Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-12-07
President JOhnSOnS MESSAGE,

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, After brie
interval, the Congress of the United State
resumes its annual legislative labors. Al
all.wise and merc.ful Providence has abatee
the pestiience which visited our shores
leaving its calamitous traces npon som,
portions of our country. Peace, order
tranquility and civil authority have been
formally declared to exist throughout the
whole of the United States. In all OF
States, civil authority has superseded the
coercion of arms, and the people, by their
voluntary action. are maintaining their
Government in full activity and complete
operations. The enforcement of the laws
Is no longer obstructod in any State by
combination too powerful to be suppressed
by the ordinary course of judicial proceed.
Ings, and the animosities engcndersd by
the war are rapidly yielding to the beneG.
cent influences Of our free institutions.
and 10 the kindly effects of unrestricted
social and commercial Intercourse. All
entire restoration of fraterna feeling must
be the earnest wish Of every patriotic
heart. We will have acco npiishel our
grandest national achievement when, for
getting the sad events of the past, and re-
membering only their instructive lessons,
We resume our onward career, al free,
prosperous and unitel people. In my
message Of the 4lh Of December, 1865.
Congress was inform. ID of the measures
which had been Instituted by the Exscu-
tive with Wow to the gradual restoration
of the States, in which tho insurrec:io on oc.
Cured, to the General Government. Pro-
visional Governors had been app ,in,c |,
conventions called. Governors elected, and
Representatives chosen to the Congress of
the United States. Courts had beeu open.-
ei for the enforcement Of laws long in
abeyauce; the bio :kade h I'd bssn removed,
custom-houses re-estaLls:leh, AMI the in
ternal revenue put in force, in orI,r that
the people might contribute to the national
income; postal operations had been rcsum.
ed, aud efforts were being made to restore
them to their former couditiou OF e:fi,isn-
cy. The State had been asked to take
part in the high function OF AMENDING The
Constitution, aud Of their sanc,ioning the
extinction Of African slavery, as ons Of
the legitimate results of our internecine
struggle. Having progressed thus far, the
Executive Department found that il had
accomplished nearly all that was within
the scope of the Constitutional authority;
oDe thing, however, yet remained to be
done before the work Of restoration could
be completed, and that was admission to
Congress Of loyal Senators and Represen-
taives from the States whose people had
rebeIled against the lawful authority of
the General Government. This question
devo!ved upon the respective Houses,
which, BY 4he Constitution, are made the
judges Of the election returns aud qualiA.
cations o. their own members, and its con-
s'derat'on at once engaged the attention
OF Congress. In the meantime, the Exec
utive Department. no other plan having
been proposed by Congress, 10 its effort to
perfect, as far as was practicable the res
toration of the proper relations between
the citizens of the respective States, the
Federal Government extended from time
to time, as the public interests seemed to
require, the judicial revenue and postal
systems Of the country, and with the sd
vice and consent Of The Senate, the neces.
sary officers were appointed and sppropria-
tions made by Congress for the payment
of their salaries. The proposition to
amend the Federal Constitution, so as pre-
vent the existence Of slavery within the
Uniied States, or anylplace subject to- their
jurisdiction, was ratified BY the requisite
number Of States. On the 18th day of
December, 1865, it was officially decIar.
ed to hare bec"me valid as part of the
Consultation Of the United States. All
of the States in which, the insurrection
had existed, promptly amended their Con-
-stitutions so as to make them conform to
the great change thus effected 10, the Of.
gsnic Law Of the land; declared null and
void sltordinasces and laws af secession.
repudiated all pretended debts and obliea.
4ions crsated for the revolutionary purpo.
Bee of,the :nsurrection, and proceeded ia
good faith to the .s..ctment Of measures
forths protection asd smeliorasion of the
condition ;ot ths, colorsd race. Congress,
however, yet. hesitated TO admit. any OF
these States to representation, and it was
not until towards the close of ths' eighth
month ofEthe session. that 10 exception
was made IN favor Of Tsansssss,. by The