The Portland daily press., 1866-02-21

emancipation proclamation, they, by their own
act, amended their Constitution so as to abo-
ish slavery within the limits of their own
State.
know no reason why the State of TenneS-
see, for example, should not fully ENJOY ail nei
constitutional relations TO the United STATES
The President of the United States STANDS To-
wards the country in somewhat afa Sos ~
titude from that of any member OF congress
chosen from a single district or State. The
President is chosen by the people OF aI the
States Eleven States are not at THIS time
represented in either branch of Congress- 1t
would seem to be his duty on all proper occa-
sions 10 present their just claims to Congress.
There always will be differences of opinion in
the community, and individuals may be guilty
of transeressions of the law, but these are not
valid objections against the right of a State to-
representation. II would in no wise interfere
with the discretion of Congress- with regard to
the qualifications Of members, but hold 1t
my duty to recommend to YOU in interests of
the Union the admission of every State to its
share OF public legislation However insuber-
dinate insurgents or rebeIlious its people may
have been it presents itself not only in an atti-
tude ofloyalty and harmony, but in the per-
sons ofrepresentatives whose loyalty cannot
be questioned under existing constitutional or
legal test e 1oi .-2oass slaF
exclusion of any part of the country from
representation must be attended by spirit OF
disquiet and complaint. 1t is unusual ana
dangerous to pursue course OF measures
which will unite any large section OF country,
no matter how much the latter may predom-
mate. The course of emigration, the develop
ment of industry and business, and natural
causes will raise up at the South men as de-
voted TO the Union as those of any part of the
!. ra nynu6ad from
If in a permanent statute they are declared
not to be in full constitutional relations to the
country, they may think they have cause to
become unit in feelings and sentiments
against the government. Under the political
education of the American people the idea is
inherent and ineradicable that the consent of
the majority OF the whole people is necessary
to secure willing acquiescence in legislation.
The bill under consideration refers to certain
States as though they had not been fully re-
stored in all their constitutional relations to
the United States. II they have not, let US
at once act together to secure that most de-
sirable end at the earliest possible moment
1t is hardly necessary for me to inform Con-
gress that in my own judgment most of these
States, so far, at least, as depends upon their
own action, have already been fully restored
and are to be deemed to be entitled to enjoy
their constitutional rights as members of the
Union. l5.. HI,
Reasoning from the Constitution itself, and
from the actual situation of the country.
feel not only entitled but bound to assume
that with the Federal Courts restored in the
several States and in full exercise of their
functions, the rights and interests of all class
es Of people will, with the aid of the military
in case of resistance to the laws, be essential
ly protected against unconstitutional infringe
ment and violation. Should this expectation
unhappily fail, which lido not anticipate, then
the Executive is already armed with the pow
ers conferred by the act of March, 1865, estab-
fishing the Freedmen's Bureau, and, hereafter
as heretofore, he can employ the land or naval
forces of the country to suppress Instruction
and to overcome obstruction to the laws.
return the bill to the Senate in the earnest
hope that a measure involving questions and
interests SO important 10 the country will not
become law unless, upon deliberate consid-
Grafton by the people, it shall receive the sane
ton of an enlightened public judgment.
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.