Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-12-04

: ths whole ground upon which we justi
= ned the war. The President elaboratei
- these views at great length, and theT
b saws. Being sincerely convinced tha
these views are correct, would be very
unfsithful to my duty if did not recon
mend the repeal Of the acts of Congress:
which place ten Of the Southern States
under the domination of military mas
ters. If calm reflection shall satisfy 8
majority of your honorable bodies that
the acts referred to are not only viola.
tions of the National faith, but in direct
ieonfiict with the Constitution, ] dare
NOT hermit myself to doubt that you will
Immediately strike them from the statute
book The President proceeds to say he
has no desire to save from the Just and
proper consequences Of their crime those
who engaged in rebellion, but says the
mode of punishment and the measures
under consideration are the most IN
reasonable that could be invented. Many
Of those people are perfectly innocent,
and OfthOse who are guilty, with their
own consent, the degrees Of guilt are as
I various as their shades of character and
1 temper: but these acts of wrong cUnfound
them all together in one common doom.
Indiscriminate vengeance on classes,
I sects, parties, or upon whole communi-
ties for Offeuses committed by portion
Of them, against the Government to
which they owed obedience, was common
I in the barb6rous ages, but Christianity
and civilization have made such progress
] that recourse to a punishment so cruel
and unjust would meet the cOndemnA-
/ ton Of all unprejudiced and right-minded
men. The common justice of this age,
[ especially in this country, does not con-
/ sist il stripping whole States Of their lib
critics, and reducing all Of their people,
without distinction, to the condition of
slavery. He says he is aware that it is
assumed that this system Of Government
/ for the South is not to be perpetuated. If
4 the guarantees of the Constitution can be
/ broken Professionally, to serve q tempo
rary purpose, and in q part only Of the
I country, we can destroy them every
where for all time. Arbitrary measures
1 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
manifesUly and avOwedly the object of
these laws to confer the privilege Of
voting on negroes, and to disfrRnchise
such a number Of whites as to give the
former a clear majority in the elections
in Southern States. This, to the minds
violation of the Constitution is justified
as the means Of bringing il about. We
are not permitted to do evil that good
may come, but in this case the end is
evil. The subjugatiOn Of these States TO
negro domination would be worse than
the military despOtism under which they
are now suffering. The blacks in the
South are entitled to be well and hu- |
namely governed, and have the protec- /
ten Of just laws for their rights Of |
person and property and, il it were |
practicable at this time, TO give them q 1
Government OF their own, il is question: i
able to do SO, but now they are permitted /
to elect Legislators, to organize State /
Governments and elect State officers /
No Independent Government has ever I
been maintained by negroes.
The message goes on TO argue the dan
ger Of the elective franchise, and says 4
-Four millions of degraded slaves yester-
day cannot be made intelligent freedmen
to-day. The President is willing to Join 1
in any plan to better the condition of 4
the negroes and all their rights, save
transferring to them our political inher-
itauces. The President aliudes to the
unc0unted millions that the Congress
si0ual plan has cost, and says il will in
crease the burdens OF taxation, and may
bankrupt Us. We must not delude our
selves. It will require strong standing
army, and probably more than seventy
millions per year to maintain the su-
premacy of the negroes when established.
The money thus thrown away, if put
into a sinking fund, would pay the ma
tionai debt in fifteen years. 10 is vain
to hope the negro will maintain his own
He discusses the extent to
which he may go toward protecting the
Constitution and opposing the uncOnsti-
tutiOnal acts of Congress, and says it has
caused him much sOlictude, and he be-
lieves the Executive resistance to un-
acts, in high times Of party
excitement, might lead to civil war.
The Executive would cOncede much to
preserve the peace, but there may be
times when he would have to take a
stand regardless of consequence. The
sO-called reconstruction acts do not come
within the provision just mentioned,
though clearly unconstitutional. The
people are not wholly disarmed Of the
power Of elfdefense. In ali the North
ern States they still hold in their hands
the right of protection, aud the late re-
suits Of ballot show, be says, that his
faith in the people was not misplaced.
The Civil Tenure bill is next discussed
and denounced as unconstitutional aud
extra judiciary, and promotive of fraud
IN preventing the removal Of dishonest
officers. The President then eiaborately
discussed the financial question, and in
vites to it the consideration of Congress,
IN comparing the currency circulation of
seven years ago with now. de says that
striking facts made it the obvious duty
Of Government TO take such measures as
Ill n.s.l1 . i aN. I
Of the National Banks to convert them
without loss into specie or its equivalent. |
A reduction Of our circulating paper me-
dium need not necessarily follow. This
would defend the law Of demand and {
supply, though il should be borne in
mind that, by making legal tender and
bank notes convertible into coin or its
equivalent, their present specie value | {
would be enhanced 100 per cent The
varied issues Of our bonds, and the geld '
and Daper interest Of the same, is alluded s
to at some length. The President de-
slares that equal and exact Justice re-
luires that all the creditors OF the Gov I
eminent should be paid in a currency Of 5
equal value-nOi gold fer one and paper !
'or another. he favors the measure {
)f retiring our paper currency, so that 8
gold and silver may cease to be articles 9
)f traffic, and return to our avenues of g
trade. It is unreasonable to expect a re- ]
.urn to sound currency 50 long as the z
by continuing to issue ire i
ieemabie notes, fills the channels Of cir {
,ulation with deprecated paper. The {
attention Of Congress is searnestly invited
20 the necessity Of a revision Ofour reVe-
lue system, aud q reduction in the num- I
Der OF articles taxed is urged. The
President says peace has been secured
with the Indians, but that he has no
,fficiRl details from commissioners. I
The reports Of the Interior, Treasury, q
War and POstoffiee Departments are t
lriefiy alluded to, but the figures have G
1een published already. q
Regarding foreign affairs, the President Z
avs Mexico is relieved from foreign in I
eTventiOn, and peace rsigns in Central O
md South America. The United States
we're creditsbly represented at the Paris
and at the General Confer
nee Of Nations the universal system of I
rold coinage wRs agreed on. 9
OF the Alabama claims the PRESIDENT S
peaks as follows: No arrangement has I
1eeD reached for the settlementof claims !
or British depredations upon the COM
neree OF the United States. / d
rave felt it my duty to decline the
proposition OF arbitration made by her 1
dajesty's Government, because it has n
hitherto been accompanied by reserva-
ions and limitations Incompatible with
he rights, honor and interest Of our II
country. II is not to be apprehended 1
hat Great Britain will persist ia her
efusal to satisfy the just and reasonable
.laims which involves the sacred princi- f