The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-18
RECONSTRUCTION.
GEORGIA.
Address of Governor Jenkins TO the


Address of Governor Jenkins 60 the
People,
WASHINGTON CITY, ID. O., April l0.-To the
you were distinctly Informed, by legislative
resolves and by Executive prOclamauOnS,
emanating from the United States Govern
mcnt, that IL was was ed against you not vim
dictiVeiy, not for the purpose of conquest, but
solely Tor the maintenance of the Union. The
theory announced was that, by her ordinance
of Secession, Georgia had not placed herself,
Nor could IN any way place herself, without lIs
Paie Do' tnsi az er cost oI 36o1u 90 Ihe tbe
authority Of the United States must be sup
pressed.
what considerations 1t matters not, in April,
1865. you, in good faith, ceased that resistance,
laid down your arms and made full submis-
sion, From these premises it is undeniable
that you had q right to expect, as it is noto-
liousiy true you old expect, speedy restoration
to the position in the Union from which you
had es> aged to withdraw-your status un-
changed, save in the abolition OF slavery, to
which, with amazing eQuantmity, you
assented, by word and by act.
To II is work OF restoration the President or
the United states, in the recess OF Congress,
faill ful to the theory promulgated as above
stated, addressed himself with much Ofcircum-
stantlal detaIl AND elaborate machinery, but in
spirit Ot unatfecte ed kindness. ..
The Governor then gives a history of the at
temI to reconstruct under Mr., Johnson's uu-
authorized policy, and of the action Of Congress
After having treated Georgia as State so far
as concideo with their convenience or their
ment reconstructed under Federal Executive
auspices, during period of eighteen months,
the Thirty. ninth Congress, Just at It's close,
enacted a law providing for the reconstruction
of your State Government, in accordance with
their will and pleasure, irrespective of your
own; and, dd interim, for your military govern
menL The FCrtieth Congress, taking up the
role. Immediately upon the expiration of it's
predecessor, has enacted a kw supplementary
to the former, placing the whole machinery
OF reconstruction in the hands of the
Military Governor previously provided for,
t6at Official Is clothed "Cs With aietato.
rial powers over you, and sustained by as many
bay Onets as may be necessary to the end in
view. They prescribe, as Indispensable provi-
sons in your contemplated Constitution, seve.
raj articles which the enacting power well
knows you disapproVe and some of which, as
applicable to themselves, other States now in
fun frution of the Union disapprove and have
recently rejected. Lastly, these enactments for
the purposes of this forced reconstruction ex-
tend the elective franchise to q large class of
persons on whom you have never bestowed 1T,
and TO whom you, as well other States now rep
resented in Congress, by the rejection of the
last proposed Constitutional amendment, have
refused to extend il.
These acts of Congress have been vetoed by
the President, but have been passed over his
veto by two-thirds OF each branch Of the Con-
gress. l shall not swell this address by
thorough analysis ofthese acts. They are fear
fully familiar to you. But hesitate not to say
to you, that they are palpably unconstitutional
and grievously oppressive. Such, fellow -citi-
zens, is your present condition, and the official
relation bear to you demands that speak to
you oft. The all-absorbing question is, what
shall Georgia do?
The public discussions seem to recognize
only two oalternatives:-l Prompt acquiescence
in the already elected propt sal for amend.
ment of the Federal Constitution, ana in all
the requirements OF the two acts of Congress
before mentioned, together with the tncorpoGa-
tion of them all, by our own acts, into our own
constitution and laws. 2, firm but temperate
refusal of such acquescence and adoption; and
q patient, manly endurance of military govern
ment, until, in the eftiux OF time, and on the
subsidence of the passions generated by civil
war, better counselS shall prevail at he Fede-
raj Capital-we, meantime, strictly observing
law and order, and vigorously addressing our
selves to industrial pursuits.
AS between these alternatives have no heSt-
tation in advising the adoption OF the latter,
but fOrbear, at this time, to assign any reasons
for this advice, because, fellow citizens, am
far from believing these are the only alterna-
tives. have strong faith that there remains
TO ms an available remedy. In the Federal
Government there are three departments. Two
of them have passed upon these:measures, and
are in direct antagOniSm regarding their con-
stitutiOnalIy; but in that event the Constitution
gives to the legislative department power to
override the Executive, and they have so done.
partment, the great conservator OF the supre-
macy of the Constitution, whose DEGREES, unlike
the Executive veto, cannot be oVerridden by
the Congress. That department has not yet
spOk en-. Should 1T he found in accord with the
Executive, this usurpation will be arrested.
representation in Congress, your State Govern
ment will remain intact, and full restoration
will not long be delayed.
In conclusion, the Governor states that emf
nent iurists approve his opinion that case can
be made requiring the validity of the law to be
tested by the Supreme Court, and In the mean
while counsels inaction.