Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1868-12-16
ANDREW JOHNSON'S LAST.
A Wall over the Wickedness Of Congress in not
Carrying Ont "My Policy"
Slight Repudiation Symptoms.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Eellow Citizens Of ths Senate and House
of Representatives.

FHESlO6N y NE - = AGE.
Felzo,o Citizens of tn, Senate and House
of Representatives.
Upon the reassembling of Congress, it
again becomes my duty to call your atten-
ton to the state of the Union and to it's
continued disorganized condition under
the various laws Which have been passed
upon the subject of reconstruction.
1t may be safely assumed as an axiom
in the government of states that the great
er wrongs inflicted upon a people are Gauss
ed by unjust and arbitrary legislation, or
by the unrelenting DEGREES of despotic
rulers; and that the timely revocation of
injuries and oppressive measures is the
greatest good that can be conferred upon
a nation. The legislator or ruler who has
the wisdom and magnanimity to retrace
his steps when convinced of error will
sooner or later be regarded with the re>
spect and gratitude of an in ellgent and
patriotic people. Our own history though
embracing period less than Il century,
affords abundant proof that most if not
all, of our domestic troubles arc directly
traceable to violations of organic law, and
excessive legislation.
RECONSTRUCTION.
Most striking illustrations of this fact
are furnished by the enactments Of the
past three years upon the subject of re>
construction. After a fair trial, they have
substantially failed and proved pernicious
in their results and there seems to be no
good reason why they should longer re-
main upon the statute book States towhich
the Constitution guarantees a repub lean
form of government have been reduced to
military dependence, and in each of which
the people have been made subject to the
arbitrary will OF the commanding General
Although the Constitution requires that
each state shall he represented in Con-
gress, 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 recent election for a President and
Vice President of the United States. The
attempt to place the white population un-
der the domination of persons of color, in
the South, has impaired, if not DESTROYED
the kindly relations that had previously
existed between them, and mutual distrust
has engendered a feeling of animositv
which, leading in some instances to col
lision and bloodshed, has prevented that
co operation betw the Iwo races 50 es-
sential to the success of Industrial cutter
prises in the Southern States
Nor have the inhabitants Of those states
alone suffered from the disturbed conli~
ton of affairs growing cat Of Congress
sional enactments. The entire Union has
boon agltated by grave apprchensions of
troubles which might again involve the
peace of the nation. Its interests have
been injuriously effected by the d deran.e-
ment of business and labor, and the con>
sequent want of prosperity throughout
that portion of the country. The Federal
Constitution, the Magma Charter of amer~
lean rights, under whose wise and saluta-
rv provisions we have successfully con-
Quoted al our domestic and foreign af-
fairs, sustained curse yes in peace and in
war, and become great Power of the
earth, must assuredly now be adequate to
the settlement of the questions growing
out of tho civil war waged alone for its
vIndication.
This great fact is made most manifest
by the condition of the country. When
Congress assembled in the month of De-
cember, 1865, civil strife had ceased the
spirit of the rebellion had spent its entire
force, and in the Southern States the peo-
pie had warmed into national life and,
throughout the entire country, healthy
reaction Ia public sentiment had taken
place. BY the application of the simp c,
yet effective provisions Of the Constitution,
the Executive Department, with the vol
untary aid of the States, had brought the
work OF restoration as near completion
as was within the scope of its authority,
and the nation was encouraged by the
prospect of an early and satisfactory adj
justment ~ all its difficulties. Congress,
however, interviewed, and, refusing to per-
feet the work so nearly conSummated, de-
clined To admit members from the unrep>
resented states adopted series of meas
ures which arrested the progress of resto-
ration, frustrated all that had been so
successfully acc complished, and, after three
years of agitation and strife, has left the
country farther from the attainment of
union and fraternal feeling than at the
inception of the Congressional plan of re-
construction 1t needs no argument to
show that the legislation which has pro-
duced such baneful consequences should
be abrogated, or Sc made to conform to
the genuine principles of a republican
government.
OTHER UNCONSTITUTIONAL ACTS.
Under the influences of party passions
and sectional prejudices, other acts have
been passed not warranted by the Con-
stitution.
Congress has already been made fa-
familiar with my views respecting the
Tenure-of-Ofic bill Experience has
proved that its repeal IS demanded by the
BEST interests of the country, and that,
while it remains in force, the President
cannot enjoin that rigid accountability of
public officers so essential to an honest
and efficient execution of the laws Its
revocation would enable the Executive
Department to exercise the power of ap-
pOintment and removal in accordance with
the original design of the Federal Con.
stitution.
The act Of March ,, 1867, making ap-
preparations for the support of the army
for the year ending June 30, 1898, and
for other purposes, contains provisions
which interfere with the President 5 con-
stituti0nal functions as Commander-in-
Chief of the army, and deny to the states
of the Union the right TO protect them-
selves BY means Of their own militia
These provisions should be at once an
nulled; for, while the first might, in times
of great emergency. seriously emharrass
the Executive in his efforts to employ and
direct the common strength of tho nation
of the United States for It's protze ton and
preservation, the other is contrary to the