The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-05-02
c ON N E TiCU r.
Message Of Governor English to the Lesisla-

ino Legislature OF C0nnecucut was ofeani1ou yostei
day, and Governor English delivered his message.
considerable portion OF devoted TO national Affairs
We make the following extracts
the situation OF public affairs is in every aspect I'M
portant. Two years have elapsed since our country
witnessed, which had been waged to maintain the
supremacy Of the federal constitution and tho integrity
o. the national Union Over the caames Of that IN
happy conflict, which desoafed large portion OF our
country and carried many households, We
long shall mourn but AZ citizens Of common country
We should strive to extinguish the vndictive resent
The right Of State voluntarily TO withdraw from the
Union has been abandoned by those who attempted to
brought this result 70 the country and yet the great
object Of that war has thus far been defeated The
Congress denied all participation in the national govern
ment, the laws Of which they arofequired to obey.
Measures such as these tend empire to union.
II "a they must inevitably destroy the ederatve
character OF our government and the republic
into despotism: The course OF legislation pursued by
Congress towards the ten States OF the South IT, IN
my judgment, wholly unwarranted by our funda-
mental law and fatal to the Union and the consttu-
ton as the principle of secession which has been sup
pressed. 90 l8 ~ -
Overpowered by the armies OF the republic they sur
rendered. acknowledged their allegiance 10 the govern
consequences OF their acts Their immense armies
quietly dispersed 70 their under the terms or the
surrender, and resumed their peaceful avocations
To bring order out OF chaos-to restore 10 their ep
mate functions the state authorities and to reesta6sh
their broken relations with tho federal government,
nChief Of the armies President Lincoln addressed him
self 10 that work. Under his PLAN matured nv Presi
dent Johnson the States were reorganzed In obedience
changed and by the act OF the people Of OF those
States slavery was forever abolished By process
the reestabshment OF the Union essentially con-
summated Little more was thenceforward required for
the country TO move onward in harmonious and pros
porous than the admission Of Senators and Repre-
sentativcs from those States to seats in Congress
Unfortunately the tendency to Capitalization had re-
ceved impetus during the war, consequent on the
exercise OF extraordinary powers By the government
and this developed and extreme partisan spirit
1t demanded the exclusion Of the late nsurrectionary
States from any constitutional rights within the Union
Assuming that the war in its practical results
failure that the Union really divided that the inhab-
ants Of the ten States which combined under the
ception Of the blacks TO be treated conquered
and subugated people, Congress has arbitrarily excluded
The Senators and Of those States from
their credentials BY this means Congress has taken
possession Of the government and under the dcaton Of
committee, whose sessions have been held ia secret
has aside Of the most important and sautary
provisions OF the constitution and mcnaced with
its power the independent action OF the judiciary
great extent series Of usurpatons and nractions OF
the constitution, commencing with propositions
force amendments Of that instrument in the inception
of which nearly one-third Of the states and fully
third Of the people, had voice. and eventuatng in
placing that people, in time of profound peace, under
military domination.
The bin establish military governments over the ten
Southern States and winch annul the State
and municipal governments and the legal tribunals OF
that portion Of the country has justly alarmed APP
preensions Of consdcrate and reectng citizens II is
10 Establishing over those States But
whence does Congress derive the power subject any
portion OF the citizens of the United states martial
law Martial law is not military law. 1t embraces the
citizen well the soldier II is the substitution OF
the will OF the commanding officer in cnemy's
country in the time Of war for the municipal
law which previously prevailed Il is creature
pal is in force, where the Of mill
iary operations renders its suspension for the being
necessary. The deliberate enactment Of martial law by
legislature solecsm for alegisaturs has time and
opportunity to municipal laws TO administered
by civil tribunals conformity the constitution or
organic Congress has power not granted to IL
by tho constitution and martial law Is something wholly
without the constitution existing only in the absence Of
law. II has more power under the constitution to
tabsh military governments in the Southern States than
to institute an order OF nobility in New England.
But the evil consequences OF this legislation do not
stop with the establishment Of martial law. Congress
assumed that power only for the purpose Of
thoroughly accompl shing the subversion OF State
thorty. BY the military arm IL has not only stricken
down all local civil government in those States
but, by ts aid, 1t determines who shall and who
shall not participate in forming the governments
of their local IL assumes the power to dis
franchise white inhabitants OF those States and
enfranchise the black--thus condemning, without
victon or trial. large portion Of their intelligent popu
lauon, placing political power in the hands Of
those havs participated in the affairs OF gov
ernment and large majority Of whom cannot read the
ballots they authorized TO cast This Is not
structon IL 10 not measure OF peace but measure
or our republican fabric All stable recog
nixc power AZ mere principal Of governmental
policy. For government TO discard il is suicidal
Congress thus legisate for those 1t IL not
difficult to forcsee, in the distant future ike inter-
ference in other states II these powers thus exercised
Connecticut and the ancient right OF the people, often
asserted when colony OF Great Britain. 70 CIRCULATE
their internal affairs In their way henceforth
subject the viii or caprice OF Congressional ma
jority.
care that the be faithfully executed Congress
has seen t change prescribed time OF its meeting
continuous session for the purpose Of
enforcing laws DEGREES and hold the constr
tutiona authority OF the Executive subject its will
For this change uncaed for and the coun-
ry was unprepared In consequence Of Connecticut
was popular branch during the late
session. convened at an extraordinary time. during which
laws monentous interest hurriedy passed in the
absence Of the Representatives OF seventeen of the
thirty States Of the Union. So broken and de-
peted this ragmen airy Congress that IL did ven
adopting without hesitation laws Of vital consequence
q large section OF common country and in conflict
with the settled policy Of our republican system.
In this connection may with propriety allude to the
OF the Senate in arogatng the power to select
well TO confirm and In debating TO the President
in regard to his appointments. While the President
il responsible for the faithful execution OF the lava the
Senate, which Irresponsible by an abuse Of power
refuses to allow him 70 select agents In whom he has
confidence, but insists that he shall only appoint those
who opposed TO him, his measures and the policy
which he believes 70 be for the interest OF the country
E6tlmaDle men OF 00mltteo aOiilty 1nto8ty, many
Of them having served with fidelity through the war
have been thus rejected for ether than that
they had received The confidence q The President
Il In pursuance Of this purpose to absorb within
it's grasp the functions which iegmately appsrtan 70
the other branches Of the government that was pro-
posed take the pardonne power from the Executive
where the Constitution has placed IL and. By an q post
aco proceeding confer In certain contingencies upon
Congress when the insurgsnt armies surrendered thor
soldiers became ameuabIe 70 the than existing lava II
certainly could have bcea supposed that they we're 70
be prosecuted under and different laws which were
thereafter 70 b enacted Yet n amentabe fact that
Congress during the past two years has employed no in
considerable portion Of IL time In devisng new laws for
the punishment Of pass onsnoes-a proceedng bed IN
policy and repugnant 70 The great principles on which
free governments founded and 70 the common ssnti
ment Of an enlightened aga
That the inhabitants Of the prescribed States win
peacefully submit the rule that has been provided for
them NO ono can doubt Their helpss.ness 70 40 other
wsse, if nothing cleo, assures thia That Union OF
co-equal States The constitution may result from
their Submission b my most ferveut hope But gues-
lions of serious import 70 us win SIN remain. VIII The
precedent thus sse By Congress Be- forgotten Will the
consstutiou, which impotcnt TO restrain the fury OF
- 49, q arNm