Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-12-11

y ntHN- 90 WlIch the president has so often
'a.lei the attention Of Congress, is vet g
-It.e-t ri T-allunI and patriotic concern.
We m3v. however, find some relief from that
anxiety IN til; reflection that the painful no.
iiticIl sitaa ton. although before untried bv
ourselves : not new in the experience OF
nations Political science, perhaps as highly
perfected IN our own time and country az in
my other. ms not yet disclosed any mea rs
1y which civil wars can be absolutely pre-
vented. An enlightened nation, however.
with 4 VIE and bcneiccnt constitution of
irce government. may diminish their fire.
4ue1ry and mitigate their severity by direct
InS all IL proceedings III accordance with its
fundamental Law.
RECONSTRUCTION.
When 4 civil war has been brought
10 Il close, it il maniiestly the first interest
and duty If the state 70 repair the injuries
which tie war has inflicted. and 10 secure
+he benefit Of the lessons it teaches as fully
aud as ccdily as possible. Z is dutv was,
lPJu the termination of the rebellion
p 5mPty accepted, not only by the executive
apartment, bat by the insurrectionary
--ttes themselves, and restoration, in the first
moment Of peace. was believed to be as easy
JrI Dec tain as IL was Indispensable. The ex-
---latiolss. however, then 50 reasonably and
~ legislation from which felt constrained
y lay o5ligati ms to the constitution, to
withhold my assent.
1t is therefore a source OF profound regret
that. in complying with the obligation im-
posed UpJn the president BY the constitution
give u Congress from time to time
t'flrmaton Of tie state of the Union, l am
iaI.c o communicate any definite adjust
menr, sat -actory u the American people.
-
rebellion, have agitated the public mind.
On Gle contrary. c7ind0r compels me to de-
..Lrc That 1T this time there is no Union
as our fathers understood the term, and
they meant 1t - be understood by US
Ile Union which they established can exist
.rIv where all the states are reUresented ia
5t-A Houses IF Congress where one state is
tlcc rs another 10 regulate its internal
c luccrus according to its own viii and
-Iere the laws OF the central government
-r.Ict.y cJaE lined = matters Of national iuris-
IIeti ln- aIply with equal force 10 all the
I'd. .tic nl every section Irat such is not
rae present 3. state Of the Union - Is L mel
4aci i.y fact, au1 we all must acknowledge
Vlat TIRE restoration Of the States to their
proper lcEal relations with their federal gov
eminent and with one another. according 10
t.ae terms 'f the original compact, would be
rGe greatest temporal blessing which God, in
!
-Ai- ION. X becomes our imperative duty
% Iu-i icr whether or not II Is impossible t.
cle-t this H. - desirable contamination.
i.c nisl uuL the Constitution are insepa-
rs'-o. Is iJl- as one Is obeyed By all par
-.-., tAc other Will he preserved ana # one
j. destroyed both must perish together. The
---tructiuu Of the CJnstitut tion will be fol-
lowed lv other and still greater caIamities.
l- was us,iJlrCd. not only to form more
MA. l...- hl I.,s
30 establish .I- ice, insure domestic tranquil
-lF- provide iur the common defense, promote
lle general welfare. and secure the blessings
# b. e.tr = ourselves and our prosperity
\1.lln- Dlr implicit obedience 10 its require
euts. In i.i parts of the country. Will ac-
..ulf. -i7h those great ends Without that
obedience, We can look forward only TO con-
t,ruIl ourta-es upon individual rights. IN
cc~-..lC hrclcies ot public peace, national
we SUe-@- financial dishonor, total loss Of
frusP sPe1ily. general corruption Of morals, and
fuai rxtinct.c, Ut popular freedom. To save
'ar country from evils - appalling as these,
ve 3 .uuIJ renew our Efforts again and again.
T] me JIe process Of restoration acNms
pc t..tly plain and simple 1t consists n.ere-
ig iu d t..cuiIl application OF the Constitu-
s.2n md tae laws. The execution Of the
tt"s Is not o5-tructed or opposed by physical
..rcs. There IS 30 military or other neees-
aleliencc e. tire Constitution. either North
vr SIa-h. Ali the rights and all the oblga-
g. .u- VI States and individuals can he pro-
t4rtel s4ua clta reed by means perfectly con-
-isle1t Nth the fundamental law. The
courts I1ay 'e everywhere open. and if open
Tueir urocess would he unimpeded Grimes
against t.4c Cnitcd States can be prevented
"r punished iY the proper judicial authori-
t.e-. in manner entirely practicable and
the Coustit 4tln should not be obeyed, unless
these who exercise its powers have determ-
med that it shall be dsregarded and violated.
Jne mere naked VIII Of this government. or
# some one or more OF its branches, il the
only obstacle that can exist to q perfect
union &c all the States
On this momentous question, and some of
the measures growing out Of It, have had
tac misfortune t, differ from Congress, and
have expressed my convictions without re-
serve. though with becoming Difference to the
opinion of tile legislative department Those
convictions are not only unchanged, but
-treu.t Icuej by subsequent events and
further reelection The transcenaent impor-
t.iace 4 the subject will be a sufficient excuse
fr caliIng vour attention - some Of the
reasons which have 80 strongly influenced
MY own Judgment The hope that we all
my finally concur In 4 mode of settlement
con sreut at once with our true interests
,...l with our own sworn duties to the Con
1t ti,n, Is to natural and too just to he
easily relinqGi-hed.
IL is clear - my apprehension that the
States lately in rebellion still members
nf tic national Union. When did they cease
III he So? :. Ordinances Of Secession
a,lJptcd iy portion lin most of them very
small r.lrIion) Of their citizens, were mere
nullitir- III We admit that they were
vslid and eGcctHal for the purpose intended
5y their authors, we sweep from under our
feet the whole ground upon which We Justl-
ife,I the war We're those States afterwards
expelled from the Union by the war! The
dire..t contrary was aYerred by this govern
i.i-at = Be is purpose, and i was so under
-55od by all those who gave their blood ana
treasure - aid in it's prosecution. lt cannot
he ta..t . successful war, waged Tor the pres
creation OF Union, had the legal effect OF dis
slivin. 1t. The victory Of the nations arms
xas MT the disgrace OF her policy; the de-
feat of secession on the battlefield vas not
the triumph of It's lawiess principle Nor
could Congress, with or without the consent
ii the executive, do anything when would
have the effect directly or indirectly oi sepa-
rating the States from each other. 10 dls-
solve the Union IL to repeal the Constitution
which holds it together and that is a power
which Do not belong 20 any department OF
this Government or to all of them united.
This IL 50 plain that it has been acknowledged
hv all branches of the Federal Government.
lhe executive (my predecessor as well as
rnvzeID and heads OF all departments have
uniformly acted upon the principle that the
Union is not only undissolved, but indissolu-
He ,n,ress submitted an amendment OF
the Constitution 10 be ratified by the South