American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1866-06-28
T E L E G R A P H | c .
ROM ASH IN G T o N .
A Message from the President.
A National Union Convention to be
Held.
War in Europe Inevitable.
War in Europe Inevitable.

SeRtdtiCeS:
I submit herewith to Congress a
report of the Secretary of State, to
whom was referred the concurrent
resolution of the 18th inst, respect
ing submission of the Legislatures
of the States of an additional artl-
Gle to the Constitution of the United
States. 1t will be seen from this re-
port that the Secretary of State had,
on the 10th inst, transmitted to the
Governors of the several States GER
tilted copies of the Joint Resolution
which passed on the 18th inst, pro-
posing an amendment to the COnsti-
tuition. Even in ordinary times any
question of amending the Constitu
ton must justly be regarded as OF
paramount importance. This impOr-
lance is at the present time enhanc-
ed by the fact that the Joint Resolu
ton was not submitted by the two
Houses for the approval Of the Pres
ident of the thirty-siX States which
constitute the Union, eleven OF which
are excluded from representation i'll
either House of COngress-although,
with the single exception of Texas,
they have been fully restored to all
their functions as States in conform
ity with the organized laws OF the
land, and have appeared at the Uni
ted States capital as Senators and
Representatives, who have applied
for and been refused admission to
the vacant seats. Nor have the SOW
ereign people of the nation been af-
forded an opportunity of expressing
their views upon the important ques-
ton the amendment involves. Grave
doubts may therefore naturally arise
as to whether the action of Congress
is in harmony with the sentiments OF
the people, and whether the State
Legislatures, elected without refer
ence to such an issue, should be call
ed upon by Congress to decide re-
speeding the ratification of the pro-
posed amendment. Waving the qucS-
ton as to the constitutional validity
of the proceedings of Congress upon
the joint resolution proposing the
amendment, or as to the merit Of the
article it submits through the EXecu-
tive appointments to the Legislatures
of the States, | deem it proper to
observe that the steps taken by the
Secretary of State, as detailed in
the accompanying report, are to be
considered as Iurely ministerial and
in no sense whatever committing the
Executive to an approval or recon-
mendatiOn of the amendment to the
Legislatures or the people. On the
contrary, approaching the letter and
the spirit of the Constitution, as well
as the interest of National order,
harmony and union, and with due
Difference for an enlightened public
Judgment, l may at this time suggest
dOubC as to whether any amend
ment to the Constitution ought to be
proposed by congress, and pressed
upon the Legislatures of the several
States for final decision, until after
the admission of such loyal Senators
and Representatives of the now I'M
represented States as have been o.
may hereafter be chosen in conform
ity with the Constitution and laws OF
the United States.
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, June pa. w
Randall, First Assistant Postmaster
General, Senators DOOlittle and Cow.
an, and others, forming the EXecu.
tive Committee of the National
Union Club of this city, have issued
a call for a National Union Conven.
ton of at least two delegates from
each Congressional District of all
the States, two from each Territory
two frQR the District of Columbia
and tOuh delegates at large from eacl
State, to be held at Philadelphia OF
the second Tuesday of August next
Such delegates will be chosen by thu
several States, who sustain the Ad
ministration in maintaining unbrokeI
the Union of the States under thu
constitution which our fathers estab
lished, and who agree on certain
propositions, including the mainte
nance inviolate of the rights of thu
States, especially of the right o
each State to order and control it!
own domestic concerns according T.
its own judgment exclusively, subjec
only to the Constitution of the Unit
ed States, as essential to the bal
ance of power on which the perfcc
ton and endurance, of our pOlltica
frabic depend, and the overthrow o
that system by the usurpatiOn anC
Capitalization Of power in Congress
would he a revolution dangerous t
Republican Government and destruc
tive of liberty. The holding of thu