Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,

attention of Congress, is yet subject of pro-
found aud patriotic concern. We may, how
ever, find some relief from that anxiety in
the reflection that the painful political situa-
ton, although before untried by ourselves, is
not new in the experience of nations. Po-
litical science, perhaps, as highly perfected
In our own times and country as in any other,
has not yet discovered any means by which
civil wars can be absolutely prevented. An
enlightened nation, however, with a wise and
bene6cent Constitution, of free government,
may diminish their frequency and mitigate
their severity by directing all its proceedings
in accordance with its fundamental law.
RECONSTRUCTION.
When civil war has been brought to
close, it is manifestly the first interest and
duty of the State to repair the injuries which
the war has inflicted and to secure the bene-
fit of the lessons it teaches as fully and as
speedily as possible. This duty was upon the
termination of the rebellion promptly accept>
ed, not only by the Executive Department,
but by the iusurrectionary States themselves;
and restoration IN the first moment of peace
was believed to be as easy aud certain as it
was indispensable. The expectations, how
ever, then SO reasonably and confidently Gu
tertained, were disappointed by legislation
from which l felt constrained, by my Obliga-
tions to the Constitution, to withhold my as
sent. 1t is therefore a source of profound re-
gret that in complying with the obligation
imposed upon the President by the COustitu-
tiOn, to give to Congress from time 10 time
information OF the state of the Union, l am
unable to communicate any definitive adj Just
ment satisfactory to the American people of
the questions which, since the close of the
rebellion, have agitated the public mind
On the contrary, candOr compels me to de-
clare that at this time there Is no Union as
our fathers understood the term aud as they
meant it to be understood by US The Union
which they established can exist only where
all the States are represented in both Houses
of Congress, where one State is as free as
another to regulate its internal concerns ac-
cOrding to its own will, and where the laws
OF the Central Government, strictly cUutned
to matters Of national jurisdiction apply with
equal force to all the people of every section
That such is not the present '.state Of the
Union" is 4 melancholy fact /; aud We all must
acknowledge that the restoration of the States
70 their proper legal relations with tue Fed
eral Government, aud with one another, ac-
cordiug tn the terms of the original compact,
would be the greatest temporal blessing which
God in his kindest Providence could bestOw
upon this nation. 1t becomes our impera-
tive duty to consider whether or not it is im>
possible to effect this most desirable consunl-
nation The Union and the Constitution are
inscparable. As long as one is Obcyed by all
parties, the other will be preserved, aud if
one Is destroyed both must perish together.
The destruction of the Constitution will be
followed by other and still greater calamities
1t was ordained not only to form a more per-
feet Union between the States but to '.es-
tablish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defence. promote the
general welfare aud secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves aud our posterity"-
Nothing but implicit obedience 10 its require
ments in all parts of the country will accom-
Plish these great ends. Without that obe>
dience, We can look forward only to continual
outragcs upon individual rights, incessaut
breaches of the public peace, national weak.
ness, financial dishonOr, the total loss of our
prosperity, the general corruption of morals
and the final extinction OF popular freedom.
To save our country from evils appalling as
these We should renew our efforts again and
again. To me the process of restoration
seems perfectly plain and simple. 1t con-
sists merely in faithful application of the
Constitution and laws. The execution Of the
laws is not now Obstrueted OF opposed by ply
sical force. There is no military or other ne
cessity, real or pretended, which can prevent
obedience to the Constitution of either North
III OOAGh" AL tut All lIle ODIl8a-
tiOns of States and individuals can be pro-
tected and enforced by means perfectly con-
sistent with the fundamental law The Courts
may be everywhere open, and if open, their
process would be Unimpeded. Crimes against
che United States can be prevented OF pun
lshed by the proper judicial authorities in
manner entirely practicable and legal There
Is, therefore, no reason Why the Constitution
should not be Obeycd, unless those who cx-
ercise its powers, have determined that it
shall be disregarded and violated. The mere
naked will of this Government, or of some
one or more of its branches, is the only OBJ
staele that can exist to perfect union of all
the States on this momentOus question On
some of the measures growing out of it, l
have had the misfortune to differ from Con-
gress, and have expressed my convictions
without reserve, though with becoming det-
ereuee to the opinion of the Legislative De-
P1rtment. Those convictions are not only
unchanged, but strengthened by subsequent
events and further reflection. The trans
cendent importance of the subject will be a
sufficient excuse for calling your attention to
some of the reasons which have so strongly
Influenced my own judgment
The hope that VIC may all finally concur in
mode OF settlement consistent at once with
our true interests and with our own sworn du.
ties 70 the Constitution, Is too natural and
too just to be easily relinquished. Itis clear
to my apprehension that the States lately in
rebellion are still members of the National
Union. When did they cease to be? The
Ordinance of secession" adopted hy por-
tiOu, in most of them very small portion Of
their citizens, were mere nullities. If we
admit now that they were valid and eifectual
for the purpose intended by their authors,
We sweep from under our feet the whole
ground upon which we justified the war;
We're those States afterwards expelled from
the Union by the war? The direct contrary