The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-07-24
SHORT MESSAGE FROM THE
PRESIDEH
The Cost OF e.ReconstrdctIon. [.

WASHINGTON, July Is The following
me sage was tran, mi,tei to day. addressed
| to the Senate Of the United States:
| transmit herewith the reports from the
| Secretary of War and Attorney general,
containing the information called for by the
resolution of the Senate of the third inst. f,
| requesting the President to communicate to
the Senate the copies of all orders, instrue-
tions circular-letters of advice issued to the
respective military officers assigned to the
| command Of the several military districts,
| under the act passed March 2, 1867, enti-
tied an act to provide for the more efficient
government of the rebel States, and an act
supplementary thereto, passed March %.
1867.
Also copies of all opinions given him by
the Attorney general of the United States
touching construction and Interpretation OF
said act, and all correspondence relating to
operations of construction or execution OF
| said acts, and such as may have taken place
between himself and any such commander;
or between him and the General of the
| army; or between the latter and said COM
maBders in carrying out the provisions of
said act or either OF them.
Also, that he inform the Senate what
progress he has made in the matter of reg
istI alton under said acts, and whether Il Q
sum of money appropriated for carrying
them out be probably sufficient. In answer
to that portion Of the resolution, whether
the sum of money appropriated for Carrying
these acts into effect is probably sufficient,
reference is made to the accompanying re-
port of the Secretary of War 1t will be
eeen from that report the appropriation of
$5,2S0,00 made in the act approved March
80 1867, for the purpose of carrying into
effect, and to provide for the more efficient
government of the rebel States, passed
March 2, 1867, and the act supplementary,
passed March %, 1867, has already been
expended by the commanders of the gener
al mi itary districts, and that, in addition,
the sum Of 81 ,645,277 is required tor pres
ent purposes
1t IS exceedingly difficult at the present
time to estimate the probable expense
carrying into full effect the two acts of
March last an | the bill which pass the two
Houses of Congress on the 18th inst. IF
the existing governments of the IN States
of the Union are to be deposed, and their
entire machinery to be placed under the
exclusive control and authority of their re-
spective district commanders, sll expendi-
lures incident to the administration of such
governments must necessarily be incurred
be the Federal Government.
1t is believed that in addition to the 81
100000 already expended, an estimate for
the same which will be required for this
purpose would not be less than $l4, 900. 900,
the aggrcgate amount expended prior to
the reb ,llion in the ad nini,tratou Of their
respective Governments by the ten States
embraced in the provisions of those acts.
The sum expended would no doubt be con-
siderahly augmented if the machinery of
these States is to be operated by the FEEDER
al Government, and would be largely in
creased il the United States, bv abolishing
the existing State governments, should be
come responsible for the liabilities incurred
by them before the rebellion in laudable eff
forts to d1ytDJ thar r1sD1rcA3. All IN no
wise created FIR in5urrec'ionary purposes.
The debt OF these States, thus legitimately
incurred. when accurately aScertalnad, will,
1t Is believed, approximate a hundred mil
lion dollars, and they are held not only by
our own citizens, among whom are residents
OF portions OF the country which have ever
been Loyal to the Union, but by persons who
are subj bjects of foreign Governments.
1t is worthy of the consideration of Con-
gress and of the country, whether, if the
Federal Government by its action were to
assume such obligations, so large an addi-
ton to our public eXrend lures would not
seriously impair the credit Of the nation; or,
on the other hand, whether the refusal of
Congress to guarantee the payment of these
States, after having displaced or abolished
their Stat, Governments, would not be
viewed as a violation of good faith and re-.
pudlatiop by the National Legislature of
the liabilities which these States had justly
and legally incurred.
(Signed) ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON July Is. 1867.