The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1866-07-28
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
On the Admission Of Tennessee
KnOck-Down Argument Against the Poll
cy Of CongrcSs-llr Denies the Passage
Of the Constitutional Amendment by
TcnMcsscr--A Capital Document.

Of the Constitutional Amendment b.,
TcnMcsscc--A Capital Document.
WASHNGToy, July 2L,-Thc Prcsi
dent, this afternoon, transmitted The
annexed message, viz:
10 the tiouoeor Representatives:
The following joint resolution, rcsto.
ring Tennessee to her relations to til,
United States, was lat evening pre-
scented formy approval:
WHEREAS, In the year 1851 the Coy
eminent Of thc State Of lcnnGsscc wa>
seized upon and taken POSSESSION o.
by persons in hostility to the lnitcc
States, and the inhabitants Of sal.
State, in pursuance Of an act Of Con
gross, were declared to bc in II state o
insurrcction to the United States an(
whereas, said Government eau only be
restored to It's former political rcla
tons in the Union by consent OF The
law-mahing power Of the United States
and whereas, the people Of said State
did, on the I'D Of February, 1863, by
large popular vote, adopt and ratify :
Constitution and Government whereby
slavery wa5 abolished, and all ordinan
ces and laws Of secession and debts
contracted under the same, were de.
clared null and void; and whereas,
State Government las been organized
under said Constitution which has raft
fed the amendment to the Constitution
Of the United States aboliShing slavery.
and also an amendment proposed by
the 39th Congress, and has done other
acts p%roclaiming and denoting loyalty
therefore, bc it
Resolved, by The Senate and House
OF Representative OF Che United States
Of America in Congress assembled,
That the State Of Tennessee is hereby
restored to her former practical reln-
tons to the Union, and is again emit.
tied to he represented by Senators and
Representatives in Congress.
The preamble consists simply OF
statements, some Of which are assumed {;
while the resolution is merely a dccla
ration of opinion. 1t comprises no
LEGISLATION, nor does ii conlcrany pow
or which is binding on the respective
Houses, the Executive or the States. 1t
does not admit to their seats in Con.
grcSs the Senators and Representatives
from the State Of Tennessee, for, not
withstanding the passage Of thercsolu-
ton, each House. in the exercise OF the
Constitutional right to judge for itself
of the election returns and quaiitica-
tons Of it's members, may, nj its dis'rc
ton, admit them or continue to exclude
them.
If II Joint resolution Of this character
were necessary and binniing as a coEdi-
ton precedent to the admission OF
members Of Congress, il would happen,
in the event Of II veto by the Executive,
that Senators and Representatives could
only be admitted to the Halls of Com
grcss hy Il two thirds vote of each OF
the two Houses. Among other rcas-
ons recited in the preamble to the dee
laratiOns contained in the resolution is
the ratification by the state Govern
ment of Tennessee of the amendment
to the Constitution oftlc United States
aholishing slavery, and also the amend
mcnt proposed by the 39th Congress.
II is also declared in the preamble that
said State Government can only be res
torcd to It's former political relations III
the Union by the consent OF the law
making power OF the United States.
1t would really seem to follow that
the Joint resolution, which ut this late
day has received the sanction of Con-
grcss, should have been passed, ap-
proved and placed on the statute books
before any amendment to the Constitu-
ton WAS submitted to the Legislature
of Tennessee for ratification; other
wise the inference is plainly deduciblo
that while, in the opinion Of Congress,
the people ola State may be too strong
ly disloyal to be entitled TO representa-
ton, they may, nevertheless, during the
suspension OF their former practical re-.
lations to the Union, have an equally
potent voice with other and loyal States
in propositions to amend the Constitu.
ton upon which so essentially depend
the stability, prosperity. and very eXis'
tencc of the nation, rl- 1
r A brief reference to my annual mes
sage on the 4th OF December last will
show the steps taken 10y the Executive
for the restoration to their constlttl-
tional relations Of the States that had
been affected by the rebellion. upon
the cessation of active hostilities pro
y%isional Governors were appointed,
conventions called, Governors elected
by the people, Legislatures assembled
and Senators and Representatives cho-
sen to the Congress of the United
States. At the same time the courts
OF the United States were re-opened.
the blockade removed .thecustom houses
~re-established and postal operations re-
sumed. The amendment to the Con.
stitution, abolishing slavery forever
within the limits of the country, was
also submitted to the States, and they
were thus invited to, and did %partici.
pate in a ratification, thus exercising
the highest functions pertaining to the
State.
In addition, nearly all Of these States