The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-07-26

the nation, have an equally potent voice
with other and loyal States IN propositions
to amend the Constitution, upon which,
so essentially, depend the stability, pros
perity 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 resto-
ration to their constitutional relations of
the States that had been affected by the
rebellion. - =. r-
Upon the cessation of active hostilities,
Provisional Governors were appointed,
conventions called. Governors elected by
the people, Legislatures assembled, and
Senators and Represents tativeS chosen to
the Congress of the United States. AT the
same time the Courts of the United States
were re-opened, the blockade removed, the
custom -hOuSeS re-eStabl1Shed, and postal
operations resumed The amendment to
the Constitution abolishing slavery for
ever within the limits of the country was
also submitted to the States, and they
were thus invited TO, dSdid, participate
in ratification, thus exercising the high
est functions pertaining to a state. In
addition, nearly all of the States through
their Conventions and Legislatures,
had adopted and ratified AcOnstitu
tionS of govefHfnent whereby slavery
was abolished, and all ordinances and laws
of secession, and debts. con tracted under
the same, We're declared null alad-yoid., So'
far, then, the political existence of the
States, and their relations to- the. Federal
Government, hfsd been fully and dcomp1ete-
ly recognized and acknowledged by the
Executive Department of the GoYernm ment,
and the com pletion OF the work Of recon-
struction which had progressed so favor
ably was submitted to Congress, upon
which devolvedal questions pertaining to
the admission to thelRSeats of the Senator'S
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, 1865, the
Thirty-nihth Congress assembled
that time, and no other plan having been
proposed by Congress for The measures in
stftuted by the 1ExecutiYe, it is now de-
for my approval, that the State of Tennes-
| see is hereby restored1to her former prac-
tical relations TO the Union, and again
entitled to be represented byiSenatorS and
Representative in. Congress.
Thus, after the lapse of nearly eight
months, Congress proposes to pave the way
tothe admission of the REPRESENTATIVES of
rayed themselves in rebellion. against the
Constitutional authority Of the Federal
Earnestly v desiring to relieve. every cause
| of further delay, whether real or imagin-
| ary, on the part of Congress, to the ad-
mission to seats of loyal Senators and Re-
! presentatives from the State of Tennessee,
| have, snOtWitilSta nding the. anomalous
| character of the proceedings, affixed my
| signature to the resolution Ny approy al,
] acknowledgement of the right of Congress to
| pass laws preliminary to the admission OF
! duly qualified presentatives from any OF
| the States. Neither is it to he considered
as committing me ito all the statements
| made in the preamble, some of which areS
in my opinion, without foundation in fact,
! especially the assertion that the State OF
| Tennessee has ratified the Amendment to
| the Constitution of the United STATES. pro-
! posed by the Thirty ninth Congress. No
! official notice of such ratification has been
received by the Executive, or filed in the
/ Department of State. On the contrary,
unofficial informations from most
reliable sources, induce the belief
| that the amendment has not yet
been eonstitutionally sanctioned by the
! Legislature of Tennessee. The right
| of each House, under the Constitution, to
| judge of the election returns aud quallhca-
tions of its own, members, is undoubted,
and my approval or disapproval of the res
olution could not, in the slightest degree,
| increase or diminish the authority I'M this
respect conferred upon the two branches
| of Congress-. In conclusion, cannot too
earnestly repeat my. recommendation for
! the admission of Tennessee and all other
States to a fair and equal participation in
| the NationalLegislatur when they present
i themselves in the persons of loyal Senafors
| and Representatives, who can comply with
all the requirements of the Constitution
and the laws. By this means harmony
and reconciliation will be effected, the
! practical relations of all the States to the
/ Federal Government re7established,- and
the work of restoration, inaugurated upon
the terminationdof theJ war successfully
completed, fh 8tjsAGt 5F-l
- - ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, D. c., July "A, 1855. -