The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1866-12-08
Presidents Message.
fellor>citizen, cfMe SENATE and House Of

After brst interval, the Congress OF the
United States renew its annual legislative
labors. An all-w:.e and m-rciful Providence
has abated the pes;ilence which Y.sited our
shores, leaving its calamItous traces upon
SOM. portions of cur country. Peace, order,
tranquility, and civil authority have been
formally declared tu exist throughout the
whole of the United States. In all the States,
civil authority has superseded the coercion OF
| arms, and the people, by their voluntary
action, arc maintaining their Governments
in full activity and complete operation. The
enforcement of the laws is no longer obstruct,
cd in any State by combinations too powerful
| to he suppressed BY the ordinary course OF
judicial proceedings, and the animosities ems
gendered by the war are rapidly yielding to
! the beneficent influences of our free institu-
tions, and to the kindly effects of unrestricted
social and commercial intercourse. An entire
restoration OF fraternal feeling must be the
earnest wish of every patriotic heart, and We
will have accomplished our grandest achiev-
mont when, forgetting the sad events OF the
past, and remembering only their instructive
lessons, we resume our onward career as a
free, prosperous and united people.
RESTORATION OF TIE STATES.
In INV message OF the 4th of December,
1865. Cougres. was Informed of the measures
which had been instituted by the Executive,
with q view to the gradual restoration of the
States in which the Instruction occurred to
their relations with the General Government.
Provisional Governors had been appointed,
conventions called. GovsrnCrs elected Legls>
latures assembled, and Senator's and Rerros-
entatiyes chosen to the Congress OF the Unl>
ted States. Courts had been opened for the
enforcement of Ia SIS long in allegiance. The
blockade had been removed, custom houses
re>establshe,., and the internal revenue laws
pat in force, in order that the people mi ght
contribute to the national income. Postal
operations hsd been renewed, ard efforts
were being M de TO restore them 10 their tor
mer condition and efficiency. The States
the nselves had been asked to take part in
the high function of amending the Consttu-
ton, and of thus ssnctionIng the e1tinc-
ton OF African slavery as one CT the legi-
mate results OF our internecne struggle. Hav-
ing progressed thus far, the Exccltiv De.
artmeut found that it had accomplished
nearly all that was within the scope OF its
constitutional. authority OGe thing, how>
ever, vet remained to be done before the work
of restoration could be completed, and that
was the admission to Congress OF loyal Sen
ators aud Representatives from the States
whose people had rebelled against the Lawful!
authority sf the General Government. This
question deyolved upon the respective Hous-
es. witch by the Constitution are mais The
judges of the elections, returns and qaaliica-
tons o! their own members, and lis con>id-
Grafton al once engaged the attention of
Congress.
In the meantime, the Executive Department
40 other plan having been proposed by
Congress-continued in it's efforts t perfect
4. far as practicable. tie rssioriiioc Of the
proper relations between the citizens OIL! the
respective States the States, aud the Fe lcral
Government, extending, from time to time ii
the public interests seemed to require, the
juiicia!, revenue, and postal systems Of the
country With the advice and consent the
Senate the necessary officers vsTe appointed,
aud apr np-ialions made by Congress for The
payment Of their salaries. The proposition
to amend the Federal Constitution - =, to
prevent the existence OF slavery within the
United States or any place subject to their
Jurisdiction, wa. ratified by the requisite
number of States, and on the 18th daY OF
December. 1865. i WAS officially declared 10
have become valid as q part Of the Coastitu-
tion of the United States All of the States
in which the instruction had existed prompt
" amended their constitutions so Is 10 make
them conform to the great change thus
effected in the organic law OF the land /:
declared null and void all ordinances and
laws If secession; repudiated all pretended
debts and Obligations created for the r:volu>
tonary purposes OF the Instruction, and
proceeded in good faith 10 the enactment u
measures for the protection aud am a!ioration
Of the condition of the coored race Congress.
however, yet hesitated to admit any of these
states to representation, and it was not until
towards the ighth month Of the session that
an exception was made in favor of Tennessee,
by the admission of her Senators aud Reps
reseatatIves.
EXCLUSION OF LOYAL SOUTHERN SENATORS AND
REPRESENTATIVES.
| deem il subject of profound regret,
that Congress, has thus far failed 10 admit to
| seats loyal Senators and Represents ive- from
the other States whose inh2bita,.ts with those
Of Tennessee, had engaged in the rebellion
Ten States-more than one fourth of the
! whole number-re main without representa-
ton. The seats of fifty members in the
House of Representatives, and of twenty
| memb ers IN the senate, are yet vacant--not
by their own consent, not BY a failure of
election, but by the refusal OF Congress 10
accept their credentials. Their admission
! it is believed, would have accomplished much
| towards the renewal and strengthening OF oar
| relations as one psople, and removed serious
| cause for discomfort on the part of the inhab.
| itants fthose States. 1t would have accorded
| with the great principle enunciuted in the
! Declaration of American Independence, that
no people ought to bear tho burden of Il :.
alton, and yet be denied the right o
epre.enta:ion. 1t would have been in cen
sonaucc with the express provisions OF the
. Constitution, that each State shall have al
least ore representative, and that DO State
! without, It's consent, shall be deprived of IL
equal suffrage in the Senate. These provis
IONS were intended to secure TO every State
and TO the people Of every State. the right o
representation in each house OF Congress
and so important was it d, emed by the fra,
mers of the Constitution, thai the equality o
! the States in the Senate should be preserved
that not even by an amendment of the Con
, stitutIon can any state, without lis consent, be
denied n voice in that branch Of the Nationa
| Legislature.
| INTEGRITY OF The STATES.
| 1t i. true it has been assumed that the
| existence OF the States was Terminated by the
| rebeliOus acts of their inhabitants, ana thai
the resurrection having been suppressed, the
were thencefOrward 70 be considered merely
As conquered Territories. The Legislative.
Executive and Judicial Departments OF the
| Government have, however, with great dis
tinctuess and uniform consistency, refused tc
sanction al assumption 50 incompatible with
the nature Of Que republican system and the
professed objects of the war Throughout
the recent legislation of Congress. the unde
niable fact makes itsslfapraraut. that the ter
political communities are nothing less thar
States of this Union.
At the very commencement of the rebellion
each House declared, with unanimity g.
| remarkable as it was significant. that th'
"war was not wsged upon our part in any
spirit Of oppression, nor for any purpose o
conquest OF subjucation, nor purpose Of over
| throwing CT interfering with the rights OIL