The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1867-03-13
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

ing 10 The House OF Representatives. Bill entitled
An Act to Provide for the more efficient govern.
mont Of the keb,l States"
10 The keuss Of Representatives..
have. examined the bill " e. provide for
the mWe eihcltm government OF The rebel
States" With the care and anxiety which
its transcendent Importance Is calculated
10 awaken. | sm unable 10 give II my as
sent for reasons 50 grave. that hope a
statement OF them may have some influence
on the n,inds oi The patriotic an, enlightsn-
ed mep with whom the aecislun must ultl-
maiely rest.
The blll places al the people of the ten
States therein named under the absolute
dsmnation of military rulers and the pre-
amble undertakes 10 give The reason upan
vhich he measure is based, and The grsund
spon which III justified. ltdeclar.s that
there exists in those States no legal GO
,erAments. and 40 adequate projections tvr
lille Or property. and s,s-rts the becessi.
ty VI enforcing peace aud good order
within their limits. Is ,hi. .rue as matter
OF fact.
Il is not denied that the States in ques
tion have each " them 81 actual govern.
ment. with all the powers, executive. jadi.
cal, and legislative, which property beions
IL 4 free State. they are organized llk.
the other States of ine Union, aud, like
them. they make. administer, and execute
the laws which coneern their domestic al
fsirs. An existing de Jaeio government,
exercising such iuuctiuns ., these, u itself
A.. 81 -. ...a
in its Jurisdiction. To pronounce The So.
plrme law making power ol al established
Stale illegal. IS TO say that law itself IS un-
lawful.
The provisions which these Governments
have msde Tor the prssers aiion ui order, the
suppression ot CRIME, and tie redress ot
private injuries, are III substance aud prin.
ciple The same a. those shcn prevails III tile
Northern States aud IN other civilized
countries. They certainly have MT sue.
credrd IN preventing the commission of ell
c,ine, nnr has this bren accumpl shrd avy
where IN The world. There q, we'll as el,e.
where, offenders something's escape ior want
ol vigorous prosecution, aud OCCASIONALLY. /.
perhaps. by The inelhclency ot Court. ur the
prejudice 81 jurers. Its undoubtedly true
That these evils have been mach increased
aud aggravated. North and South. by the
demoral,zing influences ol civil war, and
IN. rancorous passions which the contest
has engendered. ut,hat these people are
MAINTAINING local Governments Tor them.
selves, which habiiuall defeat the Objec, II
all government aud render their own lives
and property insecure, IS in itself utterly
improbable. and the avermcnt oi the bill 10
that effect is not supported BY any evidence
~hlch has come 10 my knowledge. All the
Information have un the subject consinces
NE that the masses oi the Southern people
aud those who control their public acts,
while they entertain diverse uplnioas on
quesuons Of Federal policy. are complete
" united 10 the effort TO re.orgsn,zs their
saciety on the basis Of peace. and TO re.
,tore their mutual prosperity a. rapidly aud
q. completely As their circumstances will
permit.
Tue bill, however, would seem 10 show
upun It's lace that the eslablisilment oi
peace sad goad order IL mol IL, real object.
The 9th section declares that the preeed.
~ hctNuus rHst etast '" "Vpttdt w any
state where certain events snail have hap
p,nrd. These events are--First, the se.
l.cii,n OF delegate. TO = state Convention
~ an elseinU al sO,ch rrgrar. shali or ~
i.s.d % ~. second. The formation ola
SlAle Cvnstttanoy ~ I've Convention 50
.cnu,en. Third, the insertion into the
State Consiltution Of a provision which
will seeurs the right Of ynting al all elee.
tvns to negroes. aud TO such white men as
nsy not be disfranehised Cor rebellion or
felony. Fourth, the submission Of the Con-
stiiution for ratification TO negroes and
white men not jlsfrsnchised, and its actu.
ri ratification by their vote. Fifth, the sub
mission Of the State Constitution TO Con-