Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1867-08-03
The Presidents Message.

Tho following Is the message OF
the President entire, synopsis OF
which appeared by telegraph seye'
raj days ago. A reference 20 the
published proceedings of Congress
will show that it called forth n reso'
latiOn Of ccnsurc'
transmit herewith reports from
the Secretary of War aud the At
torney General, containing the in
formation called for by tho resolu'
ton of the Senate of the 3d inst, re-
Qucsting the President 10 communi-
cate to the Senate copies of all or
dors, instructions, circular letters or
letters Of advice issued to tho re-
spcctivo military officers assigned to
the command of the several militia
ry districts under act passed March
2d, 1867, entitled an act to provide
for the more efficient government of
tho rebel States, and an act supple
mcntary thereto, passed March I'D,
1867 also copies Of, and allopinions
given by him, by the Attorney Gen
cral of the United States, touching
the construction Of and intcrpreta'
ton of said acts, and all correspon-
dencc relating to the operation, con-
struction or execution Of said acts,
and such rs may have taken place
between himself and any such com
mander, or between himself and the
General of any army, or between
the lattcrand said commander touch
ing said subject. Also copies of all
orders issued by said commander in
carrying out the provisions OF said
act, or either of them. Also, that
he inform the Senate what progress
he has made in the matter of recon-
struction under said acts, and wheth-
er any sum of money appropriated
for carrying them out be probably
sufficient.
In answer TO that portion OF tho
resolution, whether the sum of mon
cy appropriated for carrying these
acts into effect is probably sufficient
reference is made to the accompany
ing report of the Secretary Of War.
1t will be seen from that report,
that an appropriation of 100000,
made in act approved March 30,
1867, for the purpose ofcarrying in
to effect an act to provide for tho
moro efficient government OF the
rebel States, passed March 2, 1867,
and the act supplementary, passed |
March 90, 1867 ,.has already been ex-
pended by commissioners. The
sum of 81 ,6l5, PIT is required, for
present purposes.
1t IS exceedingly difficult at the
present time to estimate the proba-
bic expense of carrying into full ef-
feet the two acts of March last, and
the bill which passed the two Houses
of Congress on the 18th inst: If the
existing governments Of the ten
States of the Union are to be dcpos-
cd, and their entire machinery to be
placed under the exclusive control
and authority Of the respective dis
trict commanders, all expenditures
incident to the administration OF
such governments must necessarily
be incurred by the Federal Govern
ment.
1t is believed in addition to the
50, 100000 already expended, IN es-
innate for the sum which will be re-
quircd for this purpose would not be
less than fourteen millions, the ag-
grcgate amount expended prior to
the rebellion in the administration
of their respective governments by
those States, embraced in the pro-
vision of these acts. The sum eX-
pended would no doubt be conside-
rably augmented if the machinery
of these States is to be operated by
the Federal Government, and would
be largely increased if the United
States, by abolishing the existing
State governments, should be re
sponsible for the liabilities incurred
by them before the rebellion.
In laudable efforts to develop re-
sources, and in no wise created Tor
insurrectionary purposes, the debt
of these States, thus legitimately IN
Cured, when accurately ascertained,
will, it is believed, approximate
hundred million dollars and they |
are held not only by our own citl-
zens among whom are residents OF
portions Of the country which have
ever been loyal to the Union, but by |
persons who are subjects of foreign |
governments.
1t is worthy of the consideration
of Congress and the country wheth-
err, if the Federal Government by
action were to assume such obllga-
tions, so large an addition to our
public expenditures would not serl-
ously impair the credit of the nation;
or, on the. other hand; whether the
refusal Of Congress to guarantee
payment of these States after hav-
ing displaced or abolished their
State governments, would not be
viewed as a violation of good faith,
and the reputation by the Nation
al Legislature of the liabilities which
these States had justly and legally
incurred.
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, July 10, 1867.