Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-12-12
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

President johnson sent his annual message to
Congress, on Tuesday of last week. Like all Of
the papers emanating from the President, it is an
able document, and did our space permit, we would
be pleased to give it to our readers in full It is,
however, Of unusual length, and we are compelled
to content ourselves with the following telegraphic
synopsis, which we find in several ofour exchanges:
The first duty, at the close of the civil war, was
to repair its INJURIES and secure the benefit Of its
lessons, at the earliest moment. This duty was
promptly accepted by the Executive and the in
surrectionary States. Restoration, in the first
tain, as well asindispensable as These expectations
have been disappointed by legislation, and now
there is no Union, where one State is as free as
another to regulate its internal AFFAIRS according to
its own will.
The Union and the Constitution are inseparable |;
as long as one is obeyed, the other will be preser-
we'd; and if one is destroyed both must perish to-
gether. There is no military or other necessity,
real or pretended, which can prevent obedience to
the Constitution, either North or South. The
hope that we may ultimately concur ina plan Of
settlement, consistent with our true interests and
sworn duties, is too natural, and too just, to he
easily abandoned.
It's clear, to the Presidents mind, that the
States lately in rebellion are still members Of the
Union.
The Executive, his predecessor, as well as him
self, and the heads of all the Departments, have
adopted, and acted upon, the principle that the
Union is not dissolved, but is indissouble. Con-
eress submitted amendments to the Constitution
to the Southern States and accepted their acts OF
ratification. Judges of the Supreme Conrt have
included the Southern States in their districts If
the Southern States are component parts Of the
Union, the Constitution is supreme law for them,
as for all other States. They are bound to obey it,
and so are we.
Being sincerely convinced that these views are
correct the President recommends the repeal OF the
acts, placing the Southern States under military
masters. ...r s.a.... '.'
The conflict between the reconstruction acts,
and the rights of the people under the Constitu-
ton, are argued at length.
Alluding to negro suffrage, the President says
'The subjection to negro domination will be worse
than the existing military despotism. The people
will endure endless military oppression rather than
degrade themselves by subjection to the negro
race
The blacks are entitled to be we'll and humanely
governed, but, fit were possible to give them q
government of their own, it would become grave
question whether we ought to do 80, or whether
common humanity would not require US to save
they shall only govern themselves, but that they
shall govern the white race and to greater or less
extent, control the destiny of the whole country.
The negro character is contrasted with the vir.
tue, intelligence and spirit Of progress of the white
race-.and the negro population contrasted with
immigrants, and the different terms of acquiring
citizenship stated The President yields to NO
man in attachment to rule of general suffrage
but requires of some classes time suitable fol
probation and preparation. To transfer our poit
ical Inheritance to the negroes would be an aban
donment ofa duty, which we owe alike to the
memory of our fathers and the rights Of our chill
dren. ,l-.g. ..-, 4 ,tS;l5; .IlE a.4a ..
In depicting the horrors Of the government.