The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-12-11

Synopsis Of the Presidents Message
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3.-The following ar,
extracts from the Presidents message: /
Our first duty at the close Of the civil
war was to repair injuries suffered, and Sc
cure the benefit Of the wars lessons at the
earliest moment. This duty was promptly
accepted by the Executive. The restora
ton Of the insurrectionary States in the
first moments Of peace was believed as easy
and certain as it was indispensable.
j These expectations were disappointed
| by legislation, and now there is no Union
when one State is as free an another to
regulate its internal affairs according to its
Town will. Here follows an elaborate argu,
ment on the proposition that the Union
and Constitution are inseperable.
| AS long as one is obeyed the other will
be preserved, and if one is destroyed, both
will perish together, There is no military
or other necessity real or pretended, which
can prevent obedience to the constitution
either North or South. The hope is ex-
pressed that Congress may ultimately con-
eur in plan of settlement consistent with
/ the true interests Of the country and then
sworn duties.
This course is too natural and too just
to be easily abandoned. It is clear to the
apprehension of the President that the
States lately in rebellion are still members
of the Union. The Executive, my prede-
cessor as we'll as myself, and heads of all
departments, have adopted and acted upon
the principle that the Union is not dissoly-
ed, but is indissoluble.
Congress submitted constitutional amend
ments to the Southern States, and accept
ed their votes on the ratification of the
same. The judges of the Supreme Court
have included the Southern States in their
districts 1.-THE Southern States are COM
|ponent parts of the Union, the Constitu-
ton is the supreme law for them as for all
other States. They are bound to obey it,
and SO are we. Being sincerely convinced
that these views are correct, the President
recommends the repeal Of the acts placing
the Southern States under military masters.
The conflict between the reconstruction
ton acts and the rights Of the people under
the constitution is argued and illustrated
at length.
Abiding to negro suffrage, the President
says "Tbe subsection of the States to ne
gro dominion would be worse than the ex-
listing military despotism The people will
endure endless military oppression rather
than degrade themselves by subsection to
the negro race.
The blacks are entitled to be we'll and
permanently governed, but if it were posi-
BILE to give them agovernment of their own,
it would become grave question whether
we ought to do so, or whether common hu-
mainly would not require us to save them
from themselves. But it is not proposed
that they shall only govern themselves, but
that they shall govern the white men, and
to a greater or less extent, control the des-
tiny of the whole country.
The negro character is contrasted with
the virtue, intelligence and spirit Of pro-
gress OF the white race. The negro popu-
|ation is contrasted with emigrants, and
The different terms OF acquiring citizenship
and franchise are stated
The President yields to no man in attach
nent to the rule Of suffrage, but it requires
of some classes suitable time for protec-
ion and preparation.
To transfer Our political inheritance to /,
he negroes would, in the Presidents opin-
on, be an abandonment Of a duty which
We owe alike to the memory Of our fathers !
md to the rights of our children. ,
Depicting the horrors inevitable from the
proposed governments, the President says
t will require q strong standing army and ,
'robably more than 5000, 600 600 per an IN.
o maintain the supremacy Of negro gov !.
after they have been established. !
Without military power they are wholly :
Incapable ofholding in subsection the white :
people Of the South
The effect on the public credit and trade :
y the persistence in the congressional !,
cheme is discussed. showing ruin to both.
The Presidents financial policy has al
eady been truthfully foreslladowed.
The message make no special allusion to /.
he cotton tax. j,
Discussing the Presidents duty, he says ,
Ifter grave consideration leases might
rise where after laws had passed all con-
titutional forms, had been placed on the
tatute books, it would be The duty Of the
Executive to refuse to carry them out re-
,aEdless Of consequences this would be
INVOLVING the country in a jSstifable civil ,
var.
The civil tenure bill is discussed and de-
lounced as unconstitutional, extra judicial
md promotive OF fraud in preventing the
emoval Of dishonest officers. il
The President deliberately discusses the !
financial question, and invites its early con- !,
liberation BY Congress. III comparing the
nrrency circulation ofseven years ago with !
hat Of the present time, he gays that strik.
ng facts make it the obvious duty of the i
government to take such measures as will i
nable the holders GIFTS notes, and those 3
+ the national banks, to convert them 4
without loss into specie or its equivalent,
\ reduction Of our circulating paper medi-
i'm need not necessarily follow. This
rould depend on the law Of demand and
upply, though it shonld be borne in mind q
hat BY making legal tender and bank notes !,
convertible into coin or its equivalent, their
resent specie value would De enhanced 100 6
'er. cent. The varied issues ofour bonds
nd the gold and paper interests ofthe same v
re alluded to at some length, and the Presi- p
lent declares that equal and exact justice G
equires that all the creditors Of the G3v-IT
rnment should be paid in a currency of b
quail value, and NOT gold forone and paper b
Or another. He fayors the measure OIL
etiring our paper currency, that gold and J
liver may cease to be articles of traffic and I