The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-12-04
THE pREsIDENTs MESSAGE.


Fellow Citizens Of the Senate and House Of Rep
resentatives
The continued Reorganization of the I'm
ion, to which the President has SO oiteh
called the attention Of congress, IS yet sub.
,iect of profound and patriotic concern. We
may, however, feel some rehef from the anx-
iety in the reflection that the painful politi-
cal situation, although before untried by our
selves, is not new in the experience of ma
tons. Political science, perhaps as highly
perfected IN our own time and country as in
any other, has not yet disclosed any means
by which civil wars can be absolutely pre-.
vented. An enlightened nation, however,
with wise and benefcent constitution of
free government may diminish their freauen.
ey and mitigate their severity, By directing
all its proceedings in accordance with its
fundamental law. When civil war has
been brought to close, it is manifestly the
the FIRST interest aud duty of a state to repair
the injuries which the war has inflicted, and
to secure the benefit Of the lessons it teach.
ess, as fully and speedily as possible. This
duty was, upon the termination of the rebel.
lion, promptly accepted, not only by the ex-
ecutiye department. but by the instruction
airy states themselves. and restoration, in the
hrst moments of peace, was believed 20 be
The expectations, however, then SO reasona-
bly, and confidently entertained, were disap.
pointed by legislation from which / feel con-
strained by my obligations to the constitu-
ton, to withhold my assent. 1t is, therefore,
a source of profound regret that, in comply
ing with the obligations 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 com-
municate any definite adjustment,
satisfactory to the American people,
of the questions which, since the
close of the rebellion, have agitated the
mind of the country. Candor compels me
to declare that at 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 when all the states are represented in
both houses OF congress; when one state il
as free as another to regulate its internal
concerns according to its own will, and when
the laws of the central government, strictly
confined to matters of national Jurisdiction.
apply with equal force to all people of every
station. That such is not tho fsoeon1 state
of the Union is q melancholy fact and we
all must acknowledge that the restoration of
the states to their proper legal relations with
the federal government, and with one anoth-
er, according to the terms of the original
compact, would be the greatest temporal
blessing which God, in his kindest provi-
dence, could 1bestow upon our nation. 1t
becomes our imperative duty to consider
whether or not ii is impossible to effect this
most desirable contamination. The Union
and the constitution are inseparable. AS
long as one is obeyed by all parties, the 9TH
er will be preserved and If one is destroyed,
both must perish together.
The destruction of the constitution will be
followed by other and still greater calamities.
1t was ordained not only to form more per-
feet Union between the states, but to estab-
lish justice, insure domestic tranquility, pro-
vide for the common defence, promote the
general welfare, and secure the blessings of
liberty to ourselves and our posterity
Nothing but implicit obedience to its require
ments, in all parts of the country, will accom-.
pllsh these great ends. Without that obed-
ence, we can look forward only to continual
outrages upon individual rights, ineessant
breaches of public peace national weak
ness, financial dishenor, total loss of our
property. general corruption of morals, and
final extinction of popular freedom To
save our country from evils so appalling as
these, we should renew our efforts again and
again.
To me the process of Reconstruction seems
perfectly plain and simple. 1t consists mere
y in q faithful application of the constitu-
ton and laws. The execution of the laws
is not now obstructed or opposed by physi-
cal force. There is no military or other
necessity, real or pretended. which can pre-.
vent obedience to the constitution, either
north or south. All rights and all obliga-
tons OF states or individuals can be pro-
tected and enforced by means perfectly con
ssetnt with the fundamental law. Courts
may be everywhere open, and, if open, their
process would be unimpeded Crimes
against the United States can be prevented
or punished by proper judicial authorities in
a manner entirely practicable and legal
There is, therefore, no reason why the con
.stitution should not be obeyed. unless those
who exercise its powers have determined
that it shall be disregarded and violated
The mere naked will of this government. OF
of some one or more of its branches, is the
only obstacle that can exist to perfect Union
of all the states. sH
On this momentous question, and some Of
the measures growing out of it, I had III.
misfortune to differ from congress, and have
expressed my conviction without reserve
though with becoming Difference to the opin
ion of the Legislative department. Those
convictions were not only unchanged, bu,
strengthened by subsequent events aud furth
er reflections. The transcendent import
ance of the subject will be a sufficient excus,
for calling your attention to some of the req
sons which have SO strongly influenced IN,
own judgment The hope that we may a
finally concur in a mode of settlement con
sistent at once with our true interests an,
with our sworn duties to the constitution, i
too natural an too just to be easily relin
guished.
1t is clear to my apprehension that the
states lately in rebellion are still members c
the national Union. When did they cease t.
be so? The ordinances of secession, adopte
by portion of their citizens, were mere nul
lities. III we admit now that they were vail
and effectual for the purposes intended b
their authors, we sweep from under our fee
the whole ground upon which we justifie
The war. Were these states afterward ey
PEELED from the Union By the war ? The d
rect contrary was averred by this govern
ment to be its purpose, and it was so under
stood by all those who gave their blood an,
treasure to aid its prosecution. Itcannot b
that a successful war, waged for the preser
walton of the union had the legal effect o
dlssolving it. The victory of the nation
arms was not the disgrace of her policy; tn
defeat OF secession on the battlefield wa
not the triumph of its lawless principle
nor could congress, with or without the con
sent OF the executive, do &enythinp which
would have the effect, directly or indirectly
nf oona rating tho atatass q. - :, - y