Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-12-14

cu inc httcntlon ot ConrrcSs, Is yet subject
of profound and patriotic concern We may,
however, find some relief from that anxiety
in the reflection that the painful political sit
nation, althougA teforc untricd by ourselves, is
not new in the experience of nations Political
science, perhaps ms 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 cnli.htcn-
cd nation, however, with :, wise and bcnef.
cent Constitution of free Government, may
diminish their frequency aud mitigate their
severity by directing all its proceedings in ac
cortlancc with its fundamental law
When n civil war has hccn brought to a
close, it is manifcStly the first interest and du-
ty OF the State to repair the injuries which
tho war has inflicted, aud to secure the benefit
of the lessons il tcachcs as fully and as speed
lily MS possible. This duty was, upon the ter
lnination of the rebellion, promptly accepted
not only by the Executive Department. but bv
the insurr"ctionary States themselves, and res
toratinn, in the first moment of peace, was he
)cvcd to be as easy and certain MS it WIS in
tlispcnsahlc. The expectations, however,
then SO reasonably and confidently entertained
were disappointed Ey legislation from which
felt constrained by my obligations to the
Constitution, TO withhold my assent.
Ib Is, '!'IC'uft. y source 0l prOtonnU To-
grct, that in complying with tic obligation
Imposed upcn ti.r President hy the Cuustitu-
,ion, to give to Congress from time to time in.
formation of tho state Of the Union, am
unable to communicate any definite adjust
incnt, satisfactory ia the American people, Of
the questions which, since the close of the re-
hrllon have ngitatc'l the public nind. On
the contrary, candor compels me to declare
that at this time there is no Union as our
fathers understood tho term, and they
meant it 10 be understood ny us. The I'm.
ion which they established can exist onls,
where nll the States are represented in bnti,
,rt,,ts - = ,--f,asn nndssStatc is as
free as another to regulate its internal con
Germs accnr''ina to It's own will. and where the
laws OF the Central Government, strictly con
fined to matters Of national jurisdiction, np
ply with equal force to all the people of every
sc'ion. That such is not the present g state
of the Cniun is a melancholy fact, and we all
must acknowledge that the restoration of the
States H. their proper legal relations with The
Federal Government and with ono another,
according to the terms Of the original com
pact, would h. the yrcast"st temporal BLESSING
which God, in His kindest providence, could
bcstow upon this nation. 1t becomes onr iu,
rrratvn duty to consider whether or not it. is
imp ,ssibc to effect this most desirable consu.
nation
The Union and the Constitution inscr-
arabic: rs long ms one is "hcycd by all par
ties, the other will be rrcscorved and if one
's DESTROYED .oth must perish totHcther The
ds',r"cti.h OF INC M""St'tus'o" WV: &c follow
ca ny otncr ana St''i greater ca'''nit'cs. 't
was ofaalned not only TO form more perfect
""'o" ".'"e'" inc otatcs' Out 10 est"b'iSh
Jnst'ee' insure domestic tranquility provide
'or enc common oe''nce' 'r"'''cee tne genera"
welfare ana secure inc "."ss,ngs OF liberty to
ourselves ana ch' tnst.''D Nothing but
lmPhc't opeu'chco 10 lta rcHn'rmcnts IN all
parts o' 'he country w! accomplish these
grca' eh"S' "'th"nt that on"d'r"cr' We can
.ook !or"a'" oh.y 10 continual ""fraaeS upon
lha'vlouai rights, 'nc'SS"nt breaches OF the
Puo''c pr"ce, n",'ona' weakness iihahrla' as
hohor' inc tota' loss OF our prosperity, the
E'"e.''' corruption o. morals ana a. ttc maj cS-
"nct.oh OF popular freedom. 10 save our
sa"h'sS !f'!!' Hs's 50 "''l''"@ as 'h"S'' we
S''"n''u 'r lc"," our '''or's again an" again
10 me- inc process OF fcs,"rit'on seems per-
!'c'y p,'.'' anu s'''p'o' ~ consists mercy
IN 'a'n'". m nPp'lca''o.! OF s"n CONSTITUTION
"'u '""s. nv eAecu'l"n ~ 'nc .""S IS "ot
i nov oos'!""'" no: or "rposea oy phyS.ca' 'orcc'
1"eic ~ ~ ",.:'a's 's OF o'"er Necessity real or
rrctSad', W"lon G'n p,ovr"1 "occ'ehce . 70 70
the Constitpf,'o, Ii..er norm or sou'h' ~,
t'e rights ana h. w o. o..'''S "'o
~ ~ g.IID l.n