The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-12-06
Yantotk ytfftrsonian.
FIN DL
FRIDAY. I: DECEMBER 9, 1867.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE I!
WAsHINeroN, Dec. 2, 1867,

WAsHINGroN, Dec. 2, 1867,
REFLECTIONS on RECONSTRUCTION.
Felloio Citizens of the Senate ant
House of Representatives.:
The continued disorganization o
the Union, to- which the Presiden,
has SO 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 this
painful political situation, although
before untried by ourselves, is moi
new in the experience ofnations. Po,
litical science, perhaps as highly per-
fected in our own time and country as
in any other, has not yet disclosed
any means by which civil war can be
absolutely prevented. An enlighten-
ed nation, however, with wise and
benefcent constitution of free gov
ernment, may diminish their frequen-
cy and mitigate their severity by di-
recting all its proceedings in accord
ance with its fundamental law When
civil war has been brought to close,
it is manifest the. first interest and
duty of the State to repair the irju.
ries which war has inflicted, and to
secure the benefit of the lessons it
teaches as fully and speedily as pos
sible. This duty was upon the ter
mination Of the rebellion, promptly
accepted not only by the Executive
Department, but by the instruction
ary States themselves; and recon
struction in the first moment of peace
was believed to be as easy and GER
tain as it was indispensable. These
expectations, however, then so reas-
onably and confidently entertained,
were disappointed by Legislation, from
which I felt constrained, by my OBJ
legations to the Constitution, to
withhold my assent. tits, therefore,
source of profound regret that in
complying with the obligation i'm
posed upon the President by the Con-
stitution to give to Congress- from
time to time information of the state
of the Union, / am unable to commu-
nicate any definite adjustment salts
factory TO the American people of
the questions which, since the close
of the rebellion, have agitated their
minds. -1 - fiEl
On the contrary, candor compels
me to declare that all this time there
iy mo 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
all the States are represented in both
Houses of Congress-; where one
State is as free as. another to oreguiate
its internal concerns according 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 peo-
pie of every section. That such is
not the present state of the Union is
a melancholy fact, and we all must
acknowledge that the restoration Of
the States to their proper legal rela-
tions with the Federal Government
and with one another, according to
the terms of the original compact,
would be the greatest temporal bless
ing which God, in his kindest provi-
dence, could bestow upon this nation.
1t becomes our imperative duty to
consider whether or motif is impossi-
BILE to effect this most desirable con-
summation. Tie Union and the Con-
stltution are inseparable. As long
as 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 calamities.
1t was ordained not only to form
more perfect union between the
States. but to establish justice, insure
domestic tranquility, provide for the
common defense, promote the gener-
al welfare and secure the blessings
of liberty to ourselves and our pros
perity. Nothing but implicit obedi-
ence to~its requirements in all parts
of the country will accomplish these
great ends. Without that ataobedience
we can look forward only to contiuu,
al outrages upon individual rights,
incessant breaches of public peace,
national weakness, financial cishon-
or, total loss of our property, gener
al corruption Of morals and the final
extinction of popular freedom. To
save our country from ends so ap-
palliDg as these we should renew
our efforts again and again. To me
the process of restoration seems per-
tectly plain and simple. 1t consists
merely in a faithful application of
the Constitution and laws. The ex-
ecution of the laws is not now OBJ
structed or opposed by physical force;
there is no military or other neoessi- |!
ty, real or pretended, which can pre-
vent obedience to the Constitution,
either North or South all rights and
all obligations Of States and individ-
uals, can be protected and enforced
by means perfectly consistent with
the fundamental law; courts may be
everywhere opened, and If open, their
process would be unimpeded crimes
against the United States can be pre-
vented or punished by proper judlcl-
al authorities, in manner entirely
practicable and legal. There is there
fore, no reason why the Constitution
should not be obeyed Unless those
who exercise itspowers hayed determin-
ed that it shall be disregarded and vio-
lated, the mere naked will of this
or of some one or more
of its branches is the only obstacle
that can exist to perfect Union of
all the States. On this momentous
question and some of the measures
growing out Of it, / had the misfor-
tune to differ from Congress, and
have expressed my conviction with
out reserve, though with becoming
Difference to the opinion of the Leg
islative Department. Those convic-
tions were not only unchanged, but
strengthened by subsequent events
snd further reflections. The trans
cendent importance of the subject
y;Il no a eufficieut eveuse for calling