Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-12-14
Tho Presidents Message.

most interesting portions of the Presidents
Message It's moderate in tone, firm in tho,
grounds already occupied and Enow assumed,
and statcsmanlike throughout, Wo say this
the moro readily, as we have not on other oc-
ca"'ons been able to endorse fully the course
OF the President. His views on rcconstruc-
ton arc favorable 20 The South, and lust to the
whole cou try, but we do not think that they
will prevail Impartial suffrage, prclicatcd
on such qualifications as will put the govern
mcnt in the hands of the intelligent and of
those who have property to be taxed, might
have been secured by the Southern people a
year ago; now, in all human probability, the
congressional plan Of reconstruction will pre-
vail, bad as it is
The President is sufficiently distinct in his
assuranccs to Congress that ho will resist, by
force, any act of that body dcrosing Him be.
fore trial. lie boldly says:s
| GLOW far the duty of the President "to rrc.
serve, protect, and defend the constitution
requires him to go in opposing an unconstitu-
| tional act Of Congress, is a very serious and
important question, OH which have dclibcra-
| ted much, and felt extremely anxious to reach
q proper conclusion. Whoro an act has been
passed according to the forms of the constitu
ton by the supreme Legislative authority, and
| is regularly cnrolod among tho public statutes
Of the country. Executive resistance to it,
| especially in times Of high party excitement,
would be likely to produce violent collision
| between tho respective adhcrcnts Of the two
branches Of the Government. This would be
simply civil war and civil war must be re-
sorted to only as the last remedy for tho worst
of evils Whatever might tond to provoke it
should be most carefully avoided. a faithful
and conscientious Magistrate will conccdc
very much to honest error, and something
even to pcrvcrsc malice, before he will cndan.
ger the public peace and he will not adopt
| torcioie measures, or such as might load to
force, as long rs those which arc pcacoaLc re-
main open to him or TO his constituents It
| is true that cascS may occur in which tho lGx-
| cculivc would be compelled to stand on its
! rights, and maintain them, regardless of all
| consequences II Congress should pass an
act which is not only in palpablc conflict with
| the constitution, but will certainly, if carried
out produce immediate and irrcpar.ble injury
| to the organic structure Of the Government,
and if there Nn neither judicial remedy for
the wrongs it iniiicts, nor power in the people
to protect themselves without the official ai,l
Of their elected detrndcr-if, Tor instance the
legislative department. should pa.s an act, even
through all tho forms of law, to abolish CO.
ordinate department Of the Governmcnt--in
such a case the President must take the high
responsibilities Of his Office, and save tho life
of the nation at all hazards"
The President makes good point against
Congress on the working of tho ys Tcnure-of
Office" law passed by that body.
But it is on the currency that the Prcsidcn
bcspoaks tho statesman a speedy return t,
specie payments would greatly benefit tic
South, as we'll as the balance Of the country
In the North aud Vest, the abundant currcn
cy initiates prices; hare, We DC not even have
currency, but arc ground down with iniatoG
prices. Wcspccl tho return to specie basis
Tho rcnainlcr Of the Message will appea,
next week.