Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-12-07
The Presidents Message.

The message reached us through the daily
papers "Wednesday morn,,g. The President
cpmm"n-cs by allu,liuo to ''mrrcful Provi-
.A,nrc that has abatcd the pcStilrnce which WIS.,
itcu,orr shores. leaving its calamitous traces
,tpon some portions of our cssuntry." lie then
declare, that civil authority has superseded the
pcrcion of arms, in all the states. and the ieo-
ple, by their voluntary action are maintaining
ttfrf government in full activity and complete
operation. An entire restoration of fratcrnal
fnclin. must be the earnest wish of patriotic
hnart &c. iteratc- the President.
In his message of the 9Th. of December 1S't,.
he had informed Congress what measures had
been instituted by the Executive with view to
the gradual restoration of the states in which
the in>urrecton occurred. to their relations
with the General Government, Niz:-ProNls-
ional Governors had Gsem appointed. Conven-
TINS called, Governors elected, Lc21returcs as
scrubbed Senators and Representatives chosen
10 the Congress &C., Courts opened. the block
ale removed, revenue laws enforced. and the
states hal been asked to take part in amending
the Constitution, sanctioning the extinction of
slavery Sc. The Presid mt. then. recapitulates
his efforts to restore the recussant states, and
infrrcntially charges Congress with not having
snv plan &c. He SAYS. II deem il a subject of
profound regret that Congress has thus far fail
q, to admit to seats loyal senator's and repre-
sentativcs from other states. whose inhabitants
with those of Tennessee. had engaged in the re-
inllion, more than one fourth Of the whole num-
her remain without representation. the seat> Of
fifty members in the House and twenty in the
Senate remain vacant not by their own consent,
not by a failure Of election. but by a refusal of
Congress to accept their credentials.
The President then e,e> over the ground again
for the second or third tim. enforcing hi, p Ian
md idea. of reconstruction. and arguing that he
is right and Congress NIL wrong. II is the old
story ofthe sel-,atisticd twelfth iury-man COLI
tending against the perver>c and unrca>"h1oie
eleven But the mistake which the President
makes Is in starting with the idea that he Is the
law-makins power. The constitution says that,
he. .hc President. '.shall take care tina; the laws
bs faithfully executed" He shall from time to
time give to the Congress information oil the
state of the Union. and recommend to their con-
si,leration Snch measures As he shall nudge eNe-
dent Sc" but it nowhere invests him with the
mower or right to lecture the law-:naaing pow
err, or to lay down a plan for their guidance and
.k,pce,l ly insists that it shall he followed. He
i. 10 see that such laws IT, arr pa d by
Congress ere faithfully enforced. The ENec''-
tive is u coordinate branch ofthc government
and it must keep within its legitimate sphere oil
action. Mr.. FrsScnlcn in his remarks IN New
york city the other day. ma'i' this pertinent
inquiry -''what right has the President to have
aplan.' suppose we elaborate thr h'a' anu
pu: it in this form. which corresponds to the
fact The President has Il plan of rccon>truc-
ton. a questonal right. but he insists that his
is the only wisc AMI safe plan yet devised: he
urges it on Congress coordinate branch OF the
government the power that has the control OF
the Subcc;-nr1ttcr. ami this plan docs not cor
e>pond with it, iEc;p~ Of Justice safety. and per-
manent peace. and it i not adopted but anotf-
or is. The President d>likcs this pEsn. AMI
throws all the influence Of his position against
pa EanGHsa de el mi rS.e Ar apnSs.c i.
again, and again it dcvolyc. upon the President
10 send to it his ANIMAL message. and in this, ne
n-ttcrates his obi plan, condemns Congress and
incidentally the people for not succombing tn
him. This i>a very questionable position IL
ke. and it is DENYING the old Democratic idea
that the people are tn, ultim,tc arbiter| in all
these matters. The difficulty is. the President
thinks. whether honestly or not. that he is
wiser than Congress. or the people. This p'-
>tion lead, to trouble anil continued difficulty.
Louis the XIV asserted that he WAS the State.
but such notions do not obtain in ISIS in Amer
lea, and it will take mere decided. and great
antiruatctl notions popular. With the Congress
Eln tln All in,