The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-07-19
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

I transmit, herewith, reports from tho
Secretary Of War and the Attorney Gener.
al, containing the information called for by
the resolution Of the Senate, Of the Sd in.
stunt, requesting the President to commit
nicate to the Senate copies Of all orders. In
sin,clions, circulars letters. or letters Of I'D.
vice. issued to the respective military OH.
GERS assigned to the command Of the sever.
nj Military Districts, under tho act passed
March 2. 1867, entitled IAN act to provide
for the more efficient government OF tho
Rebel States, and the act supplementary
thereto, passed March q, 1855" also,
copies Of al opinions given to him by the
Attorney General Of tho United States,
touching the construction and interpretation
Of said acts, and OF oil correspondence 70.
lating 10 the operation, construction, or ex-
ecution Of said acts, and such rs may have
taken place between himself and any Of
such commanders, and between him and
tho General Of the Army, or between tho
latter and any Of the said commanders,
touching the same subjects also, copies Of
oil orders issued by any Of said command.
ers in carrying out the provisions Of said
acts. or either OF them also, that he inform
tho Senate what progress has been mada- "
the matter. Of registration, under said acts,
and whether the sum Of money heretoiore
appropriated for carrying them out 20 10
probably sufficient. In answer to that por-
ZION Of the resolution which inquiries whcth7
or the sum Of money heretotnre appropri-
ated for carrying these, acts into effect Is
probably sufficient reference 10 made to tho
accompanying report Of tho Secretary Of
War. Il will DO seen from that report that
tho appropriation Of 5000 900 made In the
act, approved March 30. 1857. for tho pur.
pose Of carrying into effect the net to pro.
vide for the mora efficient government of
tho Rebel Suites, passed March 2, 1867, and
the act supplementary, passed March q,
1867, has already been expended by the
commanders Of the general Military Dis
tricts, and that In addition the sum OF el,-
CAS-, 277 is required for present. purposes.
It is exceedingly difficult at the present time
to estimate tho probable expense Of carry
ing into full effect the two acts Of March
last, and tho bill which parsed the two
Houses Of Congress on the 18th inst. II
the existing governments oil ten States Of
the Union are to he deposed, and their en-
tire machinery 10 to be placed under the az.
elusive control and authority Of the respect
i've District Commanders, MI the expendi.
lures incident to the administration of such
governments must necessarily be incurred
by the Federal Government IL Is believed
that in addition to the g, 1907 900 already
expended, an estimate Of the sum which
will DO required for this purpose would not
be less than $l4, 0OO,0 900, the aggregate
amount expended prior to the rebellion in
the administration Of their respective gov.
ernments by the ten States embrnced in the
provisions of these acts. The sum expend.
cd would, no doubt, be considerably ang-
mented if the machinery Of these States y
to he opcruied by the Federal Government,
aud would be largely increased if the Unit
ed States, by abolishing the existing State
governments, should become responsible for
liabilities incurred by them before tho 70.
bellion in lauduble efforts to ,leyelope her
resources, and in nOwise created for inyur-
rcctionary purposes. The debt Of these
States, thus legitimately incurred, when &C.
curntely asccrtained, will, II Is believed. 9p-
proximate a hundred millions Of dollars,
and they are held not only by our own citi-
ZenS, uinODS WHOtn uIc IcSiucHtS VI pVsuous
Of the country which have ever remained
loyal to the Union, but by persons who are
tho subjects of foreign Governments. II ID
worthy tho consideration Of Congress and
the country whether, if tho Federal Gov.
eminent by action were to assume such OBJ.
lguiions, SO large an addition to our public
expenditures would not seriously impair the
credit of tho nation. Or, on. the other
hand, whether the refusal Of Congress to
guarantee tho payment Of the debts Of those
States, after having displaced or abolished
their State governments, would not DO
viewed rs n violation Of good faith, and a
population by tho National Legislature of
liabilities which these States had justly and
legally incurred. ANDREW JOnNsor.
Washington, ID. c., July Is, 1867.