The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1867-12-10


greatest temporal blessing which God I
IN His kindest Providence could bestnw
upon the nation. II becomes our inn
peratiye duty to consider whether or
not it Is impossible % effect this most
desirable contamination. The Union
and the Constitution are inseparable.
As long as ono is obeyed by al parties
the other viii be preserved, aud II one
IS destroyed, both must perish together
The destruction ofthe Constitution viii
be followed by other and still greater
calamities II was ordained not only
70 form a more perfect union between
the States. but % establish justice, in
sure domestic tranquility, provide for
the common defence promote the gen
oral welfare, and secure the blessings
Of Liberty 10 our selves and our pos
terity Nothing but implicit obedi-
eace to It's requirements IN all parts OF
the country, viii accomplish these great
ends Without that obedience We can
look forward only 70 continual outrages
upon individual rights, ineessant
breaches Of the public peace, national
weakness, financial diEhonor, the total
loss OF our prosperity, the general cor
ruption Of morals, and the final extlnc-
tion of popular freedom. 10 save onr
country from evils SO appalling rs these,
we should renew our efforts again and
again. To me the process Of restora
tirn seems perfectly plain and simple.
1t consists merely ia faithful applica1
ton of the Constitution and laws. The
execution of the laws is now obstrueied
or opposed by physical force. There is
no military or other necessity, real or
pretended, which can prevent obedI
ence to the Constitution either North
or South. All the rights and obhga
tons Of states and individuals can be
protected and enforced by means per-
fectly consistant with tho Fundamental
law. The courts may be everywhere
open, and if open, their process would be
unimpeded; crimes against the United
States can be prevented or punished
by the proper judicial authorities IN a
manner entirely practicable and legal.
| There is, therefore, no reason why the
Constitution should not be obeyed, un-
less those who exercise its powers have
determined that it shall be disregarded
and violated. The mere naked will Of
this Government, or some one or moro
of its branches, is the only obstacle that
can exist to perfect union of all tho
States. On this momentous question,
and some Of the measures growing out
of it, have had the misfortune to diff
fer from Congress, and have expressed
my convictions without reserve, though
with becoming Difference TO the opinions
of the Legislative department. These
convictions are not only unchanged, but
strengthened by subsequent events and
further reflection. The transcendant
importance of the subject will be suf-
ficient excuse for calling your attention
TO some of the reasons which have SO
strongly influenced my own judgment
The hope that we may all concur on q
mode Of settlement consistent at once
with our true interests, and with our
sworn duties to the Constitution. is to
natlral and too just to be easily relin.
quished.
! THE STATUS OF THE REBEL STATES.
tits clear to my apprehension, that the
States lately III rebellion are still mem
bers of the National Union. When
did they cease to be SO Tho "ordi-
nance Of secession" adopted by a por.
ton, in most of them very small por-
ton, Of their citizens, were mere null.
lities. II we admit now that they were
valid and effectual for the purpose in.
tended by their authors, we sever frosn
under our feet the whole ground upon
which we justified the war. We're these
States afterwards expelled from the
Union by the war? The direct contra.
ry was averred by this government tc
be its purpose, and was SO understood
by all tose who gave their blood and
treasure to aid iii its prosecution. Il
cannot be that successful war wagec
for the preservation of the Union, had
the legal effect of dissolving it. The
victory of the nations arms was not
the disgrace Of her policy; the defeat
, OF secession ON the battlefield was not
the triumph Of its lawless principle
Nor could congress, with or wlthou
J the consent Of the Executive, do any
thing which would have the effect di
rectly or indirectly, of separating the
States from each other To dissolve thl
Union, is to repeal the Constitution
J which holds it together, and that is
| power which does not belong to am
department Of this Government, or t
all Of them united. This is SO plaiI
that it has been acknowledged By al
branches Of the Federal Government
The Executive, my predecessor, as wei
as myself, and the heads Of all the de
/ partments, have uniformly acted upor
] the principle that the Union is not onl,
g undissolyed, but undissoluble. Con
D gress submitted an amendment OF tnI
Q Constitution, to be ratified by tht
: Southern States, and accepted thei
Y act Of ratification as necessary ans
d lawful exercise Of their highest func
a tion. II they were not States, or State
G out Of the Union, their consent to
G change in the fundamental law OF th
S Union would have been nugatory, an.
1 Congress il asking it committed a poht
!. ical absurdity. The Judiciary has ais