The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1867-12-10

the Presidents Message.
The annual Message Of the President
w,.s ddvercd to Congress or Tuesday. -
Its great length and our limited space
renders it necessary TO abridge and give
only summary OF its conteRts. II is ad.
miltc,l Ia he an able document. written ia
garments on finance, tenure of ollicc, taxa
ti,n and foreign affairs which demand
earnest and Candid consideration His
peculiar views Of reconstruction are again
urcod at leng,h and he sugaes,a lie posi-.
hi!iiy of legislation which he would feel
hound TO resist by force, though he docs
not regard any pas; acts Of Congress rs
coming within that category. With this
SIM lie exception it is candid and fair.
seeming, Whatever errors there may Ike
in l., are in his methods and NOT in the
semper exhibited
The President opens iy saying that tie
cont .nued Reorganization of the Union,
20 which Inc President has so often called
The attention of Congress, is yet u subject
of profound and patriotic concern. lie
says: alt is therefore 4 source Of pro-
found regret, in complying with the obli-
Cation imposed upon the President by the
Constitution, to give Cong 'ess from time
10 time information of the state of the
Union l am unable TO communicate
any definite adjustment satisfactory to the
American people Of the questions which,
since the close Of the Rebellion, have agi-
latcd the public; mind. On the contrary
Cantor compcls me to declare that at this
time there is no Union, as our fathers I'M
,lerstoo ! the term, and AS they meant it TO
be understood by us. The Union which
they established can exist only Xhero all
the States are represented in both houses
of Congress" To the President, the pro-
ross Of restoration seems perfectly plain
and simple. 1t consists merely in faith
full application of the Constitution and
laws The execution OF the laws is not
NV obstructed 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 the rights and all the obliga'
tions of States and individuals can be
protected and enforced by means perfectly
consistent with the fundamental law. /
is clear TO his apprehension that the State
lately in Rebellion are still members o
the National UNION. When did they
cease to be 80 The Ordinances of Sc
cession adopted by portion--in most o
them, a very small poricn-oi their cit
zens, were mere utilities. If we ADM
now that they were valid and efiectua
for the purpose intended by their authors
we sweep from under our feet the who'll
ground upon which we justified the war
The President Celebrates these vie ~
at great length, and then says: "Bein;
sincerely convinced that these views ar
correct, | would be unfaithful to my DAT,
II did not recommend the repeal Of III,
acts of Congress whiclfA,lace ten of tn
Southern States under the domination o
military masters. If calm reflection shall
satisfy majority of your honorabl
bodies that the acts referred to are no
only violation ofthc National faith, bu
in direct conflict with the Constitution,
dare not permit myself TO doubt that yo
will immediately strike them from til
statute book"
The President proceeds TO say that Il
has no desire tc save from the Just an
proper consequences Of their crime thos
who engaged in the Rebellion, but DIS
mode Of punishment the measures undo
consideration are the most unreasonable
that could he invented Many of thes
people are perfectly innocent, and Of thos
who are guilty with their own consen
the degrees of guilt are as various as thei
shades OF character and temper. Bu
these acts of Congress confourd them n
together in one common doom. Ind;
crlminate vengeance on classes, sect.
parties, or upon whole communities fc
otfenses committed by n portion Of thei
against Government to which they owe
obedience was common in the barbaror
ages but Christianity and ciyilzatio
have made such progress that recourse
punishment SO cruel and unjust woul
meet the condemnation of all unprejudice
,and right minded men. The plimitiy
justice OF this age, especially in this coul
try, does not consist in stripping who
States Of their Liberties and reducing q
oft heir people without distinction 10 Il
condition of slavery.
He says he is aware that it is assum,
that this system of government for q
South is not to be perpetual. If Il
guarantees of the Constitution can
broken Professionally to serve a tempora