Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-01-06
MESSAGE OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON,
Report of Lieut.. Gen. Grant.

r Report OF Lieut.. Gen. GranC
The following isthe message transmitted by
President johnson, on Tuesday, December
49, to the Senate, in answer to a resolution of
inquiry of that body. President johnson says
TO the Senate of tic United States: In
reply to the resolution adopted by the Senate,
on the 18th, I have the honor to state that
tho rebellion waged by a portion of the people
against the properly constituted authorities of
the Government of the United States has been
suppressed; that the United States are IN
possession Of every State in which the insur-
rection existed, and that, as far as could be
done, the Courts Of the United States have
been restored, post Offices re-established and
steps taken to put into effective operation the
revenue laws of the country. AS the result of
the measures instituted by the Executive,
with view of inducing a resumption of tho
functions Of the States comprehendcd in the
inquiry of the Senate, the people of North
Carolina, South Carolina. Georgia, Alabama,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Temncs-
see have recognized their respective State
Governments, aud are yielding obedience to
the laws and Government Of the United States
with more willingness and greater promptitude
than, under the circumstances, could reasona.
bly, have been anticipated. The proposed
amendment to the Constitution, providing for
the abolition of slavery forever within the linn
it's of the country, has been ratified. by each
one of those States, with the exception of
Mississippi, from whicfAno official information
has been received; and in nearly all Of them
sasas;;res have byen adopted, or are now pend
ing, to confer upon freedmen the privileges
which ore essential to their comfort, protection
and security, In Florida and Texas, the peo-
pie are making commendable progress in re-
storing their State Governments, and no doubt
is entertained that they will, at an early pcri-
zod, be in copdtion to resume all Of their
practical relations with the Federal Govern
nient: In that portion of the Union lately in
!, rebellion, the aspect of affairs is more pronis-
ing than, in view of all the circumstances,
could we'll have been expected The people
throughout the entire South evinoe an audible
desire to renew their allegiance to tie Govern
ment, and to repair the devastation Of war by
prompt and cheerful return To peaceful pjur-
suits An abiding faith is entertained that
their actions will conform to their propo-
.sitions, and that, on acknowledging the su-
:premacy Of the Constitution and the laws of
the United States, their loyalty will. be uhre-
scryedy given to the Government whose len
ienoy they cannotfail to appreciate, and whose
fostering care will soon restore them to a con
dition Of prosperity 1t is true that in some
of the States tho domoralizing effects of the
war are to be seen in occasional disorders, but
these are local in character, not frequent in
occurrence, and are rapidly disappearing as
the authority Of civil law is extended and sus-
tanned. Perplexng questions were naturally
to be expected from the great and sudden
change in the relations between the two races,
but systems are gradually developing them
selves, under which the freedman will receive
the protection to which he is justly entitled,
and by means Of his labor make himself a
useful and independent member of the COM
n1unity in which he has his home. From all
the information in my possession, and from
that which / have recently received from tho
tiostsreliabe authority, am induced to cher
'ish the belief that sectional anihosity is surely
I, aud rapidly merging itself into spirit,o ma
.tionality ); that representation, connected with
a'psoperly adjusted system Of taxation, will
result'in a hsrmonious restoration Of tho rela-
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