, 1866-01-26

tion Of each one Of these functions Of the gen
, ersl government brings with it a blessing t
, the States over which they are exteAdedl !
; it not a sure promise Of harmony and rcuswe
attachment to the Unien that, after all tia
has happened, the return Of the general gov
ernment is known only as bene6ceEcey
a l knoWlvery we'll that this policy is at
tended with some risk that for its success
i! requires at least the aoquiescenCe of th
| States which il concerns that il implies al
invitation to those States, by renewing thei
allegisnce to the United States,l.to resume
their fdnetious as States Of the Union Blu
4 it is a-tisk that must be taken 10 the choice
Of difficulties, it is the smallest risk ), and tc
diminish, and, if possible, to remove all dan,
ger / have felt it incumbent oh me to as.
Sert one other power of the general govern.
ment-the power of pardon As no State
can throw a defence over the crime of trea.
son, the power of pardon is exclusively vested
in the Executive of the government of the
J United States. In exercising that power
have taken every precaution to connect it
with the clearest recognition Of the binding
force of the laws Of the United States, and
an unqualified acknowledgement Of the great
social change of condition 10 regard to slavery
which has grown out Of the war
.. The 4bolitioh AHeadmeht ....
The next step which have taken to restor.
the constitutional .relations of the States has
been an invitation to them to participate in the
high office of amending the Constitution. Every
patriot must wish for general amnesty at the
earliest epoch consistent with public safety
For this great eudthere is need ofs concurrence
of all opinions aud the spirit of mutual concila-
tiou. All parties in the late terrible conflict
mast work together in harmony It. is not too
mach to ask, in the name Of the whole people
that, on one side, the plan of restoration shall
proceed in conformity with a willingness to
cast the disorders of the past into oblivion and
that, on the other, the evidence of sincerity in
the future maintenance of the Union shall be
put beyond any doubt by the ratification Of the
proposed amendmentto the Constitution, which
provides for the abolition of slavery forever
within the limits Of our country. So long as
the adoption OF this amendment is delayed 80
long Will doubt and jealousy and uucertsinty
prevail. This is the measure which will stface
the sad memory Of the past this is the measure
which will most certainly call population and
capital and security TO those parts Of the Union
that need them most. Indeed, it is not too much
to ask Of the States, which are now resuming
their places in the family OF the Uniou, to give
this pledge of perpetual Loyalty and peace. Ua-
til it is done, tn. past, however mach We may
Of the Amendment reunites US beyond all power
of disruption. It heals the wound that is still
imperfectly closed; it removes slavery, the ele-
ment which has so long perplexed aud divided
the country; it makes Of us'Once more a united
people, renewed and strengthened, bound more
than ever to mutual affection and support
The amendment to the Constitution being
adopted, it would remain for the States, whose
powers have been so long in allegiance, to re-
sumo their places in the national legislature,
and thereby complete the work of restoration.
Here it is for you, fellow citizens of the Senate,
and for you, fellow citizens of the House of Rep
resentauyes, to judge, each Of you FOR yourselves
OF the elections returns and qualifications of
your own members. -........f..... .....
-r... ..- q. S. Courts in the South. ..r. ..
The full assertion of all the powers Of the
general government requires the holding of cir
cult courts of the United States within the dis
tricts where their authority has been interrupted
In the present posture of our public affairs
strong objections have been urged to holding
those courts ia any of the States where the re.
bellion has existed and it was ascertained, by
inquiry, that the Circuit Court of the United
States would not be held within the district of
Virginia during the autumn or early winter, nor
until Congress should have "an opportunity 10
consider and act on the whole subject" To
your deliberations the restoration of this branch
of the civil authority of the United States is
therefore necessarily referred, with the hope,
that early provision will be made for the re-
sumption of all its functions. It is manifest
that treason, most hagrant in character. has
been committed, Persons who are charged with
its commission should have fair and impartial
trials in the highest civil tribunals of the couu-
try, in order that the Constitution and the lava
may be fully VindiGated; the truth clearly estab-
lished and affirmed that treason is a crime that
traitors must be punished and the offence made
infamous and, at the same time, that the ques-
tion may be judicially settled, finally and for
ever, that no State of its own will has the right
to renounce Its place in the Union. Hl
." s..' a2 The Freedmen.
The relations of the general government to-
wards the four millions of Inhabitants whom
the war has called into freedom, have engaged
my most serious consideration. On the propri-
ETY. Of attempting to make the freedmen electors
by the proclamation of the Executive, took for
for my counsel the Constitution itself, the inter-
pretations of that instrument by its authors, and
their cOtemporaries, and recent legislation by
Congress. When, at the first movement to-
wards independence, the Congress of the United
States Instructed the several States to institute
governments of their, own, they left each State
to decide for itself the conditions for the enjoys
ment Of the elective franchise. Daring the Pc
riod of the Confederscy there continued to exist
a very great diversity in the qualifications Of
electors in the several States, and even within
a State distinction of qualifications prevailed
with regard to the officers who were to be cho-
sen. The Constitution of the United States re-
cognizes these diversites when il enioins that,
10 the choice of members Of the House Of Rep
resentatiyes of the Unitsd States, 'tthe electors
In each State shall have the qualifications requi-
site for electors Of the most numerous branch
Of the1State Legislatures, y After the formation
of the Constitution, it remained, as before, the
uniform usage for each State to enlarge the body
ofits electors, according to its own Judgment;
and, under this system, one State after smother
has ptoceeded to increase the number Of its
electors, until now universal suffrage, or some
thing very near it, Is the general 'tple. So fted
was this reservation Of power in the habits Of
the people, aud so unquestioned has been the in-
depreciation Of the Oonstitution, that during the
civil war thsSlsts President never harboted the
purpose-7eertainly meyer avoEed the purpose
Of disregarding it ; and in the acts Of Congress
during that period nothing can be found which,
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