The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-12-11
Presidents Message.

lelat1ve iabors. An all-wise aud merciful
Providence has abated the pestilence
which visited our shores, leaving its ca
lamitous traces upon some portions Of our
eountry. Peace, order. tranquility, and
civii authority have been formally declar.
. to exist thropghout the whole of the
United States In all of the States civil
authority has superseded the coercion of
arms, and the-peopie, by their voluntary
action, ere maintaining their Governments
in full activity and complete operation.
The enforcement Of the laws is no longer
obstructed in any State By combinations
too powerful to be suppressed by the or
binary course eff judicial proceedings
and the animosities engendered by the
war are rapidly yielding to the beue6cent
Influences Of our free institutions, and to
the kindly effects Of unrestricted social
aud commercial intercourse. An entire
restoration Of fraternal feeling must be
the earnest wish of every patriotic heart;
andwe will have accomplished our grand
est national achievement when, forgetting
the sad events of the past, and remember
ing only their instructive lessons, we re-
sumo our onward career asia free, pros
porous and united people. sci
In my message of December 4, 1865,
Congress was informed of the measures
which had been instituted by the Execu-
tive with a view to the gradual restora-
tion of the States in which the insurrec-
ton occurred to their relations with the
General Government. Provisional Gov
errors had been appointed, Conventions
called, Governors elected, Legislatures
assembled, and Senators and Represents
tives chosen to the Congress of the Uni
ted States. Courts had been opened for
the enforcement of laws long in abey-
Auee. The blockade had been removed,
custom-houses re-established, and the in
ternal revenue laws put in force, in order
that the people might contribute to the
National income. Postal operations had
been renewed, and efforts we're being
made to restore them to their former con-
dition of efficiency. The States them
selves had been asked to take part in the
high function Of amending the Constitu.
ton, and Of thus sanctioning the extinc.
tion Of African slavery as one Of the le-
gitimate results Of our internecine strug-
gle. sg
Having progressed thus far, the Exc.
cutive Department found that it had &C.
complishea nearly all that it was within
the scope Of its copstitutional authority
One thing, however, yet remained to be
done before the work of restoration coulG
be completed, and that was the admission
to Congress Of loyal Senators and Repre-.
sentatives from the States whose people
had rebelled against the lawful authority
of the General Government. This ques,
tion devolved upon the respective Houses
which, by the Constitution, are madsat the
Judges Of the elections, returns, and quail
iiieations of their own members; and its
consideration at once engaged the atten
tion Of Congress.
In the meantime, the Executive De
partment-ne other plan having beef
proposed by Congress--continued its eff
forts to perfect, as far as was practicable
the restoration Of the proper relations
batween the citizens of the respective
States, the States and the Federal Gov
ernment, extending, from time to time al
the public interests seemed to require
the judicial, revenue. and postal systems
OF the. country. With the advice ant
consentof the Senate, the necessary off
GERS were appointed, and appropriation
made by Congress for the payment o
their salaries. The proposition to amend
the Federal Constitution, SO as to preyen
The existence Of slavery within the Uni
ted States or any place subject to thei
jurisdiction, vas ratified by the requisite
number of States; and on the 18th day 0
December, 1866, it Eas officially declare,
to havs become valid as a part Of th
Constitution Of the United States. al
Of the States in which the insurrectiol
had existed promptly amended thei
Constitutions, SO as to make them con
form to the great change thus effected il
the organic law of the land; declared nul
and void all ordinances and laws Of Sc
cession; repudiated all pretended debt
and obligations enacted for the revolu
tionary purposes Of the insurrection; AM
proceeded in good faith, to the enactmen
Of measures forthe protection and anne
lioration Of the condition of the colore
race. Congress, however, yet hesitated t
admit any of these States to representa-
tion; aud It was not until towards th
close of the eighth month of the session
that an exception was made in favor 0
Tennessee, BY the admission Of her Sen
ators aud Representatives.
I deem it subject Of profound regre
that Congress has thus far failed to ad
NIT to seats loyal Senators and Represen
tatives from the other States, whose in
habitants, with those Of Tennessee. ha
engaged in the rebellion. Ten States
More than one-fourth of the whole mum
ber--remain without representation; tn
Keats Of fifty members in the House Q
Representatives and Of twenty member
in the Senate are yet yacant-not by thel
eoHn consent, not by failure of election
butb by the refusal of Congress to accep
their credentials. Their admission, it j
believed, would have accomplished mucl
towards the renewal and strengthening 0
our relations as one people, and removes
serious cause for discomfort on the par
Of the inhabitants Of those States. ]
would have accorded with the great prin
ciple enuncisted in the Declaration 0
American Independence, that no peopl
ought to bear the burden, of taxation, AN,
yet be denied the right of representation