The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-10
Presidents Message.
EsllOlr. citizens Of the Senate
and House Of Rcpresentatires ::

Ftlor citizens Of the Senate
and House Of Representatives.:
Upon the re.assembling of Congress it
again becomes my duty to call your atten-
lion to the state of the Union, aud its
disorsanized condition under the various
laws which have been passed upon the
subject Of reconstruction. 1t may be
assumed as an axiom in the government
of States that the greatest wrongs
inflicted upon people are caused by I'M
just and ambitious legislation, or by the
unreIentiug DEGREES OF despotic rulers; and
that the timely repeal OF injurious and
oppressive measures is the greatest good
that can be conferred upon nation. The
Legislator or the ruler who has the wisdom
and magnanimity to retrace his steps
when convinced of error. will sooner or
later be rewarded with the respect and
gratitude of an intelligent and patriotic
people. Our own history, although en-
braciuS a period Of less than century,
affords abundant proof that most, if not
all, of our domestic troubles are directly
traceable to violations of tho organic law
and excessive legislation. The most stri.
king illustrations of this fact are furnished
BY the enactments of the past three years
upoa the question of reconstruction. 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 remain upon the stat
ute books.
RECONSTRUCTION
States TO which the Constitution guar
antees republican form of government
have been reduced to military dependen-
cies, i'll 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 Congress, Virginia,
Mississippi and Texus arc yet excluded
from the houses, and, contrary to the ex-
press provisions of that instrument, we're
denied participation in the recent election
for President and Vice President of the
United States.
The attempt to place the whole popu.
lation under 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 produced q feeling of
luminosity, which, leading in some in
stances 10 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 inhabitants of
those States alone suffered from the dis
turbed condition / f affairs growing out of
these congressional enactments- The en-
tire Union has been agitatcd by grave APP
prehensions of trouble which might again
involve the peace OF the nation. Its in
terests have been injuriously affected by
the arrangement of business and labor,
and the consequent want of prosperity
fhrnnuhR-1f hot Of a
The Federal Constitution, the Magma
Charta of American rights, under
whose wise and salutary provisions
we have successfully conducted all
our domestic and foreign nfFairs,
sustained ourselves in peace and
war and become 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 alone for its vindication. This
great fact is made most manifest by the
condition of the country. When Con.
gress assembled in the moath Of
December, 1865, civil strife had ceased,
the spirit Of rebellion had spent its en-
tire force in the Southern States, the peo-
pie had warmed into national life and
throughout the whole country healthy
resction in public sentiment had taken
yet effective provisions of the COnstitu-
ton the Executive Department, with the
voluntary aid of the States had brought
the work Of reconstruction as near com
pletion as was within the scope of its
authority, and the nation was encouraged
by the prospect of an early and satisfac-
tory adjustment of all its difficulties. Con-
gress, however, interfered, and refusing
TO perfect the work so nearly consumated,
declined to admit members from the
States, adopted a course of measures
Which arrested the progress ofrestoration,
fus:rated all that had been successfully
accomplished, and after three years of
agitation and strife, has left the country
further from the attainment of union and
fraternal feeling than at the inception
of the Congressional plan of reconstruc-
ton. 1t needs no argument TO show that
legislation which has produced such con-
sequences should be abrogated, or else
made to conform to the genuine principles
of the republican government. Under
he influence of party passion and section
a prejudice, other acts have been passed
no. warranted by the Constitution.
TENURE OF OFFICE DILL.
Congress has already been made fami!.
lar with my views respecting the tenure of
Office bill. Experience has proved that
its repeal is demanded by the best inter
ests Of the country, anu that while it re-
mains in force the President cannot en-
join that rigid accountability of public
officers SO essential to an honest and
efficient execution of the laws. Its revo-
cation would enable the Executive De-
partment to exercise the power of
appointment and removal. ia accordance
With the original design of the Federal
Constitution.
ACT OF MARCH 2, 1867.
The act of March ., 1867, making ap-
preparations for the support of the army
1oT the year ending June 90, 1868, and for
other purposes, contains provisions which
interfere with the Presidents coustitu-
uonai functions as Commander-iu-chiefI
OF the army and denies TO the States Of the
Union the right 10 protect themselves
by means of their own militia
The provisions should be at once an
nulled, for while the first might in timcs
OF great emergency seriously embarrass
the Executive in its efforts 10 employ and
direct the common strength of the nation
tor ITS protection and preservation, the
other is contrary to the express deciara-
ration of the Constitution, that a we'll
regulated militia being necessary To the