North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-12-12
MESSAGE OF the PRESIDENT.
THE RESTORATION OF THE SOUTH .
ERN STATES AGAIN URGED
UPON CONGRESS-.
OUR FOREIGN RELATIONS, &c.

1 WV
Fello,v- citizens of the Senate and House Of
Representatives: ..,.
| After brief interval the Congress ofthe
United States resumes its annual Legislative
labors. An all-w:se and merciful Proyi-
dence has abated the pestilence which visit
cd our shores, leaving its caamItous traces
upon some portions of our country. Peace,
order, tranquility, and civil authority have
been formally declared 10 exist throughout
the whole of the United States. ln all Of
the States civil authority has supercecdrd
the coercion of arms, and the people, by
their voluntary action,are maintaining their
governments in full activity and complete
operation. The enforcement of the laws Is
no longer Constructed in any State by coll
binations too powerful to be suppressed by
the ordinary courseofj judicial proceedings
and the animosites engendtred by the w"r
are rapidly Welding to the benefclent infu-
ences of our free institutions, and TO the
kindly effects of our unrestricted social and
comn. erctal intercourse. An entire restor
alton of fraternal feeling must be the earnest
wish of every patriotic heart; andwe will
have accomplished our grandest national
achievement when, forgetting the sad events
of the past, and remembering only their in
structive lessons, we resume our onward
career as a free, prosperous, and united
people. sa -.. &C.,
In nv message of the +th of December,
t1965, congress Was Informed of the meas
ures which had been instituted by the Ike
cutive with view to the gradual resto a
ton of the States in which the iRsurrection
occurred to their relations with the General
Government. Provisional Governors had
been appointed, Conventions csll'd, Gov
eruors elected, Legislatures assembled, and
Senators and Representatives chosen To
the Congress of the United States Courts
had been opened for The enforcement of
laws long in abeyance. The blockade had
been removed. custom-hnu>rs re establish
ed, and the internal revenue laws pat in
force, in order that the people might CON
tribute to the national income. Postal OPP
erations had been renewed, and efforts were
being made to restore them TO th,,ir former
condition of efficiency. The States them
selves had been asked to lake paIt in the
high function OF amending the Constitution
and of thus sanctiuning th'' extinction OF
African slavery as one of The legitimate re
suits of our internecine struggle. .
Having progressed thus far, the Execn-
tive Department found that it had accom-
plished nearly all that was within the scope
of its constitutional authority One tifinr
however, yet remain to he done before the
work of restoration could be compler ed, and
that was the admission t" Congress ofloyal
Senators and Representatives from the
States whose people had rrbrled aga nst
the lawful authority OF the General Govern
ment. This question devolved upon the re-
spective Houses, which by the Constitution,
are made the judges of the electionS, re-
turns, and qualifications of their owr mem
bers, and its consideration at oncc engaged
the attention Of Congress.
In the meantime, the Executive Depart
ment-no other plan having heen proposed
by Congress--c continued its efforts to per.
feet, as far as was practicable. the resto a:
ton of the proper relation between the CT
tizens of the respective States, the States
and the Federal Government, extending
from time to time. as the public interest.
seem to require, the,judicial, revenue, and
postal systems of the country. With the
advice and consent of the Senate, the re
cessary officers were appointed, and appfo,
priations made by Congress for the pay
ment oftheir salaries. The proposition tt
amend the Federal Constitution, so aste
prevent the existence of slavery within the
United States or any place subject to their
jurisdiction was ratified by the rcquist,
number of States, and on the 18th day Of
December, 1865, it was officially q declared
to have become valid as a part OF the Con-
s,itution of the United States. All Of TIL
. States in which insurrection had existed
promptly amended their Constitutions, so
as to make them conform to the grea
change thus effected in the organic law o
the land declared null and void all ordi
nances aud laws of s, cession repudiateC
all pretended debts and obligations createt
for the revolutionary purposes OF the lnsur
rection and proceeded, in good faith, Il
the enactment of measures for the ,pro,ec
ton and aG,elioration of the condition o
the colored race. Congress, however, ye
hesi,ated to admit any ofthese States II
representation and it was T2t until to
wards the close of the eighth month of th
session that an exception was made in ia
vor of Tennessee, 10y the admission of he
Senators and Representatives, .ar, 2u.et
: q I deem it a subject of pt"found regre
! that Congress has thus far failed to admi
: to seas loyal Senators and Representative
: from the other States, whose inhabitants
with those of Tennessee, had Engaged ii
the rebellion. Ten States-more than on
fourth of the whole number-rtmain wit
ont representation; the seats OF fifty mem
bers in the House OF representatives and
6 twenty members in the Senate are yet va
Q cant-not by their own consent, not by
n e Na-l