Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-12-12
BLoa1sBURG, WEDSEsDAT. DEC. u, 1866.
The Message.

We print on our first page, to-day, the
Presidents Message, entire, to the exclusion
ofmuch of our general variety Of news and
miscellaneous reading matter. 1t is docu-
ment which win encourage the hearts and
strengthen the faith of the business interests
and real friends of the country in all rela-
tions. In its whole spirit and tone it is ad-
mirabIe or in other words, it is conciliatory
and fair, yet at the same time it is firm and
free from the defent temper which some
have supposed Mr.. JOHNSON would indulge
in. As State paper, its author has breath
ed into ithisown calm, wel[considered, earn
est, and statesman-like sympathy and wis
dom. While some may find in it some things
they cannot approve, there is solid ground
on which all friends of the Federal Consti-
tuition, and States Rights, may stand and
support the President He supports the
views, taken in his Message of 1865, of the
relations of the States to the Union, and
States Rights, and re-stated in this, power
fully, by warningsand arguments from Wash
ington, jefferson and jackson. We ask for
it carefal perusal by all our patrons.
After the President, in the outstart of his
Message, has established the fact that the
Southern. States had been recognized as
States, both by the Executive and Legisla-
tive branches of the Government, the Pres
ideut re- afirms his old views and opinions as
to their right of representation, and the du-
tyof Congress to accord them that right at
the earliest possible moment He bases
their right to representation upon the great
principle enunciated in the Declaration Of
American Independence, that no people
ought to bear the burden of taxation, and
yet be denied the right of representation !"
upon the express provision of the Constitu-
ton, that each State shall have at least one
Representative, and ''that no State, with
out It's consent, shall be deprived of its equal
suffrage in the Senate. These are points
which cannot be shaken, either by law or
logic. As to the policy of the course recon-
mended by the President, it rests upon
sincere belief that the admission of repre-
sentativesfrom the late revoltedStates would
accomplish much towards the renewal and
strengthening of our relations as one people,
and remove serious cause for discomfort and
complaint on the part of the inhabitants of
the rejected and repudiated States
The position of the President upon this
question of reconstruction and representa-
tion VIII be eminently satisfactory to the true
frie.sds of republican liberty in the nation
It is in full harmony with the theory of our
government and the teachings of the men
who framed it, and also has the sanction of
a succession of acts and declarations from
the very party which is now agitsting in fa-
vor of consolidation and despotisln. The
line formerly drawnby the President between
himself and the Radical party upon this vital
issue has been again marked out with unmis-
taxable distinctness, and the contest is now,
State rights and constitutional representa-
ton, on the one hand and on the other,
Congressional usurpation and national con-
solidation. The battle upon those issues will
now be opened in Congress.