Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-12-10
NO. III.
M E s s A GE as.iw
OF ag- -dl
President Johnson.

House OF Representatives tY 'Ttf
upon the reasse milling of Congress- Il
agar becomes my duty to call your 1T.
iention to the STATE of the Union. and n,
ios continued disorganizei condition.
.lhu-r the various laws which have.beef,
ssed upon the subject of rcconstrnc.
ton. 1t may be safely assumed as or
axiom in the government of the States
tnat tne greatest outrages inflicted upon
people are caused by unjust and q III.
lrary legislation, OF by the DEGREES Of
oespot1c rulers, and that the timely 70.
vocation of injurious and onnressi,re
measures Is t. greatest good that can h.
conferred upon nation. TIE ,e yislator
or ruler who has the wisdom aud mag
nanlmity to retrace his steps when con-
vneeI VI error, Will sooner or later be
OF an intelligent and D ,triotic naonIa
Our own history, although embracinra
period OF less than a century. affords
ABUNDANT proof that the mos If NOT ali
our domestic troubles are directly trace
aoie to violetions of the organic law "a
excessive legislation. The most str;k-
ing Illustrations Of this fact are furnish.
ed by the enactments of the last thraa
years upon the question of reconstruc-
lloh. After fair trial they have sub.
si.ahtialiy failed and proved pernicious
IL, their results, and there seems no good
reasons why they should Longer remain
upon the statute book. The St .e,,sat ~.
which the Constitution guarantees y
republican form of Government. hive
oeen reduced to military dependencies
III each OF " hich the people have hean
suuJect 10 the arbitrary wiffof the com
manding general. Although the Cans.
tltutlon requires that each State shall he
represented in Congress, Virginia Mis-.
sisslppi and Texas are yet excluded from,
tne TWO Houses, and contrary to the ex
press prov1sionsof that instruments were
uenled participation in the recent cleo.
cio. ior PRESIDENT and Vice-president
OF the United States. The attemnt IN
place the white population mndar tho
domination of persons of color in the
south has impaired, ifnot DESTROYED the
kindly relations that had previously ex.
isted etween them, and mutual die
trust has engendered feeling of amino.
slty, which, leading in many instances
TO collision and bloodshed. has prevent.
Ell that cooperation between the two
races so es. entail to the success of indus
srial enterprises in the Southern States
N or nave the inhabitants of those States
aiohe suffered from the disturbed condi-
and labor, and the consequent want OF
prosperity throughout that portion of
the country. The Federal Constitution
the magma charta of American rights,
under whose wise and salutary prOvi.
sions we have successfully conducted all
our domestic ard foreign affairs, sils'
tanned ourselves in peace and IN war,
and became great nation among the
powers of the earth, must assuredly ne
now adequate to the settlement OF ques.
ton growing out of the civil war waged
alone for its vindication. This great
fact is made most manifest by the con"
dition of the country. When congress
assembled in the month Of December,
1865, civil strife had ceased. The spirit
or rellion had spent its entire force. In
the Southern States the people had
warmed iato n .tional life, and through
out the whole country healthy reac-
ton in public sentiment had been taken
place. go.
By the application of the simple, yet
eli ective provisions of the Constitution,
the executive department., with the vo-
iuntary aid of the states, had brought
The work of restoration as near compile
; ton as was within the scope OF Its au,
thority, aud the nation was ENCOURAGES
nv the prospect of an early and satistac-
tory adjustment of all its difficulties.
Congress, however, interviewed, and re-
fusing to perfect the work SO nearly con
Illuminated. declined to admit members
t from unrepresented States and adopted
a series of measures which arrested the
nrogress of restoration, frustrated al!
that had been successfully accomplished
and after three years Of agitation anG
strife, has left the country farther from
: the attainment of union and fraterna
3 feeling than at the inception OF the con
;. gressiOnAl plan of reconstruction.
E. 1t needs no argument 10 snow ina
to legisla ion which has produced so bane
k fn1 consequences should be abrogated o
Is else made to conform to the genutn
"a principles of republican government.
of By he influence OF party passion ant
a sectional prejudices, other acts nav
to been passed not warranted by the cons
titution. Congress has already bee
made familiar with my views respectin
&c the tenure of Office BILL"
Experience has proved that it's repei
is demanded for the best interests OF tf
country, and that while it remains
Zen force the President cannot enjoin tt
fit rigid accountability in public officers
ad essential to an honest and efficient ex
g. eution of the laws. Its revocation wou
,d enable the executive department to e,
" ercise the power of appointment al
removal in accordance with the origin
DESIGN of the Federal Constitution.
:. The Act of March 2, 1867, making a
''' preparations for the army for the We
be ending 80, 1868, and for other purpose
contains provisions which interfere wi
the Presidents constitutional functio
}. as commander-in-chiefO of the army al
- deny to States of the Union the right
,ar. protect themselves by means of Il (
and own militia. The lrOhlpiClons shOu
be at once annulled, for while the fl
- might, in times of great emergency, 81
iously embarrass the Executive in
g. forts to employ and direct the comm
-, strength of the nation for its protecti
sus' and preservation, the other is contrs