Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1866-12-05
The Message.

listed between the legislative and execl
departments of the government for the
year. The hopeful individuals who
credencc to these prophecies, and who
rady to advise Congress to meet the P
It halfway in order that there Nigh
and amity between them, will De
sage in vain in their search for
which indicates any change of
Y. Johnson, or gives the fail
lment to these rose-colored
dent johnson remains 10
iF .iols and those who
welcome him to the
.. nd no excuse for
party, WIFI announcement of
publica let rs bon. "e' Will no"
action In
views and, +or ute 'he II
hlm alone - usssage
We need buth enough t. Soy
Of that portion OF Is ,an. IN SUI Pof
of ree ons ruction- l. III ,of the work
ii advances no new arg n -r.construc
tie presidential usurIatiC ret itHe d.
Congress. JoInsOn's Plant at the
has been wrong from the start, s,e adj
bv assuming it 10 have teen RICH has
set. that his reasoning respecting ,gu
s;nn of senators and representative ,
force He had no authority to INA.
the work of reorganization at the oouu
his first proclamation, as well as every
.eouent step. was unconstitutional ana meg
Gongress l.. therefore, not bound to recog
Mn. rho Governments which he has set IN
oncra,ion- nor the elections held in am OF
tho states recognized under his proclama- q
tions. as having any validity. it Is only oy /
assuming that these state governments nave
The same authority, ard el, ctions held under :
them the same validity, as the governments
and elections in the states which have never
lost their organization, that the credentials
of those claiming seats in Congress from the
rebelIious states have any claims to be pre-
sented in Congress and this Is the very point
that the Republicans, in Congress and OUT
contest on the threshold of the inquiry. Inc
argument Of the message Is, therefore, a Pc
titio p,incipii, and begs the very question at
issue.
Nor does it help the Presidents VIZ" 10
quote resolutions passed in Congress III 1901
or declarations of any official at any time
during the rebellion for whatever they may
mean they are Of no binding force upon the
conscience Of any body to-day. The resolu-
tons of Congress adop ed in July 1861, and
set forth in this message, meant II 'hey
mean anything, that slavery should not De
disturbed by the war yet slavery has oeeh
since abolished IN spite OF them Inns congress
is not acting while frightened out OF ITS WIS
nv theldeieat at Bull Run. The nation got by
that long ago. Those resolutions never snouid
have been adopted they now belong to the
east let the dead past bury itsdead- When
President JoL puts in practice ms Dec
~laration. not yet two years old, that" lreasoh
must be made odious and traitors punished,
it will he time enough for him to invite Con-
oress to redeem the pledges made by a Tor
mer body. before the / orrible guilt OF treason
had been fully reveal d to the nation.
The only remaining subjects in the mes
.ne unou which there had been much spec
~uIation. relate to Mexico and our relations
with France. Upon these topics the message
eixcs us no facts which We were not IN pos
session of before. Certainly the message
gives ' o adequate reason for the extraordinary
stem of sending 1t. Gen. Sherman to Mexico
although it hints at a possible difficulty with
France. We trust Congress. will thoroughly
ventilatc the Mexican business, and will IN
s;sr that our government shall keep fee FRI II
an, participation in the plumber OF that PEG
Pile
The Alabama claims and the fenians ar
briefly alluded to, and the fenlans-Deihg'
BODY of political consequence In this country
are ,reated with great consideration. "
,uspect if the black man was a'oter ne "oui
have received much more deterentlal trea'
ment in this document.
The condition Of the treasury is IN IL
highest degree complimentary, hrst 10 Il
people who have borne SO cheeriuiiy Il
burdens of all SOFT of taxation, and secoh
" to Secretary McCulloeh who has SO ao
managed the affairs of his department..
The message. in its style and temper,
most agrecably in contrast TO the speeches
johnson while .'swinging round the circle
on his stumping tour and We should
clad to believe that it was the production
his pen. But it bears the strongest inter-
eyid nee of being the work of some calm
and more finely cultivated mind than Joi
sons. Its tone Is dignifed, and Its rheto
worthy a state paper though its recomm'
dation that Congress admit members IT
the Southern States,-that beng, certai
in President Johnson's view OF the dutle!
each House, not one of the " Measure
whose : consideration the Constltut
makes it his duty to to I
gress-is in the worst taste, and in the III
est degree impairment.
COMMERCIALLY PRoNPT.-The House OF 1
1eentativ,s at Washington have begun
.eaien uell. Monday BY a vote OF IL
% they passed a bill repeating the law
thorizipg tie President to Cfer an amir
to rebels. We hope the Senate will be eq1
prompt IN acting upon the bull.
In the Senate, Mr.. Sumner attempted 10
up The bill granting suffrage to the col
people of the District of Columbia, but II
decided that according TO the rules, 1t {
not be taken up until the sixth day OF
eession. The Senate should act upon