Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1866-12-08

sf sIsc President OF she Untscd States 60
the Two Houses Of Congress al
the Commenrement OF the
second session.

IlOUsE OF kEPREsENTtTfvEs AFTER n
brief interval the Congress of the United
States resumes its annual Legislative la
bors An alwisc aasd mrrcifiil Provi-
dencc has abatcd the pcstilence which
visited our shores, leaving its calamitous
traces upon some portions of our coun-
try. Peace, order, tranquility, and civil
authority have been formally declared to
exist throughout the whole United States.
In all of the states civil authority has
superseded the coercion of arms, and the
people, by their voluntary action, are
maintaining their governments in full ae-
tivity and complctc operation. The en-
forcemcnt of the laws is no longer cob
structed in any State by combinations too
powerful to i'c suppressed by the ordina-
ry course ef judicial proceedings" and
the animesitics by the war arc rapidly
yielding to the beneficient influences of
our free institutions, and TO the kindly cf
fects OF unrestricted social and conner
cial intercourse. An entire restoration of
fiaternal feeling must he the earnest wish
of every patriotic heart; and we will
have accomplished cur grandest national
achievement whcn forgetting the sad
events of the past, and remembering only
their instructive lessons, we resume our
onward career as free, prosperous, and
united people
RESTORATION OF THE STATES.
In my message of the 4th of December,
1865, Congress was informed ofthe meas
ures wkieh had been instituted by the
Executive with view to the gradual res
toratfon of the States in which the insur-
rection occurred to their relations with
the General Government. Provisional
Govoners had been appointed, Conven-
tions called, Governors elected, Legisla-
lures assembled, the senator's and Repre-
sentatives chosen to the Congress of
the United States. Courts had been
opened for the enforcement of laws long
i'll allegiance. The blockade had been
removed, custom-houscs rc-establishcd,
and the internal revenue laws put in
force, in order that the people might con-
tribute to the national income Postal
operations had been renewed, and efforts
were being made to restore them to their
former condition and efficiency. The
States themselves had been asked to take
part in the high function of amending the
81. Constitution, and of thus sanctioning the
extinction of African slavery as one of
the legitimate results of our internecinc
struggle.
Having progressed thus far, the Execu-
tive department found that it had accom-
plished nearly all that was within the
scope of its constitutional authority
One thing, however yet remained to be
done before the work of restoration
could be completed, and that was the adj
mission to Congress of loyal Senators and
f.,t,, hn
people had rebelled against lawful author
ity of the General Government. This
question devolved upon the respective
Houses, which, by the Constitution are
n:Nfe the Judges of the elections, returns,
and qualifications of their own members
and its cons deration at once engaged the
attention of Congress.
In the meantime, the Executive De
partment-no other plan having been
proposed by Congress-continued in it's
efforts to perfect, as far as was practible
the restoration Of the proper relations be-
tween the citizens of the respective
States, and the Federal Government,
extending, from time to time, as the pub
lie intrests seem to require, the judicial,
revenue and postal systems Of the eoun'
try.
Witli the advice aqrd consert of the
Senate; tile necessary officers were ap-
pointed, and appropriations made by
Congress for the payment of their sala-
ries. The proposition to amend the Fed
eral constitution, so as to prevent the
existence uof slavery within the United
States or subject to their jurisdiction,
was ratified by the requisite number OF
States; and OH the 18th day Of Decem-
Der, 1865, it WAS officially declared to
have become valid as a part of the Con
stitution of the United States All of
the States in which the insurrection had
existed promptly amended their Consti-
tirtions so as to make them conform to
the great change thus effected in the or
ganic law of the land declared null and
void all ordinances and laws of secession !;
repudiated asl pretended debts and obli-
cations created for the revolutionary pur-
poses of the insurrection; and proceeded
in good faith, to the enactment of meas
ares for the protection and amelioration
of the condition of the colorcd race
Congress, however, yet hesitated to admit
any of these States to representation /;
and it was not until towards the close of
the eighth month of the session that an
exception was made in favor of Teunes-
see, by the admission of her Senators and
Representatives
EXCLUSION OF LOYAL SOUTHERN SENATORS AND
REPRESENTATIVES,.
/ deem it subject of profound regret
that Congress has thus far failed to admit
to seats loyal Senators and Representa-
tives from the other States, whose inhab-
itants, with those of Tennessee, had en-
gagged in the rebellion. Ten States
more than one-fourth of the whole num-
bcr-remain without representa- ion; the
seats Of fifty members in the House of
Representatives and Of twenty members
in the Senate are get vacant-not by
their own consent, not by failure of elcc-
tion, but by the refusal Of Congress to
accept their credentials. Their admis-
sion, it is believed, would have accom-
plishe1 much towards the renewal and
Strengthening of our relations as one peo-
pie, and removed serious cause for discon-
tent on the part OF the inhabitants of
those States. 1t would have accorded
with the grsat principle enunciated in