Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-01-12

oro1.
Hs sstsFs upon bic present term with .
profound eblisatiss u Ged Sss the altered
eonditiou Of the nation sines bic 6rst an
auguration, and with the hope that the
State viii eeotisus 70 prosper - heretofore.
He eonesasulatss bis hearers that Iowa ID
vsoced in I'll ths essential sls0ents Of
wealth throughout the vicissitudss Of the
late war, and that our extended borders
were adequately protected throughout that
trying period. Notwithstanding that So.
600 Of our citissns were ia the army, BY
the cid Of machinery, cur agricultural pro-
ducts annually and rapidly incrsassd.-
While our gran aries have been we'll supplied
The avenues Of commerce have been filed
with our expectations. The census returns d
% show alargs increase in the svsils Of every
other department Of material industry. The
increase Of useful inventions has been large.
The progress Of our railroad enterprises,
the growth Of our towns, the recovery Of
our people from debt. our sound financial
condition, and our facilities for intellectual
developments are 6astering. What Iowa
owss for this, is to the morality and enter
priss Of her people, and the abundance Of
her resources. Az his messags presented
in details the condition Of the State, be
turns toational affairs.
Thoroughly imbusd with the prineiRles
Of their forefathers. our people libesslly
contributed their blood and treasure fof the
preservation Of the Union. II the spirit Of
treason existed among u. it wasin : modi
fed form.
Iowa's destiny 10 inseparable from that Of
the Union. Our opposition to the demands
Of the slave power prepared Us to meet the
arbitrament Of var. Our citizens rallied
promptly to our national standard when
called upon, and BY their submission to die
cipline, their courage aud fortitude, we're
conspicuous.
Not desiring to excite unfounded fears,
no apprehends danger from the existing I'D
verse elements, unless the loyal States re
main firm in their purpose Of debating the
terms Of restoration. Our statesmen will
be held responsible for their work by com
ing generations. He desires his hearers not
to b deceived in believing that the war is
over. To suppose that the contest between
right, and treason nursed for half CEN
tury, terminated with tho overthrow Of the
rebel armies, would be to disregard all the
teachings of history. The great problem
remains to be solved. The progress Of re-
construction thus far. however, has been
promising. It affords evidence that .
spirit Of reconciliation 10 at work in the
South. President Johnson's policy has
been characterized by the development Of
extraordinary constitutional power on the
part Of the Federal Executive. When
rightly understood, the Constitution has
ample resources for its own preservation.
He then argues ut length upon President
Johnson's opinion that the rebel States
were never out Of the Union, and
attempts to prove it On atsurdisy.
He also argues that BY this rebellion, the
people Of the South destroyed their State
governments, and having forfeited their
rights, are now in no condition TO receive
them, and should not, except at the pleas.
ure Of the General Government. He thinks
the question, however, Of whether they
we're in or out Of the Union, is . mere ab
s,raction. II they are in the Union. he in
quires from what source the President re-
ceives the power to appoint Governors for
their States. lie declares that the civil
vitality Of these states has been destroyed,
and that they have ceased to exist As geo.
graphical boundaries within the Union
Such was the theory Of Abraham Lincoln,
and it was by this that the great struggle
was maintained, and tile Union saved, and
to abandon il now, would be to insult the
martyrs that fell in its defence. II this
view is not crrrect, the President has viola
ted the Constitution in invading sovereign
states and deserves the penalty of impris-
onment.
This is nov the time for honest convie-
tions. Though entertaining these views, hs
did not doubt the patriotism Of the Presi.
dent. But after all this magnanimity what
concessions have the rebels made which
were not fore ID from them by co,npulsions
The emancipation of the negroes had been
. military necessity and had it not been Do.
creed during the war, none would have
dared to urge Il ct the ret urn Of peace
The remainder Of the address may be sum.
med up in his own words.
'Let the xhip and the handcuf remain
forever broken" Emancipation and En-
franchisement-radisnt with the hopes Of
millions. and dictated alike BY wisdom and
justice" ;