The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-12-03
The Presidents Message.
He Denounces Negro Rule and
calls for a Repeal Of the Re-
1T construction Acts.


CHICAGO, Dec. 3.-The Presidents mes
sage, which will be read to congress to-day,
is published in full in the Chicago papers of
this MORNING. The President opens with q
discussion of the reconstruction question, and
SAYS, on this momentous question. and some
of the measures growing out OF 1t.
al had the misfortune to differ from congress,
and have expressed my convictions. without re-
serve though with becoming Difference to the opin-
ion of the legislative department. These convic-
tions were not only unchanged but strengthened
BY subseqaefi events and further refections.-
The transcendent importance of the subject viii
be sufficient excuse for calling your attention TO
some of the reasons which have strongly inhuenc,
ed my own judgment. The hope that We may all
finally concur in mode of settlement consistent
at with our true interests and with our sworn
duties to the constitution is too natural and too
just to be readily relinquished.
After reviewing his own plan of recon
struction he adds:
"Being sincerely convinced that these views
arc correct, would be unfaithful TO my duty if
did not recommend the repeal Of the acts of con.
gress which place ten of the southern states un-
der the domination of military master. If a
calm rejection shall satisfy majority Of your
honorable body, that the acts referred TO are not
only a violation of national faith but in direct
conflict with the constitution, dare not permit
myself TO doubt that you will immediately strike
them from the statute book. To demonstrate the
constitutional character of these acts l need no
more than refer to their general provisions. 1t
must be seen at that they are not authorized
to dictate what alterations shall be made in the
constitutions of the several states to control the
elections of state legislators and state officers,
members of congress, and electors OF president
and vice president, by arbitrarily declaring who
shall vote and who shall be excluded from that
| =. =.
vent them from assembling; TO dismiss iu@ges
| and other civil functionaries of states, and APP
point others without regard to state law; to or
ganiIe and operate all The political machinery of
| states; TO regulate the whole administration of
their domestic and local affairs according to the
| mere will of strange and irresponsible agents
| sent among them for that purpose. These are
powers not granted to the federal government or
| any of its branches"
On the question of negro suffrage, he
says:
THE plan of putting the southern states
| wholly, and the federal government partially,
| into the hands of negroes is proposed at
time peculiarly unproplt'ous. The iounda,
tions of society have been broken up By civil
war, industry must be .reorganized, yushce
| esiabl:ah~a, public credit maintained, and
| order brought out OF confusion. To accom-
| plish these ends would require all the wisdom
institutions originally. conscientiouSly be-
1 lieve their descendants will be equal to the
ariaous task before them. but it is more
than madness to expect that negroes viii
! perform it for US. Certainly we ought not
| to ask their assistance until We despair of
our own. Compare the great difference be-
| tweenthe two races, in physical, mental and
moral characteristics, and it viii prevent an
| anal gamation and fusion ofthem together in
one homogeneous mass. If the inferior OBJ
tains an ascendancy over the other, it will
| govern with surveillance entirely to its own
/ interest, for 1t will recognize no common in.
terests, and create such a Tyranny as this
| continent has never yet witnessed.
| Already the negroes are Influenced by
| promises of confscation and plumber. They
| are taught To regard as an enemey, every
! white man who has any respect for the rights
| of his own race. Ifthis continues, it must
| become worse and worse, until ali order Will
| be subverted, and the fertile fields of the
| south grow up into a wilderness OF all
| the dangers which our nation has yet en-
countered, none are equal TO those which
must result from the success of the effort
now making to africonize half of our coun-
try"
The President refers to the executive on
ly as follows:
A faithful and conscientious mag i trate
will concede very much to honest error and
something even TO perverted malice, before
he will eudanger the public peace; and he
will no, adopt forcible means, or such as
might lead to force, so long as the chances
which are peaceable remain open to him or
to his constituents. 1t is true that a case
may occur in which the executive would be
Il - II -. anA
tain them regardless of consequences. If
congress should pass an act which is not
only palpably in conflict with the constiiu-
ton, but will certainly, if carried out, end in
serious injuries to the government; and
if there be neither judicial remedy for the
wrong II inhics or power in the people to
protect themselves without the official aid of
their elected defender; il, for instance, the
legislative department should pass an act.
even through all the forms
of law, to abolish coordinate
department of the governmental such
a case the president must take the high re-
sponsibility of his Office and save the life of
the nation at all hazards This would be
simply civil war, andeivil war must be resor-
ted to only as the last remedy for the worst
of evils. What ever might tend to pro-
woke it should be most carefully avoided"
"How far the authority of the president
preserve, protect and defend the Constitu-
ton, requires him to 60 in opposing an un-
constitutional act of congress, is a very
! serious and important question, on which ]
have deliberated much and felt extremely
anxious to reach a proper conclusion.
Where an act has been passed according to
the forms of the constitution by the supreme
| legislative authority of the country, execu-
tive resistance to it, in times of high party
excitement, would be likely to produce a vi
olent collision between the respective
adherents of both branches of the govern
rnent."
ofthe tenure of Office bill the president
says:
The forced retention in Office ofa single
dishonest person may work great injury TO
the public interests. Danger of the public
service comes not from the power to remove
but from the power to appoint
| Therefore it was that the
trainers Of the constitution left the power of
removal unrestricted, while they gave the
senate the right to reject all appointments