Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-12-07
ABSTRACT OF THE PRESl-
DENTS MESSAGE.
Follo,o. Citizens of the Senate and House Q

hotlop. Citizens Of the Senate and House Of
Representatives
The continued dis organization Of the
Union, to which the President has 80 often
called the attention of Congress, Is yet
subject of profound and patriotic concern.
We may, however, find some relief from that
anxiety in the reflection that the painiui
political situation, although before untrieo
by ourselves, is not new in the experience OF
nations. Political science, perhaps as nigh
ly perfected in our own time and country as
in anv other. has not yet disclosed any |
means by which civil wars can be absolute |
iy prevented. An enlightened nation, how
ever, with o wise and beneficent Constitu-
ton of free Cove nment, may diminish their
frequency and mitigate their severity by
directing all its proceedings in accordance
with its fundamental law.
When o civil war has been brought to o
close, it is manifestly the first interest and
duty of the State to repair the injuries which
the war has inflicted, and to secure the
benefit of the lessons it teaches as fully and
as as speedily as possible. This duty was,
upon the termination of the rebellion,
promptly accepted, not only by the Execu-
tive Department, but by the insurrectionary
States themselves, and restoration, in the
first moment Of peace, was believed TO be
as easy and certain as it was indispensable.
The expectations, however, then so reason.
ably and confidently entertained, were dis
appointed by legislation from which felt
constrained, by my obligations to the Con-
stitution, to withhold my assent.
1t is therefore o source Of profound regret
that,i complying with the obligation impos-
ed upon the President by the Constitution,
to give to Congress from time to time infor.
nation of the state of the Union, am una
BILE to communicate any definite adjustment,
satisfactory to the American people, of the
questions which, since the close of the re-
bellion, have agitated the public mind. On
the contrary, candor compels me to declare
that at this time there is no Union as our
Fathers understood the term, and as they
meant it to be understood by US. The Union
which they established can exist only where
al the States are represented in Doth Houses
of Congress; where one State is as free as
another to regulate its internal concerns ac-
cording to its own will and where the laws
of the central Government, strictly confined
to matters of national jurisdiction, apply
with equal force to all the people of every
section. That such is not the present estate
Of the Union" is a melancholy fact; and we
all must acknowledge that the restoration
of the States to their proper legal relations
|
another, according to the terms of the ori.
ginal compact, would be the greatest tenn
poral blessing which God, in his kindest
providence, coul6 bestow upon this nation.
1t becomes our imperative duty to consider
whether or not it is impossible to effect this
most desirable consummation.
The Union and the Constitution are in
separable. AS long es one is Obeyed by all
parties, the other will be preserved, and if
one is destroyed both must perish together.
The destruction of the Constitution will be
followed by other and still greater calami-
ties.
/ TO the President, the process Of restora-
, tion seems perfectly plain and simple. 1t
, consists merely in faithful application on
the Constitution and laws. The execution
of the laws is not now obstructed by physi
! cal force. There is no military or other
, necessity, real or pretended, which can pre-
vent obedience to the Constitution either
North or South. All the rights and all the
obligations of States and individuals can bt
, protected and enforced by means perfectly
8 consistent with the fundamental law. 1t i:
clear to his apprehension that the State:
lately in rebellion are still members Of thu
National Union. When did they cease tc
J be so2 The Ordinances of Secession adopt
e ed by port;on-in most of them, very
small portion-of their citizens, were mcr,
>, nullitics. If we admit now that they were
valid and effectual for the purpose intend
e ed by their authors, we sweep from unde
our feet the whole ground upon which W,
justified the war
c The President elaboratcs these views q
8 great length, and then says: "Being sin
J.. cerely convinced that these views are cor
rect, would be unfaithful to my duty if
did not recommend the repeal of the act
d Of Congress which place ten of the Southern
n States under the domination of militar
= masters. If calm reflection shall satisfy
majority of your honorable bodies that tn
acts referred to are rot only violation o
e the National faith but in direct conhic
o with tho Constitution, dare not permi
myself to doubt that you will immcdiatel
strike them from the statute book"
The President proceeds to say that b
: has no desire to save from the Just and pro
per consequences of their crime those VIII
engaged in the Rebellion, but as mode o
i punishment the measures under considcra
n tlon are the most unreasonable that coul,
@ be invented. Many of these people are per
fectly innocent, and of those who are guilt
with their own consent the degrees of gull
l. are as various as their shades of characte
J. and temper But these acts of Congres
e confound them all together in one common
~. doom. Indiscriminate vengeance on classes
u sects, parties, or upon whole communitie
for otfenses committed by portion of ther
against the Government which they owet
y obedience was common in the barbarou
s. ages but Christianity and civilization hay
n made such progress that recourse to n pur
d ishment so cruel and unjust would meet tn
. condemnation of all unpreiudiced and righ
e' minded men. The primitive justice of th
N age, especially in this country, does not COZ
k sist in stripping whole States of their lbe
At ties and reducing all of their people withor
distinction to the condition of slavery.
lie says he is aware that it is assume
,c that this system Ofgovernment for the Sout
es Is not to be perpetual. If the guarantees
e. the Constitution can be broken PROVISIONAL
a, TO serve temporary purpose, and in pal
only OF the country, we can destroy thel
everywhere, and for all time. Arbitra:
lc measures often change, but they general!
at change for the worse. It is the course ,
a despotism that it has no haltiug place. I'll
III President then says at is manifestly an
IL avowedly the object of these laws to conf,
n the privilege of voting on the negroes, an
,as to disfranchise such number of whites
to give the former clear majority of all Il
elections in the Southern States. This.
en- the minus of sOme Oprsnpa ;s so ;,ono..a,