Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1867-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

1 before Congress, at noon, yesterday
FeIIoec- citizens Of the Senate aud House Of
RePfese7'tatares =
The continued Reorganization
of the Union, TO which the
President has so often called the at
/ tenlion of Congress, is yet a subject
/ Of profound and patriotic concern
/ y Hen civil war has been brought to
close it is manifestly the first inter
est and duty of the State to repair the
| injuries which war has inflicted, and
/ to secure the benefit of the lessons
1t teaches, as fully and speedily as pos
| slble. This duty was, upon the ter
mination Of the rebellion, promptly
accepted not only BY the Executive De
| partn1tnt, but by the discretionary
/ states themselves, and restoration in
| the first moment of peace was believed
| to be as easy and certain as it was III
| dIsp enSable. These expectations,
! however, so reasonably and confident
| ly entertained, were disappointed by
| legislations from which | feel con
| strained by nv obligations 20 with
! hold my consent. 1t IS, therefore, a
| source Of profound regret, that, in
! complying with the obligations i'm
| posed upon the President By the Con
! stltutlon to give to Congress from
| time to time information OF the state
/ of the Union, | am unable to commu-
| nlcate any definite adjustment salts
factory to the American people of the
| questions which, since the close of the
! rebellion, have agitated the mind of
| the country. Candor compels me to
/ declare that in all this time there is
/ no Union as our fathers understood
| the term. The Union which they es-
! tablIShed can exist only where all the
| States are represented IN both houses
| of Congress where one State is as
free as another to regulate its inter
nal concerns according to its own viii
and when the laws Of the Central Gov
eminent are confined to matters of ma
tional Jurisdiction. That such is not
! the present state Of the Union is a
melancholy fact. The Union and
Constitution are inseparable. As
! long rs one Is obeyed the other will
he preserved and if one is destroyed
both must perish.
| To me the process Of restoration
| seems perfectly plain and simple 1t
consists merely IN a faithful apprecia-
tion of the Constitution and laws
The execution Of the laws is not now
| obstructed or opposed by physical
force. There is no military or other
| necessity. real or pretended, winch
can prevent obedience to the Consti-
tuition, either North or South Courts
may be everywhere opened, and their
process would be unimpeded. and
crimes against the United States pre-
vented or punished in a legal manner.
CONGRESS-.
There is no reason why the Consti-
tuition should not be obeyed, unless
those who exercise Its powers have
determined that t shall be disr"garded
and violated Mere naked will OF
some one Of the branches Of this Gov
eminent IS the only obstacle that can
exist to a perfect Union. On this
momentous question | had the mistor-
tune to differ from Congress. and have
expressed my conviction with defer
encc, but without reserve. Those con
victious have been strengthened by
recent events and further reflection.
The importance OF the subject will be
a sufficient excuse for calling Your at
tention to some of-lhe reasons which
have influenced aigFaaaigment.
EFFECT OF SECESSION
It is clear to ssa.appreheusion that
the States latelezfh.f Rebellion are still
members Of the National Union The
ordinances Of secession adopted by a
portion Of their citizens were laAre
nulIities. My predecessor. as we'll as
myself and the heads of all depart
ments, have uniformly acted on the
principle that the Union Is not only
uudiSsolved bat indissoluble. Con
gress submitted an amendment Of the
constitution to be ratified by the South
ern States and II these States were
out Of the Union, Congress, in asking
1t, committed political absUrdIty.-
Judges of the Supreme Court are CON
stantlv exercising jurisdiction in these
States which does not belong to them.
if the States are out of the Union.
On the 22ud day OF July, 1851, |
Congress declared. bv an almost uuan-
imous vote Of both Houses, that the
war should be conducted solely for
the purpose Of preserving the Union
and maintaining the supremacy Of the !
Federal cons tiiution and Laws. with |
out impairing the dignity. equality
and rights OF theStates or indiyidu- |
ais, aud that tins being done the war
should cease Having given that as
surance IN the extremity OF our peril, |
violating it now in the day Of our pow /
er would be a rude rending of that /
good faith which holds the moral world !
together. 1t would make the war not |
only a failure but a fraud.
Being sincerely convinced that these |
views are correct. | would be uEfaith- |
ful to my duty if did not recommend |
a repeal Of the acts Of Congress which /
place ten OF the Southern States I'M
der the domination Of military masters. |
! am aware 1t IS assumed that this /
system of government for the South /
ern States Is not TO be perpetual |
1t Is true, that this military govern /
mFut i Ia he only nr0VISleu9l buf n /