Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

renee "'ch visited our shores, leaving calamItops
/ traces upon some portions Of our country. Peace.
ORDER tranquility and civil authority nave been fnI
InAy declared TO exist throughout the whole Of the
United States 10 all of the cIyI authority has
superseded the coercion Of arms and the people. by
their voluntary action, maintaining their govern
ments IN full activity and complete operation. The /
enforcement Of the laws j. no longer "obstructed in
any state 10y combinations TOO powerful be sup
pressed by the ordinary course or judcia uroceed
InRs and the anlmosIties engendered by the
rapidly yielding 70 the benefcent Influences Of
free institutions and to the kindly effects of unre
strIcted social and commercial intercourse An en-
tire restoration Of fraterual feeling be the
est "Sh Of every patriotic heart: and wc will have ac-
complshed our grandeSt national achievement when (
forgetting the sad events Of the past, and remember
ing only their instructive lessons, We resume
ward career as free. prosperous and united people
| RESTORATION Q TIE STATES SOUTH.
In my message of the 4th of December. 1865, Con
gress was informed OF the measures which had been
instituted by the Executive with to the gradu
al restoration of the States in which the nsurrecton
occurred to their relations with the General Govern
ment. Provisional Governors had been appointed.
Conventions called Governors elected. Legislatures
assembled and Senators and Representative chosen
! to the Congress Of the United States Courts had
| been opened for the enforcement Of laws long IN
| allegiance The blockade bad been removed custom
houses reestablished and the internal revenue Jaws
put force in order that the people might contrib
ute to the national income. Postal operations had
/ been renewed. and efforts were being made to
store them to their former condition of efficiency
The States themselves had been asked to take part
in the high function of amending the Constitution,
and ofthus sancuoning the extinction Of African sla
very as one oi the legitimate results OF our Interne
| cine struggle.
Having progressed thus far. the Executive Depart
ment found that It had accomplished nearly all thai
within the scope OF its constitutional authority
One thing, however, yet remained be done before
the Work restoration could be completed. and tha
was the admission to Congress Of loyal Senators and
| Representatives from the States whose people had
rebeied against the lawful authority Of the General
Government THIS question devo!ved upon the
pecuye Houses, which by the Constitution. made
the judges Of the elections and qualifications
of their own members; and its consideration at
| engaged the attention of Congress.
In the meantime. the Executive DepaItment--no
| tCDNTpSS-cDu- u
tnued its efforts to perfect, far practicable
the restoration Of the proper relations between the
citizens of the respective States. the States and
| Federal Government, extending from ume to time.
As the puhljc interests seem ~ re1II1r the u1c.j
revenue, and postal systems of the country. With the
advice and consent of the Senate the necessary Off
GERS appointed, and appropriations made by
| proposition amend the Federal Constitution so a.
TO prevent the existence OF slavery within the United
States any place subject 70 their jurisdiction.
ratified by the requisite number of States and on the
18TH day of December 1855, officially declared
to have become valid part Of the Constitution OF
the United States All OF the states IN which the IN
surrecton had existed promptly amended their Con
stituuons a to make them conform to the grea'
change thus effected 10 the organic law OF lAe land
declaring null and void all ordinances and laws Of
secession; repudated all pretended debts and obga
uons created tor the revolutionary purposes OF the
inSuTTection; and proceeded, In good faith. the
actment Of measures FOR the protection and anelior
alton oi the condIlon OF the colored race Congress-
hesitated to admit any Of these States repre-
sentaton; and not until toward the close Of the
eighth month OF the session tina: an exception was
made in favor OF TenUessee, by the admission Of her
Senators and Representatives..
Ldeem II subject of profound egret that Congress
has thus far failed 70 admit To seats loyal Senators ana
Representatives from the other States whose Inhabi-
tantS, with those OF Tennessee. had engaged the
| rebellion. Ten States-mOre than one-fourth of the
, 1 whole number-remsn without representation: the
seats Of fftv members in the House Of Representa-
! tives and OF twenty members in the Senate vet
| vacant-not by their not by failure Of
election hut hy the refusal to accept their
| credentials. Their admission. 5 believed would
| have accomplished much towards the renewal and
strengthening OF relations people. and
| mo- for yQT The al
inhabitants Of those States. 1t would have accorded
with the great principle enunc!ated IN the Declaration
| of American Independence that no people ought 10
ear the burden o. taxatloh and yet be denied the
rght OF representation. II would nave peen IN con
sonance with the express provisions Of the Constu.
on, that each State shall have at least Repre-.
sentative" and that state, without It, consent
shat! be deprived Of its equal suffrage in the Senate
| These provisions were intended 10 secure 10 every
state and to the people Of every State the right Of
porsnt IT deemed by the franz the Consti-
tuition that the equality Of the sa'"s IN the Senate
should be preserved that not even an anendme ent
of the Constitution any State, wlthouits consent
be denied voice that branch Of the National Leg
Isisture.
ItIs true, has been assumed that the existence Of
the States terminated 10y the rebellious acts Of
| their inhabitants, aud that the nsurrecton having
been suppressed they were thencefOTward 70 be con
sdered merely as conquered territories The Legis
lauVe, Executive, ana Judicial Departments OF the
| Government have, however, with great dStinctness
and uniform consistency, refused TO sanction as
| sumption so incompatible with the OF re
publican system, and with the professe objects OF tht
war Throughout the recent le gslation OF Congress
the undeniable fact makes itself apparent that
W ten political communities are nothing less than State
| rebeJIion each Honse declared with = unaniInity a
| remarkable it significant, that the no
! "waged, upon part In any spirit Of oppression
of nor for any purpose Of CONQUEST or suhiugsuon no
purpose OF oyerthrowing orInterfering with the right
or established institutions of those States. but de
fepd and maintain the supremacy of the Constitute
and all laws made IN pursuance thereof, and to pre-
serve the Union with all the digniEv equality an
Il rights OF the several States uninpared: and that
Ohln Vppra NH ne, the
ne59n,ited To corrinue their i@gisative f1netion,
while in other Representatives were electe
and admitted to seats after their States had formal
declared their right to withdraw from the Union
endeavoring 70 MAINTAIN that right by force o
arms- All of the States whose people We're IN insul
recron, States. included IN the apportonmen
of the direct tax Of twenty millions OF dollars annu
. ally lad upon the United States by the act apPTuVe
sth August 1851. Congress- by the act of Marct
4th, ls62 and by the appoTtonment OF representato
hereunder, also recognized their presence State
in the Union and they have for Judicial purposes
. | vided. The recognition appears IN the receI
- legislation in reference Tennessee, which eyden
were not destroyed by the reb@hon. but merely SUI
Pended and that prnelpe is Of course applicable %
nounce their places IN the Union.
ACTION OF THE ExEcuTTvE.
N The action of the Executive Department OF N
o. Government upon this subject has been equally Oct
: mite and uniform, and the purpose OF the war wa
. specifically stated the Proclamation ISSUED by m
4 predecessor the I'D day of September. lS62,
l. was then solemnly proclaimed and declared tlS
thereafter, heretofore, the will be prosecute
for the object Of practically restoring the consttl
z. tona relation between the United States ana eac
the states and the people thereof which states thi
relation IS OF may be sus pended OF disturbed"
The recognition of the States hy the JudleIal "
psrtment of the Government has also been clear an
conclusive in all proceedings affecting them as state
had IN the Supreme, CircuI and District Courts.
l. PRESIDENTIAL OPINION ABOUT SOUTHERN ooNGREssNES
ep In the admission Of Senators and Representative
from ana all OF the States, there can % no J
To- ground of apprehension that persons VINO are uslo
r- al will be clothed with the powers OF !egsiAlon e
for this could not happen when the Cppsluton auu VI
ae - ar enfCri Il fv viiispt and faithful Congress