The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE

If again becomes my duty to call your
attention to the state OF the union
and It's disorpanized condition under
4 the various laws which have been
nassed unon the subject of recon,
struetion. 1t may be safely assumed
ae an axiom In the government otth
States. that the greatest wrong IN
Aicted mon a people, as passed by
-1n;,1st and arbitrary legislation, or by
fbe Ilnreientine decree OF despot1c
rnIers and that the time for In
inrions and oppressive measures, is
not tbe greatest good that can be con-
farred upon a nation. The legislator
or tine ruler who has the wisdom or
magpauimity to retrace his stepsswhen
convineed Of error will, sooner or
later. be rewarded with the respect
and gratitude of an intelligenE and
patriotic people.
Our owns history, although embrac-
ing a ueffod less than century. at
fords abundant proof that most if
not all our domestic troubles arc d.
rectlv traeeable. to violations of the
organic laws AVID excessive legisla-
ton. The mostSstriking illustrations
of this fact areA furnished by the
enactments of the past three years
upon the question of reconstructlonF
Alter a fair trial hey have substanr
TALLY failed and proved pcrnicious N
their results, and there seems to be
no good reason why they should
longer remain upon the statute book
States to which the Constitution
guarantees a Republican form of gov
eminent 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 Constitution
REQUIRES that each State shall be rep
resented in Congress, Virginia, Mis-.
sissippi and Texas are yet excluded
from the Houses, and contrary to the
expressed provisions of that lBstru
Tnent were denied participation In the
recent election for a President and
Vice President of the United States.
The attempt to place the whole
population under the dominion of
persons Of color in the South has i'm
paired, If not destroyed, the kindly
relations that had previously existed
between them, aud mutual dlstrust
has rendered feeling of luminosity,
which is leading In some instances to
ed that cooperation between the two
races 50 essential to the success of
industrial enterprises In the Southern
States; nor have the inhabitants of
these States not suffered from the
disturbed condition of affairs grow
ing out Of CONGRESSIONAL euactments
The entire Union has been agitated
by grave apprehensions of troubles
= I, lie 10
of the nation. Its interests have been
injuriouzIy affected by the derange-
ment-of business and labor; the con-
sequent want of propriety throughout
that part of the Federal Constitution
- the magma cbdrt0 of American
rights-under whose wise and salu-
tary provisions we have successfully
conducted all our domestic and fer
eign affairs ourselves, In peace and
In war, and become a great nation
among the powers of the earth, must
assuredly now be adequate to the
settlement of questions growing out
of the civil war waged for its vindica-
ton. 3se4ars aa
This great fact is made most mani
fest by the condition Of the country.
When Congress assembled, In the
month Of December, 1860, civil. strife
had ceased, the spirit of rebellion had
spent its entire force in the Southern
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 yet
effective provisions of the Constitu-
ton, the Executive Department, with
the voluntary 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 adjustment of
all its difficulties. Congress, howe7
er, interfered, and refusing to perfect
the work so nearly completed, de
cllned to admit members from the
States, adopted a course Of measures
which arrested the progress of resto-
ration, frustrated all that had been
done and. successfully accomplished,
and, after three years of agitation and
strife, has left the country further
from the attainment of union and fra
teFnal feeling than at the inception of
the Congressional plan of reconstruct
ton. lsias..a
1t needs no argument to show that
legislation which has produced such
consequences, should be abrogated or
else made to conform to the princi-
pies of Republican Governments.
Under the influence of party passion
and sectional prejudice other acts
have been passed not warranted by
the Constitution. Congress has al
ready been made familiar with nv
views respecting the tenure of Office
bill Experience has proved that its
repeal is demanded by the best inter-
ests of the country, and that, while it
remains in force, the President canuo5I
enjoln that rigid accounta bility ofpub-
lie ofhcers SO essential to a President
and ehcIent- execution of the laws.
Its revocation would enable the Ex-
ecutlve Department to exercise the
power OF appointment and removal
IN accordance with the original de-
sign Of the Federal Constitution. The
act OF March ID, 1867, making appro-
pFlatlens tor the support of the army.
for the year ending june 80, 1853, and
for other purposes, contains provi-
sions which interfere with the Presi-
dents constitutional functions 10
Commander-in Chief of the Army
and Navy, to States of the Union the
right to protect themselves by means
Of their own militia.
These provisions should be at once
annulled, for while the first might In
times of great emergency seriously
embarrass the Executive in his eff
~forts to employ and direct the com
IN strength of the nation for Its
e eoTtion and preservation. the other
of the ca, to the express declaration
lated milititution, that well regu-
security of ffeg necessary to the
the people to keebate, the right of