The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1866-12-12
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT
OF TIE UNITED STATES,
TO TIE TWO HOUSES OF CONGRESS.
AT THE
Cohim mencement Of the Second
Session of the XXXIXth
Congress.
Felor.c,fisent Of the Sehate
,,1 Uouse of Ro,,rsxnDf0yI
AT THE

r TCNUu~C1tfStnc " fftc bCtNutC
and House Of Representatives
After brief interval the C.ngrrss of tn
United States resumes its annual legisativ
labors. An al-wise and merciful Proyi
dence has abated the pestience which visit
ed our shores, leaving its calanltous trace
upOn some portions Of our country. Peace
order, tranquility, and civil authority hav
been formally declared to exist throuPhou
the States civil authority has superseded
the coercion of arms, and the people b.!
their voluntary action, are maintaining then
governments in full activity ard complct,
operation The enforcement of the laws il
no longer Constructed in any State by com
binations too powerful to be suppressed. by
the ordinary course ofjudicial proceedings;
and the ahnosities epgendercd by the wal
arc rapidly yielding 80 the heniticent IN
fuences of our free institutions. aud to the
kindly effects of unrestrictcd social and
commercial intercourse. An entire restora.
ton of fraternal feeling must be the earnest
wish Of every patriotic heart; and we will
have accomplished our grandest national
achievement when, forgetting the sad
events Of the past, and remembering only
their instructive lessons, we resume our
onward career as free, prosperous, and
united people.
IN my message on the 4th Of December,
1865, CONGRESS was informed Of the meas
,,res which had leen instituted by the Exc.
cutive with view to the gradual restoration
of the States in which the inEurrection oc-
Cured 10 their relations with the General
Government Provisional Governors had
teen appoint, d, Conventions called, Gov:
ernors elected, Legislatures assembled. and
Senators and Representatives chosen to the
Congress of the United States. Courts had
been opened for the enforcement Of the Law =
long in abeyance. TIE blockade had been
removed, custom houses re.esta blished, and
she internal revenue laws put in force, in
order that the people might contribute to
the national income. Postal operations had
been restored, and efforts were being made
80 restore them to their foimer condition Of
.sticiency. The States themselves had been
asked to take part in the high function of
amending the Constitution, and of thus
sanctioaing the extinction Of African slavery
.As anr Of tiac legitimate results OF our ln-
.tGrnecine struggle.
E4aSing progressed thus far, the Exccu-
iipe Department found that it had aceou
pisked nearly all that was within the scope
sf as constitutional authority. One thing,
'toweSeg, set remained to be done before
she work Of treaosatian could be completed,
and ths4 was the admission to Congress of
soqal Senators and Reme' fsun, the States
ashose reosa.c a,adtsabeilld against the law
fIf authority Of The General Government.
This question: 4lernlcd upon the respective
Housea. which, By the Constitution, are
ruade the iHGges of ,elactioas. returns, aud
Qualifications Vt thear own members; and
lie con iSeration at once engaged the &tten-
ton OF Congress
In ths neautisne, TITO Executive Depart
ment-no other plan having i,een proposed
by Eosgrees its efioits to perfect
a. far as Was seyacticalle, the restnratios Of
the proper relations betwee1 the citizens OF
the respective States, the States, and the
Federal Government. extending, FROM time
TO time, "a the pubic INTERESTS seemed 10
REQUIRE, tho Judicial, revenue, and postal
rystema Of the coHttry- With the advice
and consent ct the Senate, the necessary
officers were appointed, ard appropriations
rnado by Congress for the payment OF their
salaries. The propokitioa TO amend the
Federal Conssa tafaSs. 70 a. TO prevent the
existence of slavery within the United
States or ans place subject to their juriSdlc-
zion, was ratified by the requisite number
ef States; and on the 18th day of Decem-
ber, 1865, it was officially declared 10 have
beaoule valid as tast Of the Constitution
Of the United States. All of the States in
which the insurrection had existed prompt
" amended their Constitutinm SO as to
make them conform to the great change
thus effected in the organic law Of the land;
declared null and void all ordanceS and laws
of secession; repudiated all pretended debts
and obligations created for the revolution,
sry purposes of the iusurrection; and pro-
ceeded, in gool faith, to the enactment or
measures for the protection and ameliora-
sion OF the condition Of the @, lored race
Congress, however, yet hesiated to admit
any Of these States to Representations; and
it was not until towards the close of the
oighth month Of the session that an excep-
tion was made in favor Of Tennessee, by
the admission of her Senators and Repre-
seutatives. .-...
deem it subject of profound regret
that Congress has thus far failed to admit
70 seats loyal Senators and representatives
from the other Stetes, whose inhahi. ants,
with those of Tennessee, had engaged in
the rebellion. Ten States--more than one
fourth Of the whole nun mber--remain with
out representation; the seats of fifty mem
bers in the Hsuse Of representatives and Of
twenty members in the Senate are yet va
cant--not by their own consent, not by a
failure Of election, but by the refusal Of
Congress to accept their credentials Their
admission it is believed, would have accom-
plisbsd much toward the renewal and
STRENGTHENING of our relations as ono peo-
ple, and removed serious cause for discon-
lent on the part of the inhabitants of those
States. It would have acco ded with the
,,root ,,r;pn;nle euunciated in tho Declara
ton Of American Independence, that no
people ought to bear the burden of taxation
and yet be denied the right Of representa-
ton. 1t would have been in consonauce
with the express provisions OF the Consti-
tuition, that leach State shall have at least
one representative" and that no State,
without its consent, shall be deprived of its
equal suffrage in the Senate" These pro-
State, and to the people of every State, the
Congress; and SO important was it deemed
by the trainers of the Constitution, that the
equality Of the States in the Senate should
he preserved, that not even by an amend.
mens of the Constitution can any State,
without its consent, be denied voice in
that branch Of the National Legislature.
II il true; it has been assumed that the
existence Of the States was terminated b,
the rebeous acts OF their inhabitants, anc
that the nsurrection having been suppress
cd they we're thence-forward to be consid
cred merely as conquered territories. III,
Legislative, Executive, and Judicial De
nartneuts of the Government have, how
ever, with great distinctness and uniform
ccnlisfcnty, refused sanetion An assump