The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-12-05

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
Two Houses Of Congress,
.gia AT TnElrfs
Commencement of the Second
Session. (.
FsIlo,c.citiacns Of the Senate and House o
Representatives.: .,Ia.. 81
After brief interyalthe Congress of ths
United States resumes It's annual legisla
tive duties. An all.wise and merciful
Providence has abated the pestllenoe which
visited our shores, leaving its calarnitioui
traces upon some portions Of our country
Peace, order, tranquility, and civil AL
thority have been formally declared to ex'
ist throughout the whole Of the United
States. In all Of the States civilauthority
has superseded the coercion Of arms, and
the people, by their voluntary action, sre
maintaining their governments in full
activity and complete operation. The en-.
forcementof the lawsis no longer "obstruct
ed in any State by combinations too power
full to be suppressed by the ordinary course
of judicial proceedings;" and the snimosi
ties engendered by the war are rapidly
yielding to the benifcent influences Of ou,
free institutions, and to the kindly effects
of unrestricted social and commercial in.
tercourse. An entire restoration Of frater.
nal feeling must be tho earnest wish Of
every patriotic heart; and we will have &C.
complished our grandest national achieve.
ment when, forgetting the sad events Of the
past, and remembering only theiri instructive
lessons, we resume our onward career as q
free, prosperous, and united people. ..,
In my message of the 4th of December,
1860, Congress was informed Of the meas.
urss which had been instituted by the Tx.
ecutive with view to the gradual restora-
tion of the States in which the insurrec.
ton occurred to their relations with the
General Government. Provisional COVER
nors have been appointed, conventions
called, governors elected, legislatures as
sembled, and Senators and Representatives
chosen to the Congress of the United States.
Courts have been opened for the enforce
ment Of laws long in allegiance. The block.
AIDE has been removed, custom.houses re-
established, and the internal revenue laws
put in force, in order that the people might
contribute to the nati,n, income. Postal
operations had been renewed, and efforts
were being made to restore them to their
former condition Of efficiency. The States
themselves had been asked to take part in
the high function Of amending the Consti-
tuition, and of thus sanctioning the extinc.
ton of African slavery as one Of the legati.
mate results Of our internecine struggle.
Having progressed thus far, the Execu-
tive Department found that it had accom-.
plisllcd nearly all that was within the scope
of its constitutional authority. One thing
however, yet remained to be done before
the work of restoration could be completed
and that was the admission to Congress oil
loyal Senators and Representatives from
the States whose people had rebelled
against the lawful authority of the General
Government This squestion devolved upon
the respective Houses, which, by the Cou
sGtution, are made the judges Of the elec.
tions, returns, and qualifications of their
own members; and its consideration at
once engaged the attention of Congress.
In the meantime, the Ez zecutive Depart
ment-no other plan having been proposed
by Congress-continued its efforts to per-
feet, us far as possible, the restoration OF
the proper relations between the citizens OF
the respective States, and the Federal Gov
ernment, extending, from time to time, as
the public interests seemed to require, the
judicial, revenue, and postal systems of the
country. With the advice and consent OF
the Senate, the necessary officers were APP
pointed, and appropriations made by Con
gress for the payment of their salaries
The proposition to amend the Federal
Constitution, so as to prevent the existence
of slavery within the United States or any
place subject to their jurisdiction, was rati
lied by the requisite number Of States and
ON the 18th day of December, 1865, il wa.
officially declared to have become valid a.
part of the Constitution of the United
States. All of the States in which the in
surrcction had existed promptly amended
their Constitutions, so as to make them con
form to the great change thus effected ii
the organic law of the land; declared nul
and void all ordinances and laws Of seces
sion; repudiated all pretended debts ant
obligations created for the revolutionary
purposes Of the insurrection; and pro
ceeded, in n'good faith, to the enactment o
measures for the protection and ameliora
ton Of the condition of the colored race
Congress, however, yet hesitated to admi
any of these States " representation ant
it was not until towards the close of tn
eighth month of the session that an excep
ton was made in favor of Tennessee, b.
the admission Of her Senators and Repre-
sentatives.
deem it a subject Of profound regre
that Congress has thus far failed to admi
to seats loyal Senators and Representative
from the other STATED, whose inhabitants, wit
those of Tennessee, had engagedin the rebel
lion. Ten States-mOre than one-fOurt
OF the whole number-remain without reI
resentation; the seats Of fifty members i
the House of Representatives and of twer
ty members in the Senate are yet vacant
not by their own consent, not by failur
Of election but by the refusal Of Congres
10 accept their credentials. Their admi
sion, il is believed; would have accomplish
ed much towards the renewal and strength
ening Of our relations as one people, an
removed serious cause for discomfort on III
part of the inhabitants Of those States.
would have accorded with the great pril
ciple cnunciated in the Declaration {
American Independence, that no peop