Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1867-12-13

PRESIDENT MESSAGE.
FeNou Citi=ens Il tie Senate and House Of
Representatives,:
The continued disorganization Of the
Uuion. to which the President has so often
called the attention OF Congress. is yet a
subject of profound and patriotic concern.
We may, however, find some rel!ef from
that anxiety in the reflection that the pain
ful political situation. although before un-
tried hv ourselves is not new in the cxpe
riencc of nations Political science, per
haps as highly perfected in our time and
country ~ III ny other, has not yet dis
closed any means by which civil wars can
be absolutely pr vented. An enlightened
nation however, with wise and beneticent
Constitution OF free government, may d-
mnish their frequency and mitigate their
severity by directing all its proceedings III
accordance with Its fundamental law.
When civil war has been brought to a
close. it Is the first Interest and duty OF the
State to repair the injuries viii ch the war
has inflicted. This duty says the Presl-
dent was promptly accepted by the Exec
utive Department. aud by the lnsurrecilon-
ary states themselves, and restoration was
thought to be an easy thing. but the eX-
pectatons so reasonably entertained were
disappointed by legislation from which he
slt constrained to withhold his conseut.
The President then goes on to re- argue
his position on reconstruction, which has
been read and re-reai so many II ilcs, that
we will not give it again, save this one par
agraph as to the Congressional acts:-
The acts of Congress in question are
not ONLY Objectionable for their assumption
of ungranted power, but many of their
provisions are in conflict with the direct
nrohibitions of the Constitution. The
constitution commands that Il republican
form of government shall be guaranteed
to all the States that no person shall be
deprived Of life, liberty, or property with
out due process of law, arrested without
n indiciai warrant, or furnished without a
fair trial before an impartial jury that the
privilege of habeds corpus shall not be de-
MED in time OF peace; ami that no bill OF
attainder shall be passed even against "A
single individual Yet the system OF meas
ures established by these acts OF Congress
does totally subvcrt and destroy the form
as well as the substance ofrepublican gov
eminent in the ten States to which they
apply. 1t binds them hand and foot
in absolute slavery. aud subjects them TO
a strange and hostile power. more nnlimlt-
ed aud more likely to be abused than any
other now known among civilized men. 1t
tramnlcs down all these rights in which
the essence of liberty consists, and which
free government is always most careful
to protect. 1t denies the hdbeas corpus
and the trial by jury. Personal freedom
property, an! life, if a4saiIed by the pas
sion, the prejudice, or the rapaolty OF the
ruler, have no security whatever. 1t has
the effect OF bill of attainder, or bill OF
pains and penalties, not upon lew lndl
tiduals. but upon whole masses, including
the millions who inhabit the subject States,
and even their unborn children. These
wrongs, being expressly forbidden, cannot
be cons. itutionaly inflicted upon any por-
ton of our people, no matter how they
NAV have come within ourjurisdielion, and
no matter whether they live IN States
Territories, or districts,
The next topic is the question dt'he neg
ro. Mr. johnson is afraid the negroes Will
have the privilege of voting conferred up
on them, and that they will become gov