The national Republican., 1866-07-25
Message from the President.

yesterday afternoon from THE President:
To the House ar Representatives:
The following "joint resolution restoring Ten.
to her relations to the Union was last even.
ing presented for my approval;
Whereas, in the year 1851, the government Of
the State Of Tennessee was seized upon and taken
possession Of BY persons In hostility to the United
States and the Inhabitants OF said State In pursu-
Of act Of Congress, were declared to be In
state Of insurrecton against the United States and
whereas said State government only be restored
to Its former political relations in the Union by tho
consent Of the law-making power Of the United
States; and whereas the people Of said State did,
on the 22d day Of February, 1855, by q large pop.
ular vote, adopt and ratify constitution Of gov.
eminent, whereby slavery was abolished, and all
ordinances and laws Of secession, and debts con
tracted under the same were declared void; and
whereas State government has bcsn organized
under said constitution, which has ratified the
amendment to the Constitution Of the United States
abolishing slavery, also the amendment proposed
BY the Thirty ninth Congress, and has done other
acts proclaiming and denoting loyalty: Therefore,
BE ii resolved BY the Senate and House of Rep
ressRtdtires Of the United States Of America IN Con-
grs,s assembled, That the State Of Tennessee Is
tons to the Union, and Is again entitled to be rep
resented by Senators and Representatives in Con.
gress
The preamble simply consists ofstatements, some
Of which are assumed, while the resolution is merely
declaration Of opinion. 1t comprises no legisla.
tion does it confer any power which is binding
upon the respective Houses tho Executive, or tho
States. 1t does not admit to their seats in Con-
gress the Senators and Representatives from the
State of Tenuesseei for, notwithstanding the pas.
sage of the resolution, each House In the exercise
Of the constitutional right to judge for itself Of the
elections, returns and qualifications OF Its members,
IL Ill Al .
exclude them. lfa joint resolution Of this charac-
ter were necessary and binding a condition pre-.
cedent TO the admission Of members Of Congress- Il
would happen, in the event Of veto by the Execu-
tive, that Senators and Representatives could only
be admitted to the halls Of legislation by two
thirds vote Of each Of tho two Houses.
Among other reasons recited In the preamble for
the declarations contained in the resolution is the
ratification, by the State government Of Tennessee,
Of "the amendment to the Constitution of the Uni.
ted States abolishng slavery, and also the amend
ment proposed by the Thirty ninth Congress- II,
rs is also declared in the preamble, "said State
government can only be restored to its former po.
litcal relations in the Union by the consent of the
aw-making power Of the United States,' 1t would
really seem to follow that the joint re 'olution
which at this late day has received the sanction Of
Congress should have been passed, approved, and
placed on the statute. books before any amendment
to the Constitution was submitted to the Lcgisa-
ture Of Tennessee for ratification. Otherwise, the
inference is plainly deduciblo that while, in the
opinion Of Congress, tho people of a State may be
too strongly dsloyal to be entitled to representa-
ton, they may nevertheless, during the suspension
Of their "former proper practical relations to the
Union" have an equally potent voice with other
and loyal States in propositions to amend the Con-
stituton, upon which SO essentially depend the sta.
bilty prosperity and very existence Of the nation.
A brief reference to my annual message Of the
4th Of December last will show the steps taken by
the Executive for the restoration to their consitu
tional relations to the Union, Of the States that
had been affected by the rebellion. Upon the ces.
sation Of active hostiities, Provisional Governors
were appointed; Conventions called and Governors
elected by the people; Legislatures assembled and
Senators and Representatives chosen to the Con.
gress Of the United States. At the same time the
Courts Of the United States were reopened, the
blockade removed, the custom-h established
and postal relations resumed
The amendment to the Constitution abolishing
slavery forever within the limits of the country was
also submitted to the States, and they were thus
invited to, and did participate in its ratification
thus exercising the highest functions pertaining to
State. In addition, nearly all of these States,
through their Conventions and Legislatures, had
adopted and ratified constitutions Of Government,
whereby slavery was abolished, and all ordinances
and laws Of secession and debts contracted under
the same were declared void.''
So far then, the political existence of the States
and their relations to the Federal Government had
edged by the Executive Department of the Govern
ment, and the completion Of the work Of restora-
tion, which had progressed so favoraby, was sub
mitted to Congress, upon which devolyed all ques-
tions pertaining to the admission to their seats Of
the Senators and Representatives chosen from the
States whose people had engaged in the rebellion.
All these steps had been taken, when, on the 4th
day Of December, 1885, the Thirty-ninth Congress
assembled. Nearly eight months have elapsed
since that time; and no other plan of restoration
hay haa al hy 70
instituted by the Executive, 1t Is now declared in
the joint resolution submitted for my approval
that the State Of Tennessee is hereby restored to
her former proper practical relations to the Union
and Is again entitled to be represented by Senators
and Representatives in Congress- Thus, after
the lapse Of nearly eight months Congress pro-
poses to pave the way to the admission and to rep
resentntion Of Of the eleven States whose peo-
pie arrayed themselves In rebellion against the
constituted authority Of the Federal Government.
Earnestly desiring to remove every cause Of fur.
ther delay, whether real or imaginary, on the part
Of Congress, to the admission to seats Of loyal Sen.
ators and Representatives from the State Of Ten.
nessee, ! have, notwithstanding the anomalous
character Of the proceedings affixed my signature
to the resolution. My approval, however, is not
to be construed as an acknowledgment of the right
Of Congress to pass laws preliminary to the adms-
sion Of duly qualified Representatives, from any of
the States. Neither Is it to be considered as com.
mitting me to all the statements made in the pre-.
amble some OF which are, in my opinion, without
foundation in fact especially the assertion that the
State Of Tennessee has ratified tho amendment to
the Constitution of the United States proposed by
the Thirty Ninth Congress. No official notice Of
such ratification has been received by the EIecu-
tive, or fled in the Department Of State. On the
contrary, unofficial information from most reliable
sources induces the belief that the amendment has
not yet been consttutionally sanctioned by the
Legislature Of Tennessee. The right Of each House,
under the Constitution, to judge of the elections
returns, and qualifications Of its own members is
undoubted, and my approval or disapprovIl of the
resolution could not, in the slightest degree in
crease or diminish the authority in this respect
conferred upon the two branches Of Congress.
In conclusion, l cannot too earnestly repeat my
recommendation for the admission of Tennessee, and
all other States to fair and equal participation in
national legislation, when they present themselves
in the persons oflNyal Senators and
who can comply with all the requirements of the
Constitution and the laws. By this means, har.
mony and reconciliation will be Effected the prac.
tcal relations of all the States to the Federal Gov
ernment re.established and the work of restoration
inaugurated upon the termination Of the war, sue
oessfully completed.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
WAsHIsGTos, D c., July a. 1866.
Specimens Of Fractional Currency.
The United States Treasurer Is now prepared to
furnish all applicants full sets of the diferent