The Hillsborough recorder., 1866-12-12
MESSAG FL
or THE

OF THE
PRESIDENT.ov raE UNITED STATES
Fellow Ciusens OF the Senate,
and House sf Representatives
After a brief Interval the Congress Of IL,
United States resumes hs annual legisIa.
tive labors. An ali.wise md mercifv Pro
violence has abated the pestilence which
visited our shores. leaving its calsmitou,
traces upon some portions OF our eountry
pesce. order. tranquility, and civil sstbori'
~, have been formally declared TO exist
throux xhout the whole Of the United States
In all Of the States civil authority has "a
perceded the coe, cion Of arms, and the pcc
pie. by their voluntary action, are main.
tanning their governments in full activity
aad complete operation. The enforcement
Of the laws 10 no longer obstrucled in any
State by combinations too powerful to BE-
suppressed by the ordinary course Of judi.
eisI proceedings ]" and the aaimosit,es en-
rendered by the war are rapidly yielding
10 the beneic,eut influences Of our free 10.
stitutions, aud 10 the kindly effects Of IN.
restricted social and commercial inter,
course. An entire restoration Of frsterua
feeling must be the earnest wish Of every
patriotic heart and we will have accom-.
plished our grsndest national achievement
when, forgetting the sad events Of the past
and remembering only their instructive les.
sons, weresume our onward career as free
prosperous, and united people.
In my message Of the 4th Of December,
1s65, Congress was informed of the mea.
snres which had been instituted by the Ex.
ecative with view to the gradual restora.
tion Of the States in which the insurrecti tiou
occsrred TO their relations with the Geaer.
al Government. Provisional Governor,
had been appointed. Conventions called
Governors elected. Legislatures assembled
and Senators and Representatives chos
en- to the Congress Of the United States
Courts had been opened for the enforce
ment oflaws long In abeyance. The block
ade had been removed. custom houses re
established, aud the Internal revenue law
put in force. in order that the people nigh
contribute 10 the national income. P.sta
operations had been renewed, and effort
we're being made to restore them 20 their
former condition ofrfficiency. The State,
themselves had been asked 20 take part il
the high function Of amending the Constitu
tisn. aud Of thus sanction " the extinction
Of African slavery as one OF the iegitimat,
results Of our internecine struggle.
Having progressed thus far. the ETecn
tive Department found that IL had accom-
piished nearly all that was within the scop,
Of its constitutional authority. One thing
however, yet remained 70 be done befor,
the work ofrestoration could be completed
and that was the admission to Congress o
Of LOYAL Senators and Representatives iron
the States. whose people had rebelled q
gaiust the lawful authority Of the Genera
GovrrnmenI This question devolved up
On the respective Houses. which. by th'
Constitntion. are made the judges of tb,
elections. returns. and qualifications Of tbei
own members and ito consideration at ono,
engaged the attention Of Congress.
In the meantime. the Executive Depart
men,-no other plan having been propose,
BY Congress-eontinued its Efforts 10 per
feet. ss lar as Was Practicable. the vestors
tioa Of the proper relations between the CHI
zsns Of the respective States, the States
and the Federal Government. extending
Iron. time 20 time. as the public interes 81
seemed TO require, the Judicial. re,enoe
and postal systems Of the sovn,ry. Wit
the advice and consent Of the Senate. th
necessary officers we're appointed, and ap
preparations made by Congress for the pay
men, Of their salaries. The proposition i
amend the Federal Constitstion. so a. b
prevent the existence Of slavery within Oh
United States or any place ssbjset to ,hei
Jurisdiction, was ratified by the reqnisit,
number Of statesi and on the 18th day 0
December. 1865. II was officially declare,
10 have become valid ss part Of the Con.
stitutiou Of the United States. All Of th
States IN which the insurrection hsd existe,