The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

lsp-cisl by reiesr iph tie the DAitr Gssl Chr #
Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Rep.
rescnistives: rw
After brief interval the Congress of the
United States resumes its annual legislative
labors. An all wise and merciiul Pro vidence
has ahated the pestllence which visited our
shores. leaving its calamitous traces upon
some PORTIONS of our country. Peace. or
der, tranquility and civil authority have beer
formally declared to exist throughout the
United States. In all of the States civil au-
thority has superseded the coercion OF arms,
and the people, by their voluntary action, are
maintaining their governments 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 animosities engeudered
by the war are rapidly yielding to the benef.
cent Influences OF our free institutions, and
TO the kindly effects of restricted social and
commercial intercourse. An entire restvra-
tion of traternal feeling must be the earnest
wish ofevery patriotic heart, and we will have
accomplished our grand national achievement
when, forgetting the said events of the past,
and remembering only their instructive les
sons, we resume our onward career, rs free,
sage of the Fourth OF December, 1885, Con-
gress 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 insurrection occurred, TO their re-
lations with the General Government. Provis-
ional Governors were elected, Legislatures as
sembled Senators and Representatives chosen
to the Congress OF the United States; Courts
has been opened for the enforcement Of laws
long in allowance. the blockade had been re-
moved; Custom Houses re-established. and
Internal Revenue laws put in force, in order
That the pet pie might contribute to the Ma
tonsl income. Postal operations had been
renewed, and efforts were being made to re-
store them to their former conditions of eff =
cheney. The States themselves had been
asked 10 take part in the high functions of
amending the Constitution, and of sane
tiouing the extinction of African slavery, as
one OF the legitimate results of our interne-
cine struggle. Having progressed thus far.
the Executive Department found that ii had
accomplished nearly all that was within the
scope af its Constitutional authority. One
thing, however. was yet to be done before
the work OF restoration could be completed,
aud that WAS the admission TO Congress OF
loyal Senators and Representatives, from the
States whose people had rebelled against the
lawful authority of the General Government
This question devolved upon the respective
Houses, which, by the Constitution, are made
the judges Of the election returns, and the
qualifications OF their own members, and it's
consideration at once engaged the attention
OF Congress. In the meantime the Execu-
tive Department, no other plan having been
proposed by Congress, continued its
efforts TO perfect, as far as was practicable.
the restoration OF the proper relations be
tween the citizens of the respective States
the States and the Federal Government ex
tending, from time to time, as the public in
tercst seemed to require, the Judicial, reve-
nue. and postal systems Of the country. With
the advice and consent of the Senate the nee
essary officers we're appointed and sppro-
priaiions made by Congress for the payment
of their salaries.
The proposition toamend the Federal Com
stituuon so as 10 prevent the existence Of
slave in the United States, or any place
subject TO their jurisdiction. was ratified by
the requisite number Of States, and on the
18th day of December, 1868, it was officially
declared to have become valid as part
OF the Constitution of the United
States all of the States in which
the insurrecton had existed. promptly
amended their Constitution so as to make
them conform to the great change thus ef-
fected in the organic law of the land ;declared
null and void all ordinances and laws Of
secession, tepudiated all pretended debts and
obligations created for the revolutionary
purposes of the insarrection, and proceeded
in good faith to the enactment of measures
for the protection and aueiorntion of the
condition of the colored race. Congress
however, vet hesitated TO admit any OF these
States TO representation, and it was not, un-
I'll the close Of the Eight session, that an ex-
ccption was made in favor of Tennessee by
the admission of her Senators and Represens
tatives. deem il subject Of paoound re-
grei, that Congress has thus far failed to ad-
init to seats. loyal Senators and Representa- :
tives from the other States, whose inhabi
tants with those of Tennessee had engaged
in the rebellion. Ten States. more than one
fourth of the whole number, remain withou,
representation. The seats ef fifty members
ofthe House of Representatives, and oi
twenty members of the Senate, are yet vacant,
not by their own cnnsent--not by failure OF
election--bu. by the refusal OF Congress 10
accept their credentials Their admission,
it is believed, would have accomplished
much towards the renewal and Strengthening
Of our relations as one people, and removed
serious cause for disseDtions on the part oi
the inhabitants OF these States. Il would
have accorded with the great principle enun.
ciated in the Declaration of American Inde.
pendence, that no people ought TO be bnr-
deBed with taxation, and yet be denied the
right Of representation. Itwould have been in
consonance wih the express proyieion Of the
Constitution, thst each State Ahall have al
least one Representative, and that no State
without its consent, shall be deprived of its
equal suffrage in the Senate. The propositions
were intended to secure to every State, and
to the people Of every State, the right of re
presentation IN each House of Congress; and
so important was il deemed BY the trainers o.
the Constitution, that the equality of The
States In the Senate should be preserved
that not even by an amendment Of the Con-
stitution, can any State, without its consent
be denied a voice in that branch of the Ma
tional Legislature.
II is true that il has been assumed that the
existence oftbe States was terminated by the
rebelhous acts of their inhabitants, snd tha'
the instruction having beer suppsesed ;thg
were thenceforward to be considered merely
as conqu red territories The legislative.
executive and judicial departments of the
Government have. however, With great dis
tinctness and uniform consstsssy. refused T.
ssnct,cn an Assumption so incompatible with
the aAturs q oar Rspublicaa system, and
With the professed objects Of the var
Throughout the recent legislssioa Of Congress-
the uadaniable fact makes itself apparent
that these ten political communities are moth
ing less than States Of this Union.. Al
the very commencement Of the reballips
each honse declared With unanimity q r.
gardabie a. Il wns eigni6cant, thAs the ~,
vas not wa9ed, upon our part, In my 1piri
of opprsssioa, nor for any purpots of epa
quest or sahju1Ation, mol: purposs r. osey,
throwing Of jpt4rieJipx With the rights Of -