The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-12-13
EXTRACTS FROM TIE PRESIDENTS
MESSAGE.

lengthy that We feel compelled to Civ
: only extracts from the most importan
parts Ofit-IhOss parts touching the qu.s
tons of the day. 10 view of the cam
pa'gu just before US. this message is al
important political document, and should
be fead carefully by all:
The President opens by calling th,
attention of Congress to the continued
dlsOrganization OF The Uaion, and after
abiding to the differences between Con
grsss and himself since the close of th,
rebellion. declares that sit is . source oil
profound regret that in complying with
the obligation imposed upon the PresidsnI
by the Constitution, to give Congress.
from time 10 time, information of the slate
Of the Union, am unaDls 70 communi.
cate any definite adjustment, satisfactory
to the American people. of the questions
which, since the clOsa of the rebellion,
have agiIaled the public mind. :.
% the contrary, cAudOr compass NE
to declare that all this time there is no
Union las our fathers Understood that term,
and rs they meant il to be understood
The Union which they established can
exist only where all The States are repre-
sented in both Houses Of Congress, where
one State is as free IS another to regulate
It's internal concerns according to it's own
willard whore laws of the controlling
government are strictly con6ned to mat
tsrs Of national jurisdiction. they apply
with equal force TO all people iu every
section.
That such is not the present state OF
the Union is a melancholy fact, aud We
all must acknowledge that the restoration
of the States 10 their proper legal rela
tons with the Federal government, and,
With one another, according TO the terms
of the original compact, would be the
greatest temporal blessing which God IN
his Just providence could shower upon
this nation. 1t becomes our imperative
duty to consider Whether or not II is i'm
possible TO effect this most desirable con
summation.
After giving the Uaiou and ConsGtu
tioa the usual amount of cheap praise,
he says:
To me the procass Of restoration seems
perf' city plain and simple. Il consists
merely in as faithful application Of the
constitution and laws. The execution of
the laws is not now obslTuctsd by phys-
zeal force; there is military or other ne
cessity, real or pretended, which can pre-
vent obedience to the Constitution, either
North or South. All the rights aud ali
the obligations of States and individual
can be projected aud enforced by means
perfectly consistent with the Fundamental
law. Courts may be everywhere open
and if open. their process would be mul,
tiplied. Crimes against the United States
can be preveOled or quelched by proper
judicial authorities in 3 manner entirely
practicable and legal. There is, therefore,
no reason why the constitution should not
be obeyed, unless, those who exercise its
powers have determined that it shall be
disregarded aud violated. II the mere
naked will of this government, or of some
one or more of its branches is any OBJ
stacle. there caa exist no perfect union OF
the States.
On this reconstruction question, and
on some of the measures growing out OF
it, had the misfortune to differ from
Congress, and have expressed my conVic
ton without reserve, though with becom
ing Difference to tie opinion of the Legis~
lative department. Those convictions
we're not only unchanged but strengthen
ed by subsequent events and further re-
Elections. The trsuscendsOt Importance
of the subject will be sufficient excuse
for calling your attention to come Of the
reasons which have so strongly influenced
my own judgment.
l hope that We may all finally concur in
a mode Of settlement consistent At onca
With our true interests aud with our sworn
duties to the constitution, which is too
natural ard too Just to be easily rslInquisb
ed. Il is clear to my apprehension that
the States lately in rebellion are still mem
bers of the National Union. When did
they cease TO be so? The ordinances OF
accession adopted by portion, 10 most
OF them very small portion of their Cit
liens, we're mere utilities. II all admit
now that they we're valid and efFsctual for
the purpose intended by their authors. We
sweep from under our feet the whole
ground which We justified the war.
Were these States Nfterward expe led
from the Union by war? Direct con ra-
~ was aVerred By this purpose, and it
was so understood by all those who gave
their blood and treasure to aid in its pros
ecution. Il cannot be that . successful
war waged for the preservation Of the
Union bad the legal effect of dissOlViBg
it. The victory of the nations arms vas
not . disgrace of her policy. The defeat
of secession on the battle field was not a
triumph Of its lsWless principles. MOI
could Congress With or without the con-
SAINT of the Executive DO anything which
would have the. effect. directly or indi-
rsc,ly, of separating the States from each
other.
To dissolve The Uuion is to repeal the
constitution which holds it together, snd
that is 8 power which does not belong
TO any department of this government OF
to eli of them united. This is so plan
that it has been acknowledged by ell
braucss Of the Federal gOVsrnmeat. The
Exscu,ive. Tiny predecessors as yell az
, nyself, and the heads of ell the depart
ments have uniformly acted upon ID,
principle that the Union is not only un;
: dissolved bat indissOlu6ie.
Congress submitted "a amendment o
the constitution TO be ratified by ii,
Southern States, aud accepted their acti
OF ratification IS = necessary and laWfu
> sxeIcise of their bigEsst fuOntiOos. I
they we're not States, or mere States ou
Of the Union, their consent TO & chAng
!, IN the fundSEnenEaI Law Of tho Uion -wouiC