The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-12-07
No. 20
synop.l. d the Fre.Ildsa.ls aa..ag.
The following synopsis Of the Presidents
1880. 3 E......-L.,.a l.. tol-..-....l.

4fEW 4 0kh4 DScEI1DHE IL Ee EGesGeIit
opens by saying that the continued disor
ganizatOn Of the Union, to which the Presi-
dent has so often called the attention of
i Congress, Is yet q subject Of profound end
patriotic concern. lie says it is, therefore,
a source Of profound regret IN cOmplying
with the obligation, imposed upon the Prcsi-
dent by the Constitution, to give Congress
from time 20 time information Of Che state of
the Union, l am unable to eommunisat anv
definite adjustment satisfactory to the Ameri-
can people Of the questions which, since the
close Of the rebellion, have agitatsd the pub
lie mind On the contrary, eand0r compels
me to declare that at this time there is no
| UHion as our fathers understood the term
as they meant it to be understood by us.
The Union which they established can only
exist where all the states are represented IL
both houses of Congress. At the present
/ the process of restoration seems perfectly
plain and simple, and consists merely in a
faithful application of the Constitution and
/ laws The execution of laws Is not now
/ constructed by physical force; there IS no
! military or other necessitv, real or pretended.
which can prevent obedience to the Consfi-
tuition. Either North or South. al the
rights and all the obligations Of States and
/ individuals can be protected and enforced
by means perfectly consistent with the
fundamental law. 1t Is clear to his appre-
! hensiOn that the States lately In rebellion
| are still members of the National Union
When did they cease to be so The ordi-
nance of secession was adopted by a very
small portion Of the citizens in most of them
These were null if we admit now that they
| were valid and effectual for the Durpose in
tended by their authors. This sweeps from
under foot the whole ground upon which we
justified the war. The President elaberates
these views at great length, and then saws.
being sInceIcclg convinced taas these views
are correct, I would be very unfaithful to
| my duty if l did not recommend the repeal
of the acts of Congress which place ten of
the Southern States under the domination
Of military masters. If calm reflection shall
satisfy q majority of your honorable bodies
that the acts referred to are not only viola
tions of the national faith, but in direct con
flist with the Constitution, dare not permit
myself to doubt that you VIII immediately
strike them from the statute book The
President proceeds 70 say be has no desire
to save from the just and proper consequen
ces of their crime those who engaged 10
( rebellion, but says the mode Of punishment
and the measures under consideration are
the most unreasonable that could be IN
vented Many of those people ara. perfectly
/ innocent, and of those who are guilty with
their own consent, the degrees of guilt are
as various as their shades Of character and
temper; but these acts of WRONG eonfounl ]
them all together In one common doom IN
discriminate vengeance On classes, sects.
PARTIES or upon whole communities, for
Offenses committed by portion of them.
against the Government to which they owed
obedience, was common ia the barbarous
ages, but Christianity and Civilization have
made such progress that recourse to 81 pun
ishment so cruel and unjust would meet the
condemnation of all unpreiudieed and
rightminded men. The common justice Of
this age, especially in this country, does not
consist In stripping whole States of their
liberties, and reducing all lHsf their people,
without distinction; to the condition Ol
slavery. lie says he is aware that it is as
sumed that this system of government for
the South is not to be perpetual. IL the
guarantees of the Constitution can be broken
professionally, to serve a temporary purpose,
and in part only Of the country, we can
destroy them everywhere for all time.
Arbitrary measures often change, but they
generally change for the worse. 1t IS the
curse of despotism that it has no halting
place. The President then says:
1t is manifestly and ay0wedly the object ol
these laws to confer the privilege of voting
on negroes, and to disfranchise such q mum
Der of whites as to give the former a clear
majority In the elections In Southern States
This, to the minds of some persons, is Sc
important that violation Of the Consti
tuition is justified as the means of bringing
it about We are not permitted to do eyi
that good may come; bat In this case the
end is evil. The subiugation Of these States
to negro domination would be worse than
the military despotism under which they arc
now suferiug The blacks IN the South arr
entitled to be wen and humanely governed
and have the protection of Just laws for theil
rights Of person and property; and If j
were practicable at this time, to give them
government Of their own, it is questionable
to do 50 but now they are permitted Il
| elect legislators to organize State Govern
ments and elect State officers. No iHdepen
dent government has ever been maintained
| by negroes.
The message goes on to argue the danger
Of the elective franchise, and says: Foul
millions Of degraded slaves yelterday can
not be made Intelligent freedmen today
The President Is willing to Join Ii any plaf
to better the condition Of the negroes ant
all their rights, save transferring 10 then
our POLITICAL inheritances. The Presiden
aliudes to the uncounted millions that tn
Congressional plan has cost, and says It vii
increase the burdent Of taxation, and ma.
bankrupt Us. We must not delu&e ourselves
IL will require a strong Standing army aa
probably more than seTealy millions yea
TO maintain the supremacy Of the negeoe
IF when established. The money thus throw
= away, If put into q sinking fund, weuld pa
z tile Ma tionai debt In fifteen years. 1t is val
to hope the negro viii maintain his own d.
e eendancY. He discusses the extent {
ls which be may go toward protecting th
e Constitution and opposing the unconstitg
e tional acts of Congress, and SAYS it ha
70 caused him much soiicitude, and he believe
Is the Executive resistance to uucOnsiitutionS
9r acts, IN high times Of party exeitemen
rt might lead to civil war. The Exeeutiy
p would eoncede much to preserve the peac'
e but there may be times when he world hav
u to take stand regardless Of Consequence
= The so called rec0nstructiOn acts DO NJ
q come Wishin the psovisioa just mentione,
e though clearly uneobstisntional The poop
10 are not wholly disatmed Of the POKER {
self defense. Ia al the Northern STAT
they still hold IN their hands the riehs
se, protection, and the late results Of baiil
re show, he says, that bis faith IN the peopl
was not misplaced
The Civil Tenure bin is next diseusse