The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1868-12-16
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FELLow CITIZENS OF TAE SENATE AM
House OF REPRESENTATIVES,

various laws which have been passed
upon the subject of reconstruction, 1t
may be safely assumed as an axiom
in the government of the States, that
the greatest wrongs inflicted upon Il
people are caused by unjust and arbi-
trary legislation, or by the unrelenting
DEGREES of despotic rulers, and that in
furious and oppressive measures are
the greatest evils that can be inflicted
upon a nation The legislator or the
ruler who has the, wisdom and mag
nanimity to retrace his steps when
convinced of error. will sooner or lat
er be rewarded with the respect and
gratitude of an intelligent and patri-
otic people, Our own history, aItho'
embracing a period of less than
a century, affords abundant
proof that most, if not all our
domestic troubles are directly tracea-
BILE to violations OF the organic law,
a; a excessive legislation, The most
striking illustrations of this fact are
furnished by the enactments of the
past three years upon the question of
reconstruction After fair trial they
have substantially failed, and proved
pcrniciouS in their results, and there
seems to be no good reason why they
should longer remain upon the stat
ute books. States to which the Con-
stitution guarantees a republican form
| OF government, have been reduced to
military dependencies. in each of
which the people have been made
/ subjects to the arbitrary will of the
/ commanding General. Although the
! Constitution requires that each State
| shall be represented in Congress, Vir-
| ginia, Mississippi, and Texas are yet
excluded from the Houses, and con-
/ trary to the express provisions of that
| instrument, were denied participa-
ton in the recent election for a
| President and Vice President of the
| United States.
THE SOUTHERN STATES AND NEGRO
-- DOMINATION.
The attempt to place the while
population under the domination of
| persons of color in the South, has i'm
paired, if not destroyed the kindly re-
lations that had previously existed
between them, and mutual distrust
has rendered a feeling of animosity
which, leading in some instances to
collision and blOodshed, has prevented
that cooperation between the two
races so essential to the success of in
dustrial enterprises in the Southern
States. Nor have the inhabitants oi
those States alone suffered from the
dis urbed condition of affairs growing
out of these Congressional enactments
The entire Union has been agitated by
grave apprehensiOns oftroubIe, which
might again involve the peace of the
nation, Its interests have been iniu.
riously affected by the derangenenl
of business and labor, the conseuu uent
want o. prosperity throughout tha'
portion of the country.
| Fnhn L7a1or.aI
na Charta OF American rights, under
whose wise and, saIutary Providence
we have successfully conducted all oul
domestic and foreign affairs sustain
ed ourselves in peace and in war, anC
become great nation among the
powers OF the earth, most aSSuredIy
now be adequate to the settlement o
questions growing out of the ciVl
war, waged alone for its Vindication
| This great fact is made most NANTES
by the condition of the country. -
! When Congress assembled in tn
month of December, 1865, evil strIf
had ceased. The spirit of rebellion
had spent its entire force in the South
ern States. The people had warmei
into national life, and throughout tn
whole country healthy reaction il
public sentiment had taken place b,
the application Of the simple. yet ei
fective provisions of the Constitution
The Executive Department, with tn
voluntary aid OF the States had bro
the work of restoration as near CON
pletton as was within the scope of il
authority, and the nation was encouI
aged by the prospect OF an early an
satisfactory adjustment of all its diffi
lculties. Congress, however, interve
ned, and refusing to perfect the wor
, so nearly consummated, declined I
. admit members from the States, ,adoI
/ ted course of measures, Illustrate
: all that had been successfully accom-
plished, and alter three years of agiti
ton and strife, has lett the countr
further from the attainment of unio
ard fraternal feeling, than at the il
= ception Of the Congressional plan
. reconstruction. 1t needs no argumeI
. to show that the legislation which hs
produced such consequences should |
abrogated, or else made to conform
the genuine principles OF Repu
lican Government. Under the infi
ence of party passions and section
prejudices other acts nave been passe
not warranted by the Constitution.
. THE TENURE OF OFFICE BILL.
Z Congress has already been MAJ
!: familiar with my views respectir
- the Tenure of Once bill. Experien
has proved that its repeal is deman
ed by the best interests of the count
and that while it remains in force Il
President cannot enjoin that rigi
- accountability so essen tiaI to an no
> est and efficient execution of the Law
:. Its revocation would enable the E
Z; ecutive department to exercise Il
:. power of appointment and rernav
y in accordance with the original d
- sign Ofthe Federal Constitution. T
lie act of March "a, 1867, making appl
x priations for the support of the aru
- for the year ending June 3Oth, Isl
and for other purposes, contains o
visions which interfere with the Pr
ident's constitutional functions
- commander in-chief of the army, a
deny to States Of the Union the RIG
lAs to protect themselves by means
81 their own militia.
are These provisions should be at OF
0nnulled, for, while the first mig
in times ofgreat emergency, seriou:
embarraSs the Executive in efforts
~ employ and direct the comm
SJ strength of the nation for its prot
@ +. tion and preservation, the other
H n contrary to the express declaration
,s.s the Constitution, that q weH-regulat
~ ulIlIId using necessary 10 Cne Secu
IA ty OF a free State, the right of I
~ people to keep and bear arms sh
1 s.s- not be infrInged. II is believed Il
- the repeal Of all such laws would
accepted by the American people
at least a partial return to the fun
mental principle of government, q
III. an Indication that hereafter the c.
stitution is to be made the natio
safe and unerrIng guide. They
be productive of no permanent be
III to the country, and should not
permitted to stand as so many mo
ments of deficient Wisdem which
4 characterized the recent Legislation
THE FINANCEs-rHR RxPENsEs OF THz G
~ .. ERNAIRNT. q. .a-..
al The condition of our finances
.- mands the early and earnest cOnsIC
=. a alton Of Congress. Compared "
the growth of our DOUulatiOQ pul