The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1867-12-21
terposing to protect the people

lation- He says, however, that if
the legislative department should
pass an act, even through all the
forms of law, to abolish a co-ordi-
nate branch of the Government,
'the President must take the high
responsibilities of his Office, and
save the life of the nation at all
hazards"
The Congress is informed of the
treaty with Denmark for the pur-
chase of the islands of st. Johns
and st. Thomas, of the Virgin
group of the West Indies, and the
reasons therefor. Their attention
is also called to the necessity to
provide, tor the payment of the
purchase money for the territory
OF Alaska from Russia.
Attention is called to enormous
frauds on the Treasury, by which
immense fortunes have been made
at the public expense. This cor
ruption has increased, is increas-
ing, and ''if not diminished will
soon bring us into total ruin and
disgrace"
Congress is urged to revise
thoroughly the revenue system.
, Articles Of luxury should bear the
chief burthens, and necessaries
should be left as free from taxa.
= ton as possible. Retrenchment
and reform should be carried into
every branch of the public service.
The accomplishment Of these re
suits, with the restoration of the
Union on the basis Of the Consti.
tuition, would inspire confidence
at home and abroad.
The annexed editorial review Of
the Message, we take from the
; New Orleans Bee:
The President takes no step
backward. Emboldened by the
2 revolution in public sentiment as
) manifested by the late elections
in the North and West, he reiter
ates the constitutional doctrines
D he has so often had occasion in
/ the hearing of the people to an.
! nounce and to elucidate. He de,
tends his action towards the res.
I toration of the insurrectionary
!, States, and throws upon Congress
a the entire blame of the defeat OF
the measures he adopted for that
purpose. He asserts the fact that
e there is no union where one State
a is not as free asanOther to regulate
its internal affairs according to its
own will. He argues that the
! Union and Constitution are ont
and inseparable, and that if one
be destroyed, both will perish to
i gether. The Constitution of thu
It United States is one entire law
a a totally. When it is irfringed
in the slightest degree it's binding
Ii force no longer exists, and all par
e ties to the compact resume the
q exercise OF those powers which
. they possessed prior to IT'S estab
. lishment. The President demon
d strates conclusiyely that the Con
It stitution operates over the lately
:, "rebelious" States, the citizens O
which have the same right to seel
e shelter under its egis, as those O
IS the Northern States. He shows
= that his predecessor, he himself
and the heads ofthe Departm ents
I. have adopted and acted upon tn,
'f principle that the Southern States
n are still members of the Uuion
which has not been dissolved be
cause it is indissOluble. He show
q that Congress recognized tn,
It membership in the Union of al
If the Southern States by submittin.
- to them the constitutional amend
+ ments and accepting their vote
IS on the ratification of the same
"a and that Judges of the Suprem
" Court have included those State
= in their districts. The Presiden
If argues, that if they are compo
. nent parts of the Union, the Con
- stitution is the supreme law TO
. them as for all the other States
'e and holds they are bound to ODE,
N it. Being convinced his views ar
p. correct, he recommends the re
peal of the acts placing tn
Southern States under militar
re control. He demonstrates the in