Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-12-04
PRHSIDBNT'S MESSAGE.

| Fello,o- Citizens of the Senate and House of
Representatives.:
The continued disorganization of the
Union. to which the President has so often
| allied the attention of Congress. is vet a
| subject of profound and patriotic concern.
| We may. however, find some relief from
| that anxiety in the reflection that so pain
fnl political situation, although before
untried by ourselves, is not new in the eX-
perience of nations.
| Political science, perhaps as highly per-
feet in our time and country as in any 9TH
er, has not yet disclosed any means by
which civil wars can be absolutely pre-
vented.
| An enlightened nation. however, with a
wise and beneficient constitution of free
government may diminish their frequency
and mitigate their severity by directing all
itS proceedings in accordance with its fun
damental law. When a 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 benefit of the lessons it teaches,
as fully and speedily as possible. This
| duty was, upon the termination of the re-
| bellion, promptly accepted, not only by the
Executive Department, but by the insur-
rectionary States themselves, and restora-
tlon in the first moment of peace was be-
lieved to be as easy and certain as i5 was
| =,
then so reasonably and confidently enter
tanned, were disappointed by legislation
from which felt constrained, by my obli-
cations to the Constitution, to withhold my
assent.
| THE STATE OF THE UNION.
lt is, therefore. source of profound re-
greet that, in complying with the obligation
imposed upon the President by the Consti-
tuition to give to Congress, from time to
| time, Information of the state OF the I'm
ion, am unable to communicate any def
mite adjustment satisfactory to the Amer
lean people, of questions which, since tho
close of the rebellion, have agitated the
public mind of the country. Candor COM
pels me to declare that all this time there
is no Union as our fathers understood the
term, and as they meant it to be understood
by us. The Union which they established
can exist only where all the States are rep
resented in both Houses of Congress, where
one State is as free as another to regulate
its internal concerns according to its own
will, and where the laws of the central
government are strictly confined to mat
ters of national jurisdiction, and which
apply with equal force to all the people Of
every section. That such is not the pres
ent state of the Union is a melancholy fact;
and we all must acknowledge that the res
toration 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 his kindest Providence could bestow
upon this nation.
1t becomes our imperative duty to con-
| slider whether or not it is impossible to
| effect this most desirable consummation
The Union and the Constitution are insepa-
rable. As long as one is obeyed by all
parties, the other will be preserved: and if
one is destroyed, both must perish togeth-
er. The destruction of the Constitution
will be followed by other and still greater
| calamities. 1t was ordained not only to
| form more perfect union between the
States but Ito establish justice, insure do
mestic tranquility, provide for the common
| deIense, promote the general welfare, and
to secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and our posterity." Nothing but
implicit obedience to its requirements in all
parts of the country will accomplish these
great ends. Without that obedience we
can look forward only to continual out
RACES upon individual rights, incessant
breaches of the public peace, national
weakness, financial dishonor. total loss of
our property. general corruption OF morals,
and final extinction of popular freedom.
To save onr country from evils so appalling
as these we should renew our efforts again
aud again.
THE PROCESS OF RESTORATION.
To me the process of restoration seems
mainly in faithful application of the Con-
stitution and laws. The execution of the
laws is not now obstructed or opposed by
physical force. There is no military or
other necessity, real or pretended, which
can prevent obedience to the Constitution.
Either North or South, all rights and all
obligations OF States and individuals, can
be protected and enforced by means per-
fectly consistent with the Fundamental law.
The courts may be everywhere open, and
if open, their process would be unimpeded.
Grimes against the United States can. be
prevented or punished by the proper Judi
cial authorities in manner entirely prac-
ticable and legal. There is, therefore, no
reason why the Constitution should not be
obeyed, unless those who exercise its pow
ers have determined that it should be dis
regarded and violated. The mere naked
will of this Government, or of some one or
more of its branches. is the only obstacle
that can exist to perfect the Union OF all
the States.
On this momentous question, and on
some OF the measures growing out of it, I
had the misfortune to differ from Congress,
and have expressed my conviction without
reserve, though with becoming Difference
to the opinion of the legislative depart
ment. Those convictions were not only
unchanged. but strengthened, by subse-
quent events and further reflection. The
transcendent Importance of the subject
will be sufficient excuse for calling your
attention to some of the reasons which
have strongly influenced my own judg-
ment. The hope that we may all finally
concur in a mode of settlement consistent
at once with our true interests and with
our sworn duties to the Constitution, is too
natural and too just to be easily relinquish-
ed.
KNOCK-DOwN ARGUMENT.
1t is clear to my apprehension that the
States lately in rebellion are still members
of the National Union. When did they
cease to be so? Ordinances of secession,
adopted by portion of their citizens, were
mere nullities. If we admit now that they
were valid and effectual for the purpose
intended by their authors, we sweep from
under our feet the whole ground upon
which we justified the war. Were those
States afterward expelled from the Union
by the war? Directly the contrary was
averred by this Government to be its pur-
pose, and was SO understood by all those
who gave their blood and treasure to aid
in its prosecution. 1t can not be that sue
cessful war wagrd for the preservation of
the Union had the legal effect of dissolving
it. The victory of the nations arms was
not the disgrace of her policy. The defeat
of secession on the battlefield was not the
triumph of its lawless principle. Nor
could Congress, with or without the con-
sent of the Executive, do any thing which
would have the effect, directly or indi-
rectly, of separating the States from each
other. To dissolve the Union is to repeal
the Constitution which holds it together;
and that is power which does not belong
to any department of this Government, or
to all of them united. This is so plain that
it has been acknowledged by all branches
of the Federal Government. My prede-
cessors, as well as myself, and the heads of
all the departments, have uniformly acted