Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1866-12-07
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fsiio,o- citizens Of the Senate and House
0f Representatives.

Fsiiolo-c citizens Of he Senate and House
of Representatives
After a brief interval the Congress
of the United States resumes its an
nual legislative labors An all-Wise
and mercifuI Providence has abated
the pestilenee which visited our shores,
leaving IFS calamitous traces upon some
portions of our country. Peace. order.
tranquility, and civil authority have
been formally declared to exist
throughout the whole of the United
States. In all of the States civil au-
thority has superseded the coercion of
arms, and the people, by their volun-
tary action, are maintaining their gov
ernmeuts in full activity and complete
operation. The enforcement Of the
laws Is no longer "obstructed in any
State by combinations too powerful to
be suppressed by the ordinary course
of judicial proceedings and the ami
mOsities engendered by the war are
rapidly yielding to the benihcent in
huences of our free institutions, and
to the kindly effects Of unrestricted
social and commercial intercourse. An
entire restoration of fraternal feeling
must be the earnest wish of every pa
triotic hearts and we will have accom-.
plished our grandest national achieve
ment when, forgetting the sad events
of the past, and remembering only
their instructive lessons, we resume
our Onward career as a free, prosper
Gus aud united people.
In my message Of the 4th of Decem-
b 2. 1865, Congress was informed of
the measures which had been institut-
ed by the Executive with view to the
gradual restoration of the States in
which the insurreetion occurred to
their relations with the General Gov
ernment. Provisional Governors had
been appointed, Conventions called
Governors elected, Legislatures assem-
bled, aud Senators and Representatives
chosen to the Congress Of the United
States. Courts bad been opened for
the enforcement of laws long in abey-
ance. The blockade had been remoV-
ed, custom houses. .Te-established, and
the internal revenue laws put In force,
in order that the people might contri-
butte to the national income. Postal
operations had been renewed, and ef-
forts were being made to restore them
TO their former conditions Of efficiency.
The States themselves had been asked
to take part in the high function of
amending the Constitution, and of thus
sanctiOning the extinction of African
slavery as one of the legitimate results
Of our inteTnecine struggle.
Having progressed thus far, the Ex-
eeutive Department found that it had
accomplished nearly all that was with
in the scope of its constitutional au-
thority One thing, however, yet re-
mained TO be done before the work of
restoration could be completed, and
that was the admission to Congress of
loyal Senators and Representatives
from the States whose people had re-
! belled against the lawful authority of
the General Government. This ques-
ton devOlveG upon the respective
Houses, which, by the Constitution,
are made the judges Of elections, re-
turns and qualifications of their own
members and its consideration at
once engaged the attention of Con-
gress.
10 tie meantime, the Executive De-
paTtmcDt-nO other plan having been
proposed by ongress-cOntinued its
efforts TO perfect, as far as was practi-
cable, the restoration of the proper re-
iatiOns between the citizens of the re-
speetive States, the States aud the Fed
eral Government, extending, from time
to time, us the public interests seemed
10 require, the judicial, revenue and
pOstai systems of the country. With
the advice and consent of the Senate,
the necessary officers were appointed
and appropriations made by Congress
Tor I've payment of their salaries. The
proposition to amend the Federal Con
stitutiOu, so as to prevent the existence
of slavery within the United States or
any p ace subject to their jurisdiction,
was ratified by the requisite number of
States; and on the 18th day of Deeem-
Der, 1865, it was officially declared to
have become valid as a part of the
Constitution Of the United States. All
of the States ia which the insurrection
had existed promptly amended their
Constitutions, 50 as to make them
conform to the great change thus effec-
ted in the organic law of the land de-
olared null and void all ordinances
and laws of secession repudiated all
pretanded debts and obligations crea-