a conquered territory would have implied
that the States whose inhabitants may
have taken part Ia the rebellion had, by
the act of those inhabitants, ceased To
exist. But the true theory is thatan pre-
tended acts or secession We're, from the
beginning, nUll and void. The states
cauuots commit treason, nor screen the
individual citizen who may have COM
mitted treason, any more than they can
make valid treaties or engage in lawful
commerce with any foreign power. The
States attempting % secede placed them
selves In condition where their vitality
was impaired but not eXtiuguIshed-
their functions suspended, but not de-
stroved
FIRST MOVEMENTS TOWARD RECON
sTRUCTION.
But If any State negiects OF refuses tO
perform its offices, there is the more need
that the General Government should
maintain all its authority, and, as soon
rs practicable, resume the exercise of all
its functions. On this principle / have
acted, and have gradually and quietly,
and by almost impercl lptihle steps, sought
81. 81 O. Lev.
eraI Government and Of the states. To
that end, Provisional Governors have
been appointed for the States, C0nven-
tions called. Governors elected, Legisla-
lures assemble the Senators aud Repre-
-entatives chosen 10 the Congress
OF the United States. At the same
time. the Courts Of the United
states, as far as could be done, have been
80 that the laws Of the United
states may be enforced through their
agency. The blockade has been removed,
and custom houses re-esuablished in ports
Of entry. 50 that the revenue Of the Jni-
ted States may be collected. The Post
Office Department renews It's ceaseiess
activity, and the General Government ls
thereby enabled 10 communicate prompt
Iy with its officers and agents. The
courts bring security To persons AMI
property the opening Of The ports IN
vites the restoration Of Industry and
commerce; the post office renews the
facilities Of social intercourse and
Of business. And is il not happy
for us all that the restoration Of each
one Of these functions of the General
Government brings with IL a blessing %
the States over which they are extended.
Is 10 not a sure promise of harmony and
renewed attachment Of the Union that
after al that has happened, the return OF
the General Government Is known only
AS a beGificence
PARnUNISG POWER.
7 know very well that this policy Is al
tended with some risk that for ITS sue
cess 10 requires at least the acquiesceuce
of the States which it concerns, that ~
implies an invitation 10 those States, by
renewing their allegiance To the United
States, 10 resume their functions as States
u tie Z Luluu. But d Is "a risk That must
be- taken: in the choice OF dillilulties, ID
is the smallest risk and 10 diminish,
and. iT possible, 90 remove all danger,
I have felt II incumbent on me t9 as
.ert one other power of the General
Governmental power OF pardon. As
no state gaa tAroW defense over the
crime OF treason, the PJ~ag 1i pardon Is
exclusively vested in the Executive Gov
erumeut Of the United States. In cNer-
cising that power, / have taken every
precsutioD to connect q with the cleare-t
recognition Of the binding force OF the
laws OF the United States, and an un-
qualified acknowledgment of the great
social change Of condition m regard lo
slavery which has grown out OF the war
A,FEND,U.NT TO THE COEsTISTUFION.
HHHH H#.r. HH
rasfnrc tbr constitutional relations OF iIe
states. has been an iuv.taUOn 10 them tp
participate iu the high Office OF amending
The Constitutions. Every patriot must
wish for general amne~tg al the earliest
epoch consistent with the public s2iety-
For this great eud there Is need OF a con-
currence Of all opinions, and Ihe splIit
Of mutual cancellation. All parties
in the iatc terrible conflict must work
together iu harmony. Is not too much
10 ask. ia the name OF tiia Wh0le
,,eouIe that. ON the one side, the plan 0i
restoration snail proceed IN conformity
with a willingness 10 yesi the disorders
of fba past into oblivion and thatr uti tle
other. the evidence Of sincerity m The III
tire maintenance Of tli1 7 mon shal oe
put beyond amy doubt by the raait43ilDu
Of the proposed amendment 10 the Con
-tituti0u. which provides ioF ne abolition
Of slavery forever within q4e nmiis oI
our country. So long ar the adoption 2i
this amendment is delayed, so long VIII
doubt ana jealousy, ana uncertainty 'i,i
urevgil. Tbi-is the nieasi;re which VIII ell
fre tbe sad memory OF The pgst tl.s rs
the g...a5srs which viii most certainly
can population aal capital and security
10 those parts 0i tLIe JHlDiJ inst need
tba.1 most Indeed, it is not tOomucn 10
sel, ..ftht. 5st.t-= which are now resumlng
their places g. the family q the 1 mon 10
give this pledge Of perp6,1al loyaisy a'ia
peace. JRtl 10 is done, the pasi, now
ever much We mag desile 1t, VIII not ne
forgotten. The adoption % th2 amend
,staut reunites us beyond all power of dle-
ruptiou 10 heals the wound that's sui
i11narfectly ciGsaL. it removes slavery,
fbe element which has - lang peTpleNed
and divided the country IL makes n ~
once more q united people renewed ana
streEgi hsned, bound more than ever 10
mutual affection gRd support
The amendment % tas EoPstituuon
beiur adoDted. it would remain for uie
States. whose powers have been 80 long
iU aiDe,aIne 10 resume their places li
~, -, l,rai,ch..- .s the National Legis-
!gtlrre. and thereby complete tHV NolE oi
r,storaii,;l. Here il is for you, fellow
citizens of ihe SsHate, and for YOU lei
Jog-atizens Of the house q Representa-
tives, to Judge, each OfyoU for y ours -,
of the elections, returns ANA quahiiIA-
tons OF your own members.
ESTA AgIIsBIeC, ,g-yTED STATES CIRCUIT
CoCRfs.
The full assertion Of lhe powers q me
. General Government requires the noiu-
. ing Of Circuit Courts OF the United States
within the districts where their authority
has been interrupted. In the present
posture Of our public affairs, strong oPjec-
uoH7 Aave been urged To holding those
courts u any 81 tlie States where the
rsieliop has existed; and % was aspcr-
tainudi ly inquiry, that the Circuit Court
Of the United States would not bl held
within the District OF Virginia during
the autumn and early winter, nor until
4 CQugress should have "an OppOrtu-
nifty 70 coasida- end act on the whole
subject 10 your deliberations the
restoration Of this branch Of the
civil authority Of the United States Il
Therefore necessarily rafazred, with the
bone that early provision viii lie made
f,r tl,e resumption of all its functions. II
= manifest that treason, most fragrant In
-,bararfer. has been committed. Person.
liz -, A. charged with is commission
. ~" fssnHalrfrs1 t.s.I.. O..