The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-01-04
W. D. PORTER,
Speaker of the Senate.
; G. II. SIMONTON,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Southern States.
b MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT JoHNsoN-REPoRT
s5} OF LIEUT.. aENERAT GRANT.
81 The following isthe message transmit
ted by President Johnson, on Tuesday,
December 10, to the Senate, in answer to
rea resolution of inquiry of that body. Pre-
& sident Johnson says:
~ To THE SENATE OF TIE UNITED STATES !:
In reply to the resolution adopted by the
Senate, on the 18th, have the honor to
state that the rebellion waged by a portion
: of the people against the properly consti-
tuted authorities ofthe Government Of the
. United States has been suppressed; that
the United States are in possession of ev-
cry State in which the insurection exis-
g ted, and that, as far as could be done, the
Courts Of the United States have been re-
stored, post offices established and steps
taken to put into effective operation the
revenue laws of the country. AS the re-
; suit of the measures instituted by the Ex-
ecutiye, with tho view of inducing a re-
sumption of the functions of the States
comprehended in theinquiry ofthe Senate,
the people of North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Lou
isiana, Arkansas and Tennessee have re-
cognized their respective State Govern
ments, and are yielding obedience to the
laws and Governmentof the United States
with more willingness and greater promp-
titude than, under the circumstances,
could reasonably have beon anticipated.
The proposed amendment to the Consti-
tuition, providing for the abolition of sla-
very forever within the limits of the
country, has been ratified by each one of
those States, with the exception Of Mis-
sissippi, from which no official informn-
ton has been received; and in nearly all
of them measures have been adopted, or
are now pending, to confer upon freed
men the privileges which arc essential to
their comfort, protection and security
In Florida and Texas, the people are
making commendable progress in resto-
ring their State Governments, and no
doubt is entertained that they will, at an
early period, be in condition to resume
all of their practical relations with tho
Federal Government. In that portion OF
the Union lately in rebellion, the aspect
of affairs is more promising than, i'll view
of all the circumstances, could well have
been expected. The people throughout
the entire South evince an audible desire
to renew their allegiance to the Govern
ment, and to repair the devastation of
war by prompt and cheerful return to
peaceful pursuits. An abiding faith is
entertained that their actions will con-
form to their propositions, and that, on
acknowledging the supremacy of the
Constitution and the laws of the United
States, their loyalty will be unresevedly
. given to the Government whose leniency
they cannot fail to appreciate, and whose
tosteringscare Will restore them to con-
dition of prosperity. 1t is true that in
some of the States the demoralizing ef-
fects of the war are to be seen in ocea-
sional disorders, but these are local in
character, not frequent in occurrence, and
are rapidly disappearing as:the authority
3: of civil law is extended and.sustained.--
Perplexing questions wero naturally to
be expected from the great and sudden
change in the relations between the two
races, but systems are gradually develop
iae themselves, under which the freedmen
viii receive the protection. to which he is
Justly entitled, and by means of his labor
make himself useful and Independent
member of the community in which he
has his home. From all the information
in nv possession, and from that which
have recently received from the most re-
liable authority, I am induced to cherish
the belief that sectional animosityis sure
" and rapidly merging itself into spirit
of nationality; that representation, con-
nected with properly adjusted system