Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

WASHINGTON, December 1.-THE fol-
lowing is the Presidents message in full
Fellow-citiEens of the Senate and.House OF
The continued DISCRIMINATION Of the
Union, to which the President has so
often called the attention of Congress, is
yet a subject of profound and patriotic
concern. We may, however, find some
relief from that anxiety in the reflection
that the painful political situation,
although before untried by ourselves, is
not new in the experience of nations.
Political science, perhaps as highly per-
fected in our own time and country as in
any other, has not yet disclosed any
means by which civil wars can be pre-
vented. An enlightened nation, how
ever, with wise and beneficent Consti-
tuition of free government, may diminish
their frequency and mitigate their sever
ity, by directing an its proceedings in
accordance with its fundamental law
When civil war has been brought to a
close it is manifestly the first interestand
duty of the State to repair the injuries
which war has inflicted, and to secure the
benefit Of the lessons it teaches as fully
and speedily as possible This duty was
upon the termination of the rebellion
promptly accepted, not only by the Ex-
ecutive Department, but by the insurrec-
tionary States themselves, and restora.
ton as the FIRST movement of peace was
believed to he as easy aud certain as it
was indispensable. The expectations,
however, then so reasonably and conf
IDENTIFY entertained, we're disappointed by
legislation from which felt constrained
by my obligations to the Constitution to
withhold my assent.
Ii is therefore source of profound
regret that in complying with the obliga-
ton imposed upon the President by the
Constitution, to give to Congress, from
time TO time, information OF the state of
the Union" / am unable to communi-
cate any definite adjustment satisfactory
to the American people, Of the ques.
tions which, since-the close Of the rebel
lion, have agitated the public mind. On
the, contrary, candor eompels me to
declare that at this time there is no
Union, as our fathers understood the
term, and as they meant it to be under
stood by U.S. 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 con-
Germs according TO its own will; and
where the laws Of the Central Govern
ment, strictly confined to matters Of
national jurisdiction, apply with equal
force 10 an the people of every section.
That such is not the present state Of the
Union is a melancholy fact; and, since
we all must acknowledge that the resto-
ration Of the States to their proper legal
relations with the Federal Government,
and with one another according to the
terms Of the original compact, would be
the greatest temporal blessing which
God in bis kindest providence could
bestow upon this nation, 1t becomes our
imperative duty TO consider whether or
not IL Is impossible TO effect this most
desirable contamination.
The Union aud the Constitution are
iuseparabie. As .ong as one Is obeyed !
by al parties the other viii be preserved; |
and II one Is destroyed both must perish |
The destruction Of the Con |
stitution will be followed By other aud ]