The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-05-31

was not only limited to loyal people
and no others, but constitutional guaran-
ties were required in respect to the eman-
cipation of slaves and the repudiation of
the rebel debt. A sound reason for
such guarantees in respect to slavery is
stated by the President in his message
namely, the necessity of'sthe evidence
of sincerity in the future maintenance of
the Union"
Those views expressed by the Presi-
dent in his message received, and con-
tinue to receive, my cordial acquiescence
and support. Who are loyal people is
question that ought not to he difficult
of decision.
After full explanation of the steps ta-
ken by him to restore the constitution
al relations of the States, the President,
in his annual message, proceeds to state,
with equal distinctness, what remains
to be done, and to whom the authority
and duty Of doing it belongs, in the fol-
lowing words:
"The amendment to the Constitu-
ton being adopted, it would remain for
the States whose powers have been so
long in abeyance to resume their places
in the two branches of the National
|
work of restoration. Here it is for YOU,
fellow-citizens of the Senate, and for
you, fellow citizens of the House of Rep
resentatives, to .judge, each Of yoae for
yourselves, of the elections, returns, and
qualifications of your own members"
Whoever doubts that the authority
and duty of Judging for itself the elec-
tions, returns, and qualifications of it's
| 1<l, r
gress may have his doubts removed bv
the Federal Constitution, which de
clares in the fifth section of the first ar
ticle, that 'each House shall be the
judge Of the elections, returns, and
qualifications of its own members. D
In thus distinctly recognizing the con-
stitutional rights of each House of Con-
gress to judge of the elections, returns,
and qualifications of its own members,
the President has conformed to the
plain letter of the Constitution. 1t be-
ing the function of each House to Judge
OF the elections, returns, and qualitica-
tions of its own members, the obliga-
tion is implied of taking testimony,
weighing evidence, and deciding the
question of membership. What testi
mOny has been taken, of what evidence
has been presented on the question to
either branch of Congress, or what
Judgment will be given, is not known
to me; nor have | the right of inqui-
ring, for neither the right nor the duty
of deciding is devolved upon me. But
the course of the President in thus re-
terrlng the question ofits own members
to the Judgment of each house of Con-
Gress receives and continues to receive
my cordial support.
Besides the steps taken by the Exec
utive to restore the constitutional rela-
tions of the States, his annual message
called the attention of Congress to the
necessity Of insuring the security of the
freedmen: reminding Congress that
while he had no doubt that the general
government could extend the elective
franchise, ''it is equally clear that good
faith require, the security of the freed
men in their liberty and their property,
their right to labor, and their right to
claim the just return of their labor"
and observing further that " the coun-
try is in need of labor and the freedmen
are in need Unemployment, culture, and
protection" In connection with this
subject the President further remarks
Slavery was essentially monopoly
of labor, and as such, locked the States
where it prevailed against the incoming
of free industry. Where labor was the
property ofthe capitalist, the.white man
was excluded from enjoyment, or he
had but the second hest chance of find
ing it, and the foreign emigrant turned
away from the reg ion where his condi-
ton would be so precarious. With the
destruction of the monopoly, free labor
will hasten from all parts of the civili-
zed world to assist in developing vari-
GUS and immeasurable resources which
have hitherto lain dormant. The eight
or nine States nearest the Gulf of Mexi-
co have Il soil of eXuberant fertility,
climate friendly to long life, and can
sustain adenser population than is found
as yet III any part of our country. And
the future influx of population to them
will be mainly from the North, or from
the most cultivated nations in Europe"
These views of the President in rela-
tion to the freedmen received, and con-
tinue to receive, my hearty concurrence.
They have guided the action Of the
War Department, and were substanti-
ally advocated i'll its annual report. In
what | believed an honest desire to con-
loilil W 1ieiii, t Dlll was passed ny NOI-
gress regulating the Freedmen's Bu-
reau; but the provisions of the bill did
not meet the Presidents approval, be-
cause he believed the powers conferred
upon him and upon the agents to be
appointed by him to be unwise and un-
constitutional. Concurring in the OBJ
ject of the bill, and regarding the pow
er as temporary, and safe in his hands,
| advised its approval. But having
been returned to Congress with the
Presidents objections, and having fail
ed the needful support, it is no longer
living measure, nor the subject Of de-
bate or difference of opinion.
Another Congressional measure, call
ed the civil rights bill, has been the
the subject of conflict That bill, now
a law, has for its object the security Of
civil rights in the insurrectionary States.
1t was well observed by the President in
his annual message, that ss1oeocetM ena--
graz ION to and from that norton Of the