The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1867-12-13
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

is vet a subject ofprOfOund and patriot
ic concern. We may, however, find
some relief from that anxiety in the re-
Election that the painful political situa-
ton, although before untried by our
selves, is not new in the experience OF
nations. Political science, perhaps, as
highly perfected in our own times and
country as in any other, has not yet dis
covered any means by which civil wars
can he absolutely prevented. An en-
lightened nation, however, with a
wise and beneficent Constitution OF
free government, may diminish their
frequency and mitigate their severity
by directing all its proceedings In ac-
cordance with its fundamental law.
Reconstruction.
When civil war has been brought
to close, it is manifestly the first IN
tereSt and duty Of the State to repair
the injuries which the war has inflicted
and to secure the benefit of the lessons
it teaches as fully and as speedily as
possible. This duty was upon the term
inatiOn of the rebellion promptly ac-
cepted, not only by the Executive De
partment, but by the inSurrectiOnary
States themselves; and restoration in
the first moment of peace was believed
to be as easy and certain as it was in
dispensabe. The expectations, hOWev-
er, then so reasonably and confidently
entertained, were disappointed by leg
islation from which | felt cOnStraine l.,
by my obligations to the Constitution,
to withhold my assent. 1t is therefore
a source of profound regret that In COM
plying with the obligation imposed up
on tn President by the Constitution,
to give to Congress from time to time
information of the state Of the Union,
| am unable to communicate any detin-
tive adjustment satisfactory to the ~
merican people, of the questions which
since the close Of the rebellion, have
agitated the public mind. On the con-
trary, 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 where all the states are rep
resented in both HouS of Congress,
"Where one state is as free as another
to regulate its internal concerns accOr-
ding to its own WILL" and where the
laws Ofthe Central Government, strict
ly confined to matters of national juris-
diction, apply with equal force to all
the people of every section. That such
is not the present Estate of the Union"
is a 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 another, according to the
terms of the original compact, would
be the greatest temporal blessing which
God in his kindeSt Providence could
bestOW upon this nation. 1t becomes
our imperative duty to consider Wheth-
er or not it is impossible to effect this
most desirable cOGSummatiOn. The u
MON and the Constitution are inSepara-
bic. AS long as one is obeyed by all
parties, the other will be preserved,
and if one is destroyed both must per-
ish together. The destruction of the
Constitution will be followed by other
and still greater calamities. 1t was Or
dained not only to form more perfect
Union between estates, but to "eStab-
lish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
provide for the common defence, pro-
mote the general welfare and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and
our pOsterity." No hing but impli-
cit obedience to its requirements III all
parts of the country will accomplish
these great ends. Without that obedi-
ance, we can look forward only to con-
tinual OutrageS upon individual rights,
incessant breaches of the public peace,
national weakness, financial diShOnOr,
the total loss of our prosperity, the gen
eral corruption of morals and the final
extinction of popular freedom. To
save our country from evils so appai-
ling as these we should renew our efforts
again and again. To me the process
of restoration seems perfectly plain
and simple. 1t consists merely in a
faithful application of the Constitution
and laws. The execution of the laws
is not now Obstructed or opposed 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 obligations
of States and individuals can be pro-
tected and enforced by means perfectly
consistent with the fundamental law.
The Courts may be everywhere open,
and if open, their process would be un-
impeded. Crimes against the United
States can be prevented or punished by
the proper judicial authorities in man
ner entirely practicable and Legal
There is, therefore, no reason why the
Constitution should not be Obeyed, un-
less those who exercise its powers,
have determined that it shall be diSrC-
garded and violated. The mere naked
will of this Government, or of some
one or more OfitS branches, Is the only
obstacle that can exist to perfect u
Mon of all the States on this mOmen-
tOus question. On some Of the meas
ures growing out of it, / have had the
misfortune to differ from Congress, and
have expressed my convictions with
out reserve, though with becoming de-
ference to the opinion of the Legislative
Department. Those convictions are
not only unchanged, but strengthened
by subsequent events and further re-
Election. The transcendent importance
of hesubject will be sufficient excuse
for calling your attention to some OF
the reasons which have SO strongly i'll
fuenced my own Judgment.
The hope that we may all finally con-
cur in a mode of settlem, Mt cOnsis ent
at once with our true interest and with
our sworn duties to the Constitution, is
too natural and too just to be easily re-
linquiShed. 1t is clear to my apprehen-
sion hat the States lately in rebellion
are still members Of the National Union.
When did they cease to be so? The
Ordinances of secession" adopted by a
portion, in most of them by a very small
portion Of their citizens, were mere
nullities. If I'VE admit now that they
were valid and effectual for the pur-
pose intended by their authors, we
sweep from under our feet the whole