New-York tribune., 1866-12-04
vol, XXVI....NO. s,OO5.
THE STATE OF OUR COUNTRY.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE AND ACCOM-
PANYING DOCUMENTS
. .-. -, r,,.rsy. on coycREsS yFSTFRDAy.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT.

morcful Providence has abated the Iescnoe which VS.
sted onr shores leaving its caiamtous traces upon some
portions Of our country. Peace order tranquility, and
civil authority have been formally declared 10 exist
throughout the whole Of the United States. in all Of the
States civil authority has superseded the coercion Of
arms and the people, by their voluntary action are main
tanning their governments IN ul activity and complete
operation The enforcement Of the laws is no longer
obstructed in any State by combinations TOO powerful TO
be suppressed by the ordinary course Of judicial proceed
sngs; and the anmOaues engendered 10y the "ar are
rapidly Welding 10 the benefctnt influences OF our ee
fnstit1tons and 10 the Kindly effects of unrestricted
social and commerC ai intercourse An ehue restoration
Of aternal feeling must be the earnest wish OF e'e3
patriotic heart aud VIII have accomplished our grand
eat national achievement when forgetting the sad eNehs
of the past and remembering only their instructive les
sons, resume our onward career as bHee, Po'lV'o
and united people zoe 80
In my message Of the 4;h Of December 1863 Congress
was informed Of tho measures which hdd peeL hSttu.eu
by the Executive with 10 the gradual restoration
Of the states In which the nsuuecuOu occurred 10 thelr
relations with the General Government Provisional
Governors had been appointed Conventions called Gov
eroors elected Legislatures assembled ard senators and
Representatives chosen 10 the Congress of the United
state Corts had been opencd for the enforcement Of
laws long allegiance The blockade bad been removed
cusomhouses Teostablished. ana the internal revenue
laws put IN force order that the people mghl con,
tribute 10 the national income. Postal operations had
been renewed, ard efforts beng made 70 restore
them TO their former condition Of efficiency. ihe states
themselves had been asked 20 take part n TEE hgh hcuon
Of amending the Constitution ana OF mus sHlCuoIls .e
extinction OF Afncau Slavery one OF tie legitimate re-
suits Of our nterneclne struggle
Having progressed thus far the Executive Department
found that IL had accomplished nearly all mat was WITHIN
the scope of its Constitutional authouy one 'hng how
ever yet remained 10 be done before the Work o Teto
e,on coud he compcted and that the admission 10
Congress of loyal Senators and ReprescutdtNe nom lhe
etocs whose uorle had rebched against the lawful au
thorty of the General Government Ims question de-
yolyed upon the respective Houses, which 10y me Oons
tuition are madee judges Of the elections re'rns and
qualifications Of their own members andits c'hsuciauoh
at once engaged tho attention Of Congress
In the meantime, the Executive Deparimen-no other
plan having been Proposed by Corets' con'inuea ls
efforts perfect, Far ~ was pechcaule tht restoration
Of the proper relations between tie e'ltns "i the 10
spectye States, the Steios and the Federal oVeHment
extending IIom TINE "a umy az 'he fupic lulvieSN
seemed require The Judicial revenue, and postal s-
tens of the country. With The advice and consent o tLe
Senate the necessary officers we're appointed and sppo-
pratious made by Congress for tic payment OF thelt
salaries The proposition % amend the Federal NCHsttN-
zion, prevent the existence O slavery WtL!h the
United Satr Or any place subject TO Their JaHsoieon
was rauhed by 1he I'qui,i'e h9hloei S- Ss e."'es,
and on the 18th day OF December, 1900, % was
officially declared "a have become Nenu a. g., part a., Ti
the Constitution d the Um'eu HiatIs' ~
sf the states IN which the Instruction had existed
promptly amended their Constitutions 50 as TO make
them conform 20 the great change thus eheeu h Ie o
Raue law OF the land declared nu and vold an ouhah
oes and laws Of seoessOu epudaied al peteIOed ueDs
and obligations created for the revolutionary purposes Of
the Ccton and proceeded in good faith 70 the enact
Inen OF for the protection ana amehoIauOh OF
the condition OF the Coored race Congress ho"eVey yer
hesitated admit any of these States 20 IepTeeh"uoI
and 10 was not until toward the close OF tue eghh month
of the session that exception was made I'D Gyof oi
Tennessee,
deem il subject Of profound regret that Congress hss
thus far failed to admit loyal Senators ana
from the other States whose inhabitants with those of
Tennessee had engaged r. the Rebellion len Saies-
tll iO-ltn oi ne ~Leie nGnipe e'. ~ giln
ont Representations the seats Of % members IN the House
of REPRESENTATIVES, and Of 70 members IN The senate IRE
vet vacant-not by their consent, not ny aue o
eecton but by the refusal Of Congress 10 accept tner
credentials. Their admission II is believed would have
accomp shed much toward the renewal and srelghehhg
Of relations people and removed serious aust
for discomfort tho part OF the uLau'ehts oi nose
Htates Ii would have accorded with the great principle
enunciRted In the Declaration OF American lnneehueAee
that people onght bear the burden Of TAXATION ana M DE
denied The night Of rcpiseuauon ~ wo ,t ,i,or % tGa
with the express provisions OF t 10. 10"
10 state without consent shall he deprived OF is equal SUE
srage senate These PROVISIONS were intended TO steaIe
20 every state and 20 people Of every state he Hst oi
representation in each House Of coners and 30 imptari
was n deemed hy the Of the Constitution hat the
equality Of the the Senate should be ee mat
not even by an amendment Of The Constitution can any ATE
without s consent be denied voice ~ that mAn'h o. W VA
II tre it has been assumed that The oIer,e o the Ssies
was terminated by the ebeous Of their inhutf ana
that insurrecon having been suppressed he were
forward TO be considered merely ss CONQUERED '
legislative, Executive and Judeai DeI @ tile s
nent have however with great dstnehess "ho
ency reesedto sanction an asson on = IN ~, J ectsf
nature Of ourrcpubAcan system ana Nh @ tne pr pr - ~
Fhe war throughout recent legislation OF congress ut
scmmanites are nothing less tan Of this Union At tie
Vsry commencement Of me Rebellion eaca House aeItu Sl
S ,nS 5T ry % opoSt or suaeation non purpose Of over
sttutoBs of those states but defend and maintain tie
supemacy Of the Constitution and all laws made pursuance
shsreof and 70 preserve the Union with al tle dgny
Oouay and rights OF the several states ullmaed ana tat
these objects were accomplished we wa okl'
20 cease Senators were permitted 70 con
their legislative functions while 10 other instances kepie
sentayes elected and admitted 70 stes Sel me-, me-
had formally declared their night 90 withdraw ron me mon
and endeavorng 20 MAINTAIN that right py oFce O as
All the States whose people were n msfIeeion a. SHe
included in The apporionment 3 hs al5et & @ ,ah o.
10000 annually laid upon the United States by the act h
proved August is6 Congress by the act Of March ie62
and bF the appoonment Of representation Hereunder also
recognized their presence States 10 the Union andihy have
for Judicial purposes been divided into districts AZ Sass aie
Gan be divided The recognition appears IN the recent
legislation In reference 70 Tennessee which evidently ltt
upon the fact that the functions Of the state were mol desla
BY the Rebellion but merely suspended ard hai principle ~
q course applicable those States which ke tennessee At
tempted 20 fenounce their places IN the Union
The action Of the Executive Department Of he 6o'enmet
upOn this subject has been equally definite and uniform aale
purpose of the was sptcheay siea IN tne
sged bv nv predecessor the I'D day o SeteUber h&
ther soenniy proclaimed and declared mat irese
heretofore the war VIII ne prosecuted 0I ne Olt P"
eay restoring the constitutional relation between be AtH
States and Of the states and TIE people Ae9L i N'h
state u AZ relation OF may be suspended Disturbed
The recognition OF che States by the Ja-a ltlaM "'
tbe Goyenuent has also been c'eer ana ,on-'' 'H e l
seedings Affecting them as States bad IN the S,em 'Ie"
and District Courts.
aud all of the states there can be no just goHha o
si0n persons who dioyal VIII be clothed Nb the
Uowers legislation for this could not happen when The Con-
stnton and the laws are enforced by ytHas ana IaAIui
Congress Each House made the Judge ol TIE elections
retuTns and qualifications Of It's members and may
with the concurrence Of two thirds eHpei mempe Mh.A
senator or Representative presents his certificate OF election
be NAV at once be admitted rejected should e'e t any
gSestion a. 10 AIS egimIy MS cIeoenuas ln"' I W S,d
for investigation 20 Tie appropriate committee 4Suee
be upon evidence satisfactory 10 e hout %
which be thus becomes member that be possesses ne fegu
He constitutional and legal quail leaons ii Ieuseu
and returned 10 bis constituents they admonshed that cone
bu persons loyal TO the United States viii be allowed voice 10
the Legislative Councils Of the Nation and ne ota lossI
and moral influence Of Congress thus effectively eiered IN
the Of loyalty 70 The Government and tdep 10 NE
Of the Union and the pemanency present ion n gov
smmeat ny CONVICTIONS heretofore expressed pave uIe, %