Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1868-12-11
MESS SAGE
PRESIDENT JOHNSON.

PhES1UENT JOHNSON.
Feiio'c Citi-eas Of the Senate and House Of
/ Representatives.:
Upon the resssembling of Congress, it again
becomes my duty to call your attention to the
state of the Union, and to its continued disor-
gained condition under the various laws which
have been passed upon the subject Of reconstruc-
ton. 1t may he safely assumed as an axiom in
the government of the States, that the greatest
outrages inflicted upon a people are caused by
unjust and arbitrary legislation, or by the de-
crees Of despotic rulers, and that the timely re-
vocation of injurious and oppressive measures is
the greatest good that can be conferred upon
nation The legislator or ruler who has the
wisdom and magnanimity 10 retrace his
steps when convinced Of error, will
sooner or later be rewarded with the
respect and gratitude of an intelligent and
patriotic people. Our own history, although
embracing period Of less than century, at
lords abundant proof that the most if not all.
eur domestic troubles are directly traceable to
violations of the organic law and excessive leg
islatiOn. The most striking illustrations of this
fact are furnished by the enactments of the last
three years upon the question of reconstruction
After fair trial they have substantially failed
and proved pernicious in their results, and there
seems no good reason why they should longer re-
main upon the statute book. The States to
which the Constitution guarantees republican
form Of government, have been reduced to mill
tary dependencies, in each Of which the people
have been made subject to the arbitrary Will Of
the commanding general. Although the Cousti-
tuition requires that each State shall be repre-
sentei IN Congress, Virginia, Mississippi and
Texas are yet excluded from the two Houses.
and contrary to the express provisions Of that
instrument were denied participation in the
cent election for President and Vice President Of
the United States. The attempt to place the
white population under the domination Of persons
of color in the South has impaired, if not de
stroyed, the kindly relations that had previously
existed between them, and mutual distrust has
engcndered a feeling Of animosity, which, lead
ing in many instances to collision and blO0lshel
has prevented that cooperation between the two
races so essential to the success Of industrial en-
terprises in the Southern States Nor have the
inhabitants Of those States alone suffered from
the disturbed condition Of affairs growing out
Of these Congressional enactments The entire
Union has been agitatei by grave apprehension
Of troubles which might again involve the peace
Of the nation. Its interests have been iniuri-
ously affected by the arrangement Of business
ity throughout that portion ofthe country.
THE CONSTITUTION.
The Federal Constitution, the Magma Charta Of
American rights, under whose wise and salutsry
provisions we have successfully conducted all cur
domestic and foreign affairs, sustained ourselves
+ in peace and in war, and become great nation
among the powers Of the earth, must assu.ely
+ be now adequate to the settlement If questions
growing out Of the civil war waved alone for its
yindication. This great fact is made most mani
fest by the condition Of the country. When
= Congress assembled in the month Of December
1863, civil strife had ceased. The spirit Of re-
hcllion had spent Its entire force In the South
ern states the people had warmed into national
life, and throughout the whole country a healthy
reaction in public sentiment had taken place
By the application Of the simple, vet effective
provisions Of the Constitution, the executive de-
psrtment, with the voluntry aid Of the States.
had brought the work OF restoration as near
completion as was within the scope Of 10. author
ity, and the nation was encouraged by the pros
poet Of an early and satisfactory adjustment u
an IT,, difficulties Congress, however, inter
yenel, and refusing to portec, the work 80 near
" cnusummated, declined 90 admit members
from unrepresented States and adopted series
Of measures which arrested the progress Of re-
storatiou, frustrated all that had besn success
fully accomplished, and after three year Of ny
itaticn and strife, has left the country farther
from the attainment Of union and fraternal feel
ing than at the inception # the c0ngressionl
/ plan Of reconstruction.
1t needs 10 argument 10 show that legislation
which has produced so baneful consequences
should he abrogated or else made to conform to
the genuine principles Of republican government.
BY the influence Of party passion and sec
tional preiudices, other acts have been passed
not warranted by the Constitution. Congress
has already been made familiar with my views
respecting the ''teuure Of office bill.
Experience has proved that its repeal is de-
maBdei for the best interests of the country,
and that while it remains in force the President
cannot enioin the rigid accountability IN public
officers 50 essential to an honest and efficient
ecutiou Of the laws. Its revocation would ena-
bic the executive department to exercise the
power Of appointment and removal IN accordance
with the original design Of the Federal Gonsttu-
ton.
the PRESIDENT, towers.
The Act Of March , 1867, making appropri-
atoms for the army for the year ending June 80,
1865, and for other purposes, contains proyi-
sions which interfere with the Presidents con-
stitutional functions as commandments
Of the army. and deny to States OF the Union
the right to protec, themselves by means OF their
own militia. The prohibitions should be at once
aunulled, for while the first might, IN times of
great emergency, seriously emblrra-s the eX-
ecutiye in efforts to employ and direct the COM
mon strength Of the nation for It's protection ami
preservation, the other j. contrary to the ex-
press declaration Of the Constitution, that a well
regulated militia being necessary to the security
Of free State, the right Of people 20 keep and
hear arms shall not be infrucci.
Il. IL g
would he accepted by the American people as at
least A partial attempt to return TO the funla-
mental principles Of government. and an iuiica
ton that hereafter the Constitution is TO be made
the nation safe and unerriug guide They can
he productive If no permanent benefit o. the
country, and should not he permitted TO stand
as 50 many monuments Of the deficient wisdom
which has characterized our recent legislation.
THE FINANCES.
The condition Of our finances demand, the
early and earnest consideration Of Congress
Compared with the growth Of our population,
the public expenditures have reached an amount
nprc-elentedin our history
tic population of the CntcI States in 1770
WIS nearly four millions Of people Increasing
each deoa e ah11: o3 per cent, reached in 1861,
thirty-one millions, an increase Of seven hun
drei per cent. on the population in 100 In
1863 it Is estimated thatit viii reach thirty-egAt
millions, or an increase Of eight hundred and
sixty-eight per cent. il seyenty-nine year..
The annual expenditures of the Federal Gov
eminent in 1871 were four millions two hundred
thousand dollars in 1920, eighteen millions
two hundred thousand dollars IN 1880, forty
one millions in 1850. sixty-three millions in
in 1865 nearly thirteen hundred millions ; IN
1869, it Is estimated by the Secretary Of the
Treasury in his last annual report, that they
viii be three hundred and seyenty-two millions.
BY comparing the public disbursements Of
1852, as estimated, with those Of l13l, II VIII
be seen that the increase Of expenditure since
the beginning Of the government has been eight
thousand six hundred and eighteen per cen;um-
while the increase Of the population for the same
period Was only eight hundred and -ixty-eight
per centum. Again, the expenses Of the gov
ernment in 1860, the year Of peace immediate
lypreceling the war, were only six,y-three mill
lions. while in 1863, the year Of peace thrc'
years after the war, it is estimated they viii b'
three hundred and seyeEty-two millions, an IN
crease of four hundred and eighty-nine pei
centum. while the increase was only twenty-cn'
per centum for the same period.
These statistics further show that in 1871 th'
annual National expenses, compared with TN
population, were little more than one dollar pc
- capita, and in 1860 but two dollars per capita
while in 1869 they Will reach the eAtraoriinar.
sum Of nine dollars and seyeuty-eight cents pc
capita. It will be observed that all these state
f, ments refer to and exhibit the disbursements o
peace periods
l. 1t may, therefore, be Of interest to compar
10 the expenditures Il the three war periods-th
war with Great Britain, the Mexican war and tn
war OF the rebellion. In 1914 the annual eE