The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1867-12-11
Political.
pnEsIDENT's MESSAGE.

Ffllom- Citizans Of the Senate and HouS
Of Representatives.
Thccontinucd disorganization of tho
Union, to which the President has SC
often called the attention of Congress
isyet subject Of profound political
concern. We may, however, find somC
relief from that anxiety in the rcAcc.
ton that this painful political situa-
ton, although before untricd by our
selves, is not new in the experience OF
nations. Political science, perhaps Il,
highly perfected in our own time and
country as in any other, has not yet
disclosed any means by which civil
wars can be absolutely prevented. An
enlightened nation, however, with a
wise and b2nificcnt constitution of free
government, may diminish their f'c-
9ucncy and mitigate their severity by
directing all its proceedings in accord
ancs with its fundamental law. When
civil war has been brought to a Close,
it is manifestly the first interest and
duty of the State to repair the injuries
which the war has inflicted, and to Sc
cure the benefit of the lessons it teach
cs as fully and speedily as possible.
This duty was, upon the termination
of the tcbellion, promptly accepted, not
only by the Executive Department,
but by the insurrcctionary States them
selves and restoration in the first
moments of peace was believed to be
as easy and certain as it was indispcn-
sable. Expectations, however, then
so reasonably and confidently enter
taincd, were disappointed by legisla-
ton from which | felt constrained by
my obligations to the Constitution to
withhold my assent. 1t is, therefore,
source Of profound regret that, in
complying with the obligation impos-
cd upon the President by the Constitu-
ton, to give the Congress from time
to time, information of the state of the
Union. I am unable to communicate
any definatc adjustment, satisfactory to
the American people, of questions,
which, since the close of the rebellion,
have agitated the mind. On the con-
trary, candor compels me to declare,
that all this time there is no Union,
~ our fathers understood the term,
and as they meant it to be understood
by us. The Union which they cstab-
lished, can exist only where all the
States are represented in both Houses
of Congress, and where one State is
as free as another to regulate its inter-
nal concerns, according to its own will,
and where the laws of the central gov
crnment is strictly confined to matters
Of Irrational jurisdiction, and apply with
equal force to all people of every Sec
tion, and that such is not the present
state of the Union. Its a melancholy
fact, and we all must acknowledge that
the restoration of the States to their
proper and legal relations with the
Federal government, and with one an
other, according to the terms of origi-
aal compact, would be the greatest
temporal BLESSING which God in his
kindest Providence could bestow upon
this nation. 1t becomes our impera-
tive duty, to consider whether or not,
it is impossible to effect this most de-
sirablc consummation. The Union and
Constitution are inscparable, as long as
one is o6eycd by all parties, the other
will be preserved, and if oneis destroy
ed, both must perish together. The
destruction of the Constitution will be
followed by other and still greater Ca
lamities. 1t was ordained not only to
form a more perfect Union between
the States, but to establish justice and
domestic tranquility, provide for the,
common defense, promote the general
welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
Nothing but implicit obedience to its
requirements in all parts of the coun-
try will accomplish these great ends,
and without that obedience we can
look forward only to continued out
rages upon individual rights and in
cessant breaches of the public peace,
national weakness, financial distress,
total loss of our prosperity, general cor
ruption in our morals, and the final
extinction Of popular freedom. To
save our country from evils so appal-
ling as these we should renew our ef-
forts again and again.
To me the process of reconstruction
seems perfectly plain and simple. 1t
consists merely in a faithful applica-