Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-07-27
YkssAar y rns piIsfDsss

NkssAGR u fHs PnRsfDENf. I
lV wAsHssosos, July a
1he p,esidest this sn<ruson trahsnllted
The annexed msnge tethe IIoule Of A<prel
lssutatives. ~ "A ~ 4
The following joint resolution, restoring
ITcnnssss 70 her relations 70 the United HATES,
was, last evening, presented for my approval
i ,WHrRRAg In the year 1891 the Govern
nent oflthe State Of Tennessee was seized
upon, and taken possession Of, by persons in
\ hosiility 10 the United States, and the inhab-
tlitants OF said State, In pursuance Of an act
of Congress, were declared to be In insurrec-
tion to the United States and, -,i7.is 60
WnERnks As said State Government, can
lonly be restored TO its former political rela-
tons in the Union by consent of the law
making power Of the United Staten; and, od
, WHHREAs, Tho people of said State did,
on the 22d day Of February, 1895, BY q
large popular vote, adopt and ratify consti-
! tuition and government whereby slavery was
abolished and all ordinances and laws of Be-
cession, and debts contracted under the same
were declared null and void; and hss "a
WHEREAS, A State government has been
organized under said constitution, which has
ratified the amendment 10 the Consultation
of the United States abolisning slavery, and
also the amendment proposed by the seth
Congress, and has done oti or acts proclaim
, ing and denoting loyalty; therefore be ii
Resolped, by the Senate and House of Rep
sentatives of the United States in Congress
, assembled, That the State of Tennessee is
hereby restored to her former practical rela-
} tons TO the Union, and is again entitled to
/ be represented in Congress. !. ssa
The preamble consists simply Of state
ments, some of which are assumed, while the
, resolution Is merely declaration Of opinion.
It comprises no legislation; nor does il con-
fer any power which is binding on the res
pective Houses the Executive or the States
|, II does not admit 10 their seals in Congress
the Senators and Representatives from the
3 State OF Tennessee; for notwithstanding the
, passage of the resolution, each House In the
: exer,ise of the Constitutional right TO judge
for itself of the election returns and qualif.
a cations of its members, may, at lis discre-
ton, admit them or continue to exclude
9 them. If joint resolution Of this character
' were necessary and binding as condition
precedent to the admission Of members o.
Congress, it would happen, In the event Of a
9 veto by the Executive that Senators and
Representatives could only be admitted Il
Y the halls of Congress by two-thirds vote o
2 each Of the two Houses.
j. Among Other reasons recited In the pre-
= amble for the declaration contained II
: the resolution is the ratification by
a tho State Go vernment of Tennessee of tn,
amendment to the Cons titution Of the Unitet
8 States abolshing slavery; and also tb'
n amendment proposed by the 5Sth Congress
If as is also declared by, the preamble sale
Q State government can only be restored to II
n former political relations in the Union by tn
u consent of the law making power Ct tn
u United States, it would really seem to follow
4 that the joint resolution, which at this lat
day has received the sanction of Congress
8 should have been passed, approved an,
T.. placed on the statute books before an,
amendment 10 the Constitution was submit
: ted to the Legislature Off Tennessee 70 ratifi
a cation. Otherwise, the inference Ia plainl,
deduceable that, while in the opinion Q
Congress the people of State may be to-
Y strongly disloyal to be entitled to representa-
!, ton, they may nevertheless during the sus
u pension of their practical relations TO III,
r Union, have an equally potent voice witt
i. other loyal States in propositions to ament
. stS OSiSeaAheAOu1 ofOh hiSb ~ ccscutiuli.
g depend the stability, prosperity and very ex
istence of the nation.
A brief reference to my Annual Messag
of the 4th of December, will show the step
Q taken by the Executive for the restoration :
~ their Constitutional relations of the State
that had been effected by the rebellion upo
q the cessation of active hostilites. Provis
Q ional Governors were appointed, Convention
called, Governor rs elected by the people, Legis
. laturss assembled, and Senators and Repre-
|. senlatives chosen to the Congress of tn
United States. At the same time the court
70 of the United States were re-opened, tn
is blockade removed, the Custom House re-es
tablished, and postal operations resumed.
:" The Amendment to the Constitution
|, abolishinx slavery forever in the limits {
the country was also sumittcd 10 the State
and they were thus invited to and did partic
p ipate in a ratification, thus exercising III
i highest functions pertaining to the State
In addition, nearly all of these States
lie through their Conventions and Legislature:
81 had adopted and ratified Constitution {
Government whereby slavery was abolishe
, and all ordinances of secession and debt
~ contracted under the same were declared nu
y and void.
y So far then the political existence of tt
n State and their relations to the Federal Gov
eminent had been fully and completely re
n organized and acknowledged by the Execr
If tive Department of the Government an
the completion of the work of restoration
II which had progressed SO favora5ly, was sui
mitted to Congress, upon which devolve
all questions pertaining to admission to thei
seats of the Senators aud Representative
q chosen from the States whose people ha
engaged in the rebellion.
All these steps had been taken, when O
ie the 4th day of December, 1865 the 39t
be Congress assembled. Nearly eight month
have elapsed since that time, aud no 9th,
% plan had been proposed by Congress for u
A. measures instituted by the Executive. Il
now declared in the joint resolution submit
40 ted for my approval that the State {
W Tennessee is hereby restored to her forms
. political relations to the Union, and entitle
. to be represented by Senators and Represer
- tatiyes in Congress. .f
Thus, after the lapse of nearly eigl
months, Congress proposes TO pave the wa
to the admission of the Representatives
- one of the eleven States whose people array
~ ed themselves against the constitutional al
D, thority Of the Federal Government.