The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-07-25

.,e WASHINGTON, July "a.
The President this afternoon transmitted
the following message to the House of Rep
resentatives:
The following joint resolution restoring
Tennessee to her relations to the Union, was
last evening presented for my approval:
Whereas, in the year 1861 the government of
the State of Tennessee was seized upon and
taken possession of by persons in hostility to
the United States, and the inhabitants of said
State in pursuance of an act of Congress were
declared to be in state of instruction against
the United States, and e. 5,a 'a
Whereas, said State Government can only
be restored to its former political relations in
the Union by the consent of the law making
power of the United States, and a8a .asUa
22d day of February, 1866, by a large popular
vote adopt and ratify Constitution whereby
| slavery was abolished and all ordinances and
laws of secession and debts contracted under
the same were declared null and void, and
Whereas, State Government has been or
ganized under said Constitution which has rat
flied the amendment to the Constitution of the
United States abolishing slavery, and also the
amendment proposed by the seth Congress and
mad done other acts proclaiming and denoting
loyalty, therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives of the United States in Congress
assembled, that the State of Tennessee is here
by restored to her former practical relations to
sented by Senators and Representatives in
Congress. I ZWVHa .si -E
The preamble simply consists of statements
some of which are assumed, while the resolu-
| tionts merely a declaration of opinion. It COM
prSes no legislation, nor does it confer any
power which is binding upon the respective
Houses, the Executive or the States 1t does
not admit to their seats in Congress the SEN
ators and Representatives from Tennessee,
for notwithstanding the passage of the reso-
luton, each House in the exercise of it's con-
stitutional right to judge for itself of the
election returns and qualifications of its mem
bers, may at its discretion admit them or con-
tinue to exclude them. IF joint resolution
OF this character were necessary and bind
ing condition precedent to the admission of
members of Congress, 1t would happen in the
event of a veto by the Executive, that Sena-
tors and Representatives could only be admit
ted to the Houses of Congress by two-thirds
vote of each OF the two Houses. aauo7l
Among other reasons, recited in the pream-
BILE, tor the declarations contained in the res
olution, is the ratification, by the State gov
eminent OF tennessee, of the amendments to
the constitution of the United States abolish
ing slavery; also the amendment proposed by
the thirty-ninth Congress. If as is also de-
clared in the preamble, said State government
can only be restored to its former political re-
lations In the Union, by the consent of the
law making power of the United States, it
would really seem to follow that the joint res
olution, which at this late date. has received
the sanction of Congress, should have been
passed, approved and placed in the statute
books before any amendment to the constitu-
ton was submitted to the legislature OF Tenn
essee. Otherwise the inference is plainly de-
ducible, that while in the opinion of Congress
the people of a State may be too strongly dis
loyal to be be entitled to representation, they
may nevertheless, during the suspension of
their former practical relations to the Union
have an equally potent voice with other and
loyal States, in provisions to amend the Cons
titution upon which, so essentially depends
the stability, prosperity and very existence of
the nation.igla. AgfE 38s1s2t g. g .
A brief reference to my annual message of
the 4th of December last, will show the steps
taken by the Executive for the restoration to
their constitutional relations of the States that
had been affected by the rebellion. Upon the
cessation of active hostlities, provisional gov
ernors were appointed, conventions were
called, governors elected by the people, legisla-
lures assembled, and senators and representa-
tives chosen to the Congress of the United
States AT the same time the courts OF the
United States were reopened, the blockade re
moved, the custom houses re-established and
to the constitution abolishing slavery forever
within the limits of the country was also sub
mitted to the States, and they were thus in
vited to and did participate in ratification,
thus exercising the highest functions pertain
ing to State In addition nearly all these
States through their conventions and legisla-
lures had adopted and ratified constitutions of
government whereby slavery was abolished,
and all ordinances and laws of secession, and
debts contracted under the same were declar-
ed null and void. So far then the political ex-
istence Of the States and their relations to the
Federal Government had been fully and COM
pletely recognized and acknowledged by the
Executive Department of the Government,
and the completion of the work Of reconstruc
ton which has progressed SO fayorably was
submitted to Congress, upon which devolyed
all questions pertaining to admission to their
seats of senators and representatives chosen
from States whose people had engaged in the
rebellion. All these steps had been taken