Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-12-11
.heir determination to preserve

lully Oppubeu- Every WehheT PASSION VIII oisaP-
pear before that love Of liberty and law for which
the American people are distinguished above all
others in the world. ~
How far the duty of the President, !"to pfc,erre,
protect, and defend the Constitution" requires
him to 90 in oppo;,rg I'M unconstitutional act of
Congress, is very serious and important qucs-
ton, on which have deliberatcd much, and, felt
extremely anxious TO roach 8 proper conclusion
Where an act has been passed according ito the
forms of the Constitution by the supremep pegisla-
two authority, and is regularly enrollediameng
the public statutes of the country, Executive re-
sistance to it, especially in times ofshigh party
excitement, would be likely to produce violent
collision between the respective adberents of the
two branches of the Government This would be
simply civil war; and civil war must be rcsortcd
to only the last remedy for the wors. of evils.
Whatever might tend to provoke it should be most
carefully avoided. a faithful and conscientious
Magistrate will concede very much tc honest er-
ror. and something oven to 2errerse malice, be-
fore he will cudnnser the public peace; and he
will not adopt forcibe measures. or such as might
lea TO force, long those which arc poaceable
remain open to him or to his constituents. It Is
true that cnses may occur in which the Executive
would be co npeled to stand On its rights, and
mainiain them, regardless of I'LL consequences.
If Congress should pass an act which is not only
in palpabls conflict with the Constitution, but will
certainly, If carried out, .roduce immediate and
irroparable injury to the organic structure of tho
Government, and if there be neither judicial
remedy for the wrongs it in1icts, nor power In
the people to protect themselves without the off.
cial aid Of their elected defender-if for instance,
the legislative department. should pass an act,
oven through all the forms of law, to abolish o
CO ordinate department of the Government-in
such case the President must take the high re-
spon ;ibiliries of his Office and save the life of
the nation Mt all hazards. Tho so-called re-
construction acts, though as plainly unconstitu-
tional as any that cat be imagined, were hot be-
lieved to be within tho class last mentioned. The
people were not wholly disarmed of the power Of
self defence. In all the Northern Statei they
still held in their hands the sacred right of ths
ballot, and it safe to believe that in duo time
they would como to the rescue Of their own insti-
tutions 1t gives me pleasure to add TINT the ap-
peal 70 our common constituents was not taken in
vain, and that my confidence in their wisdom and
and virtue soems not to have been misplaced.
After thus finishing with the subject Of recon-
strucion, the President sets forth at considerable
length the unconstitutionnlity and inexpediency of
tho " Tenure Of Office Bill; that bill which de-
prives him Of control over his subordinaes. In
this connection, he speaks of to tremendous
frauds that have been, and arc still being, perpe-
tratcd upon the Treasury. And says thatnlthough
he may know an eficer to be dishonest undguilty
of ma!feasancc, yet hc cannot at once, and upon
his own decision, remove him, as he ha, the con-
stitutiorn right to do, but must according 10 this
" Tenure of Office Bill" only accuse hin to the
Senate. He says: "This specie, of corruption
ha. iacreascl is increasing, and if not diminished
will soon bring u, into total ruin and disgrlcO."
The subject of tho Finances and the Currency
comes nsxt. Upon thit subject the Presidsat ad-
vanccs the argument that, ia the present paper
circulation of $7oO 900 200 is equivalent tt spe-
cis circulation of only $3.50, 900 900, the specie
might be substituted for thep paper without causing
any financial crisis.
or the Revenue system the Prcsdeutspeaks
thus:
The attention of Congress is earnestly invited
TO the necessity Of thorough revision of our rev.
enuc system. Our internal revenue laws md i'm
post system should be So adjusted as 20 bear
most heavily or articles of luxury, leaving tho
necessarlos of Ii Us FREQ from taxation rs may
be consistent with IL real Bants of the iovern-
mcnt, economically administered. Taxa would
not ,hon fall uniuly on the nun of modern .ansans;
aud while none would be entirely exempt fom as-
ssssment, all, in proportion to their peuniary
abilities, would contribute toward the support OF
the State. modification Of the informal rvonue
system, by large reduction in the number of ar
ticles now subject to tax, would be folowcdby re-
suits equally advantageous to tho citizen aM the
Government. It would render the eIecutin Of
the law less expensive and moro certain, re,ore
obstructions to industry, lessen the temptntiAs tn
eyade tho law, diminish tho violatipnr.Tuu Slad-
perpetratcd upon its provisions, make its ocra-
tions less inquisitoral, and greatly reduc in
numbers the army Of tax-gatherers created blythe
system, who "takc from the mouth Of homes Ia
Dor the bread it has earned" Retrenehmsnt,re-
form and economy should be carried into eery
branch of the public service, that the e1pehi-
tures of the Government may he reduced nd
the people relieved from oppressive taxation
sound currency should bo restored, and tho puic
faith in regard to the national debt sacrelly b.
served. Tho accomplishment Of these importnt
results together with the restoration Of the Unon
of the States upon the principles of the Ccnstiu
ton, would inspire confidence ct home and abrad
in the stability of our Institutions, and brinsto
the nation prosperity, peace and good will.
He next recommends tho presence of lage
mi !ary force IN the distant North West to KEEP
down tho disaGeotcd Indian tribes of those re-
gions; and urges that these Indians be concn-
trated upon portions of country set apart for hir
exclusive use, and located ut points remote finn
the high ways Of the whites. Especially doeshe
urge their removal from the limo Of the graf
Pacific Railway, which is being pushed forwzd
30 energotically.
Tho expenses of tho Navy have boon paid at
Of the balance remaining from appropriations.
The business of the Pos: Office Departments
as in highly favorable condition
and there is balance, from former appropriations,
In favor Of this Department, of s743,2lO.
Our foreign Relations are amcaLio 10 evey
quarter.
The purchase of the islands Of ST. Thomas ard
St. Johns from Denmark is announced and AZ
proved of. These Islands are of the West Inde,
and by this purchase we acquire harbors Of tie
first importance.
This most admirable message concludes thu:
Tho annexation of many small German Stats
to Prussia, and tho reorganization of that country
under now and liberal constitution, have in
dueed me to renew tho effort to obtain just ant
prompt settlement Of the lons,vexed question
concerning the claims of foreign States Tor mill.
,ary service from their subjects naturalized in tn,
United States.
In connection with this subject the attention
Of Congress is respectfully called to n singular
and embarrassing conflict of laws. The Execu.
tive Department Of this Government has hitherto
held, rs it now holds, that naturaira.
ton, in conformity with the Constitution and laws
of the United S.ates, nbsolves tue recipient frpm
his native allegiance. The courts Of Great Eri-
tain hold that allegiance to the British Crowt is
and ia not abSolved by our law of
British judges cite courts ind
law authorities Of the United States in suppoE of
tina. theory against the position held by the Re-
cutivs authority of the United States. This on
Aict perple1es the public mind concerning The
rights Of naturalized citizens, and impairs The