The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-07-17
REC0NSTRUCTgON.
Message from the President-APprO.
priations Needed for Carrying Ont
Reconstruction Laws - War
Debts Of Rebel stn-es.

Debts Of Rebel stn-es.
WASHINGTON. July l5.-The following
message was transmitted to-day, ad-
dressed t. IA. Srnat" of the United
States:
transmit herewith reports FROM the
Secretary of War and Attorney General, ,
containing the information called for
by 1t resolution of the Senate of the Sd
inst. requesting the President to COM
municate to the Senate reports of all or
ders. instructions, circular letters, or
letters of advice issued to the respect
i've military officers assigned TO the
command of the several military de-
partmeuts under the act of March I'd,
1867, entitled 'an act TO provide for the
more efficient government Of the
rebel States" and the act sap
Elementary thereto, passed March
22nd, 1867, also copies of all
opinions given him by the Attorney
General of the United States touching
the construction and Interpretation OF
said acts, and all correspondence relat-
ing to the operations, construction or
execution of said acts, aud such as may
have taken place between him and the
General of the army, or between the lat
ter and said commanders touching said
subject; also, copies of all orders issued
by said commanders in carrying ont the
provisions of said act, OF either OF them;
also, that he inform the Senate of the
progress made in the matter of regis
tration under said acts, and whether
the sum of money appropriated for car
rying them out he probably sufficient.
In answer 10 rhat portion Of the rcso-
luton, whether the sum of money ap-
propriated for carrying these acts into
effect is probably sufficient, reference is
made to tie accompanying report of
the Secretary of War. 1t will he seen
from that report thar the appropria
ton of S500,000 made in the act ap-
proved March 30th, 1867, for the pur-
pose of carving into effect The act TO
provide for the more efficient govern.
mcnt of the rebel states. passed March
I'd, 1867, and the act supplementary,
passed March 23d. l-G7, has already
been expended by the commanders of
the several military districts, aud
that iu addition the sum OF Sl,6i5,-
271 is REQUIRED for present purposes.
Ii is eXceediD .ly difficult at the present
time to estimat.stc probable expense
of carving into full effect the two acts
of March last and the bill which passed
the two houses of Congress on the 18th
inst. If the existing governments of
the ten States of the Union are to be
depOsed, and their entile machinery to
he placed under the exclusive authori-
ty Of the respective district cOInman-
;lers, all expenditures incident To the
administration of such government
must necessarily be incurred by the
Federal Government.
1t is believed that in addition to the
81 100, 900 already expended an estimate
for the sum which will be required for
the purpose would be not less than four
teen millions, the aggregate amount
expended prior tc the rebellion IN the
administration of their respective gov
ernments by the ten States embraced i'll
the provision of these acts. The sum
expended would no doubt be consider
ably augmented if the machinery of
these States is TO be operated by the
Federal Government, and would he
largely increased if the United States,
by abolishing the existing state gov
ernments, should become responsible for
the liabilities incurred by them before
the rebellion in laudable efforts 10 de-
yelop their resources. and IN no wise
created for insurrectioDary purposes.
The debt of these States thus legiti-
mately increased, when accurately as
certained. will. ii is believed, approx
mate hundred million dollars, and
they are held not only 10y our own Con-
cress, among whom are residents of por-
ton. of the country which have ever
been loyal to the Union, but by persons
who are subjects of foreign Govern
ments. Ii IS worthy of the consider
alton of Congress and the country,
whether. if she Federal Govern
ment by it's action were to assume such
obligations, so large aH addition to our
public expenditures would not seriously
impair the credit of the nation, or on
the other haNd whether the refusal OF
Congress to guarantee the payment of
these States after having displaced or
abolished their State Governments
would not be viewed as violation OF
good faith and a reputation by the
National Legislature of the liabilities
which these States had justly and le-
gally incurred.
[Signedl ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, July ll. 1867.