The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-12-07
The Presidents Message.

UuL our du|eTtlotTS Have luduc SuCu uo-
mands upon our columns as to to preclude
the possibility of giving the readers the
message this week. And, Judging from
the following resume which we find in the
Journal. our readers will not be great
losers:
We Law before our readers this docu-
ment, upon which so much speculation
and prediction have been wasted, for it
turns out to be as commonplace and I'M
exciting as any of the Presidential mes
sages in the most quiet times OF the past.
On the subject of reconstruction. into
which the President plunges at once, we
have nothing of those various tenders OF
compromise, or of those volumlnous
amendments Of the Constitution, which
had been predicted On the contrary,
/ the President contents himself with re-
peating his old arguments of last year in
favor of the admission of the members
elect from the seeded States to seats in
Congress, as if utterly unaware that the
people had considered all these things and
had pronounced their solemn judgment
against them. Here, then, we have on the
one hand, President johnson urging the
members of Congress to pursue Il certain
course, and on the other, their constitu-
ents, the people of the United States, in
structing them against it by overwhelm-
ing maiorities If our Government was
monarchy, the result might be doubtful,
but seeing that it is a republic, propriety
good sense and the business Of the case
leave no doubt that the members are +,
seek guidance from the fountain-head Of
political power, rather than another agent
like themselves.
In some respects, the President write:
like man that misapprehends the ques
ton before the country. Thus, his argu.
ment going to show the continued exis
tencc of the rebel States Is unnecessary
for it is not denied by the bulk of tn,
people or by their representatives i'll Con
greSs What is claimed is. that bv thei
rebellion and war upon the Government
they have put themselves, as Mr.. Lincoln
expressed it, out of their practical con
sttutional relation with the Unitec
States" This is to be restored, as tn,
case now is, mainly by the admission o
, those States delegations in Congress
The whole turns upon the practical ques
ton whether the people of those State
have so far ahjured the spirit of rebel
lion and returned to a loyal mind, tina
they promise to become safe and fit mem
beers of the Union. Congress has sub
mtted test of this great question: a
we'll as a salutary and needed reform. il
the proposed Constitutional Amendment
which. if the seeded States accept. they
will be restored to the Union. In vicN
of this fact. the President writes like on,
WHO conceaIs the truth, for he ma kes ne
aIlu,ion to it, even in referring to the ad
mission of Tennessee, which was accom-
plished through 4 compliance with thi:
condition. AS this is the hinge of the
situation. candor would seem to have re.
uuired of the President that he SHOULD
have treated of the Amendment and civ
en- reasons, if he has any, why the >eced
ed States should decline 10 ratity it. \:
it is, nothing remains to Congress but to
proceed on in the course it has hcrctotor,
marked out and which has received til,
appreciation of the people.
The Presidents review of the depart
ment reports is well made, and will prove
very satisfactory During the last four
teen months the public debt has been re
duced S2OG,379,5G5.
The President recommends that tn
laws be SO changed as to allow the Dis
!. trict of Columbia delegate TO Congress
His remarks on the Mexican question
2 will be read with considerable interest
t 1t appears that the French Emperor di
: authorize variation from his agreemel
in regard to the withdrawal of troop
from Mexico, upon which our governmer
: took occasion to express its dissent. Their
f the matter stands at present, but the Pre-:
: ident expresses the hope that France Wi
4 conform as nearly as possible TO the orig
nal agreement On the subject of I'll
l Alabama claims. the President says thcl
i is reason to believe that the new Englis
II Ministry will act in a becoming an
g friendly spirit. With regard to the Fen
an prisoners in Canada, the PreSidcr
urges those considerations which tend
" clemencv, and says that those prisone
who are citizens of this country have bee
provided with counsel by our Government
= The message closes with few general +
! marks of an exhorting nature.