The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-12-23

r. again becomes my duty TO call your atten
ton to the state Of the Union, and to it;
continued disorsanized condition under che
various laws which have been passed upor
the subject of reconstruction. 1t NAV be
safely assumed as an axiom in the govern
mrnt of States, that the greatest wrongs in
fiicted upon people are caused by unjust
and arbitrary legislation, or by the unreen
81 ting DEGREES OF despotic rulers, aud that
the timely revocation of Injurious and OPP
messiye measures is the greatest good that
can be conferred upon nation. The leg
islator Or ruler who has the wisdom and
magnanlmnity to retrace his steps when
convinced of error, will. sooner or later, be
rewarded with the respect aud gratitude Of
an intelligent and patriotic people. ON
own history, although embracing period
less than century, affords abundant, roo
that most, ifnot all, of our domestic trou
bles are directly traceable to violations o.
the orgauic law and excessive legislation
The most striking illustrations Of this fact
are furnished by the enactments of the past
three years upon the question of recon-
struction. After fair trial, they have
substantially failed aud proved pernicous
in their results, and there seems to be no
good reason why they should longer remain
npon the statute books. States to which
the constitution guarantees republican
form of government have been reduced to
military dependencies, in each of which the
people have been made. subject to the ar
bitrary will of the Commanding General.
Although the constitution requires that
each State shall be represented in Congress
Virginia, Mississippi and Texas are ex-
eluded from the two Houses, and countra-
ry to the express provisions of that instru-
ment were denied participation in the re-
cent election for President and Vice
President Of the United States. The at
tempt to place the white population under
the domination Of persons of color in the
South, has impaired if not destroyed the
kindly relations that had previously exis-
ted between them, and mutual distrust has
engeudered feeling of luminosity, which
leading in some instances to collision and
bloodshed, has prevented that cooperation
between the two races so essential to the
success of industrial enterprises in the
Southern States. Nor have the inhabi-'
tants of those States alone suffered from
The disturbed condition of affairs growing
out of these congressional eEactments. The
entire Union has been agitated i,j' grave
apprehensions of trouble, which Nigh.
again involved the peace OF the nation. its
interests have been injuriousIy az. ctcd by
the arrangement Of business and labor, and
the consequent want of prosperity through
out that portion Of the country. The Fed
erai constitution, the magma charta CT
American rights, under whose wise and
salatary provisions etavo' successfully
conducted all our domestic and foreign af- |
fairs, sustained ourselves in peace and in
war, and become q great nation among the
powers of the earth, must assuredly be now
adequate to the settlement of questions
growing out Of the civil war waged alone
for its yindicaton. This great fact is
made most manifest by the condition of
the country when Congress assembled in
the month of December, 1865. Civil /
strife has ceased, the spirit of rebellion
had speRtsits force, in the Southern States
the people had warmed into national life.
and throughout the whole country healthy
reaction in public sentiment had taken
place By the application of the simple
yeteffective provisions of the constitution
the executive department, with the volun-
tary aid of the States, had brought the
work OF restoration as near compilation as
was within the scope of its authority, and
the nation was encouraged by the prospect
OF an early and satisfactory adjustment of
all its difficulties Congress, however in
tervened, and refusing to perfect the work
SO nearly contaminated, declined to admit
members from the unrepreseated States,
ted the progress Of restoration, frustrated
all that had been so successfully accom-
plished, and, after three years of agitation
and strife has left the country further from
the attainment of union and paternal feel
ing than at the inception Of the congress
slonal plan of reconstruction. 1t needs
no argument to show that Legislation which
has produced such banelul consequences
should be abroeated or else made to con-
form to the genuine principles ofrepabli-
can government Under The influence Of
party passion and sectional prejudice other
acts have been passed not warranted by the
constitution. Congress has already been
made familiar with my views respecting
the tenure Of office BILL Experience has
proved that its repeal is demanded by the
best interests of the country, and that
while it remains in force tie President can
not enjon that rigid accountability ofp
he officers, SO essential to an honest and
ehcient execution of the laws. Its reyo- /,
cation would enable the Executive Depart
ment TO exercise the power Of appoint ,