Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1866-08-02
ADMISSION OF TENNESSEE.
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

the House Representatives yesterday from
the President
70 the Housc Of Representatives. The
following ''joint resolution restoring Ten
nessee to her relations 70 the Union" was
last evening presented for my approval.
Whereas IN the year 1861 the govern
ment os tie State CT Tennessee was seized
upon and taken possession Of by persons III
hostility to the United States, and the IL
habitants Of said State, in pursuance Of an
act Of Congress, were declared to be in q
state Of Instruction against lthe United
States and whereas the sax statea gov
cJaneat can oHly Be -esto2s1 w. s Former
pblitical relations in the Union 81 ne con-
sent of t.le laE-maaa,,;ng Towa2 Of the Uni
ted States and whereas The people Of the
said State did, ca tie ed Gay Of Febru-
airy, 1865, by large popular vote, adopt
and ratify q constitution and government
whereby slavery was abolished, and the
ordinances and laws of secession, and debts
contracted under the same, were declared
null and void; and whereas State govern
mcnt has been organized under said con-
stitution CT the United States abolishing
slavery, and also the amendment proposed
by the Thirty-ninth Congress, and has
done other acts proclaiming and denoting
loyalty F.; therefore
| Be 1t resolved BY the Senate ind House
Of Representatives. Of tie United States, IN,
Congress assembled, That the State of Ten
nessee is hereby restored to her former
proper practical relations to the Union, and
is again entitled to be represented by Sem
ators and Representatives in Congress.
The preamble simply consists of state
ments, some Of which are assumed, while
the resolution is merely a declaration of
opinion. It comprises no legislation, nor
does it confer any power which is binding
upon the respective houses, the Executive,
or the States. It does not admit to their
seats in Congress the Senators snd REPRE-
sentatives from the State of Tennessee for,
Notwithstanding the passage Of the resolu-
ton, each house, in the exercise of the
constitutional right to judge for itself of
the elections, returns and qualifications Of
it's members, may, at its discretion, admit
them, Or continue to exclude them. If a
joint resolution of this character were ne
cessary and binding as condition prece-
dent to the admission Of members of Con-
/; cress. it yes,ld hapnen in the event of q
/, veto by the Executive, that Senators and
| Representatives could only be admitted to
the halls oflegislation by two-thirds vote
of each of the two houses.
Among other reasons rccited in the pre-
amble for the declarations contained in the
resolution is the ratification, by the State
government Of Tennessee, of 'sthe amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States abolishing slavery, and also the a.
mendment proposed by the Thirty-ninth
Congress- If, as is also declared in the
preamble, "said State government can on
ly be restored to its former political reIa-
tons in the Union by the consent of the
law-making power of the United States"
it would really seem to follow that the joint
resolution which at this late day has re-
ceived the sanction of Congress, should
have been passed, approved, and placed on
the statute books before any amendment
to the constitution was submitted to the
Legislature of Tennessee for ratification.
Otherwise, the inference is plainly deduct
bic that while, in the opinion of Congress,
the people ofa State may be too strongly
disloyal 10 be entitled to representation,
they may, nevertheless, during the suspen-
sion of their former proper practical re-
lations to the Union" have an equally DO
tent voice with other and loyal States IN
propositions to amend the constitution, up
on which SO essentially depend the stability,
prosperity and very existence Of the ma
tion.
A brief reference to my annual message
Of the 4th Of December last, will show the
steps taken by the Executive for the resto-
ration to their constitutional relations to
the Union Of the States that had been af- |
fected BY the rebellion. Upon the cessa-
ton Of active hostilities provisional COVER |
nors were appointed, conventions called. |
and governors elected by the people, leg
islatures assembled, and Senators and Rem
resentatives chosen to the Congress of the
United States At the same time the
courts of the United States were reopened.
the blockade removed, the custom-houses
and postal relations resumed.
The amendment to the constitution a.
slavery forever within the limits
Of the country was also submitted to the
States, and they were thus invited to, and
lid participate in its ratifcation-thus ex-
srcising the highest functions pertaining to
J State. In addition, nearly all OF these
States, through their conventions and leg
slatures, had adopted and ratified constitu-
ions "of government, whereby slavery .
vas abolished, and all ordinances and laws
II secession and debts contracted under the
ame were declared void" ,
50 far, then, the political existence !
# the States and their relations to the Fed !
raj government had been fully and COM !
,letelv recognized and acknowledged by 7
he Executive Department of the govern :
nent, and the completion of the work of >