The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-12-17
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PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
RECoN,srRtcrIoN.

RECONSTRUCI1ONs -5-3f
FelIo,o-citizens of the Senate and OF
the House of Representatives. :aa
Upon the reassembling of Congress
it becomes my duty to call your atten-
ton to the state of the Union and the
disorganized condition under the vari-
GUS laws which have been passed upon
the subject of reconstruction.
Itmay be safely assumed, as an axiom
in the government of the States, that
the greatest wrongs indicted upon q
people are caused by unjust and arbi-
trary legislation, or by the unrelenting
decrees of despotic rulers, and that the
timely repeal Of injurious and oppres-
sive measures is the greatest good that
can be conferred upon a nation. The
legislator or the rulerwho has the wis
dom and magnaminity to fretrace his
steps when convinced OF error viii
sooner or later be rewarded with the
respect and gratitude Of intelligent
and patriotic people. Our own his
tory, although embracing period less
than a century, affords abundant proof
that most if not all of our domestic
troubles are directly traceable to Vio-
lations of the organic law and exces-
sive legislation. - z.t-ss
The most striking illustrations of
this fact are furnished blythe enact
ments of the past three years upon the
question of reconstruction. After a
fair trial they have substantially failed
and proved pernicious in their result,
and there seems to be no good reason
why they should longer remain upon
the statute book. States to which the
constitution guarantees q republican
form of government have been re-
duced to military dependence, in each
of which the people have been made
+, subject to the arbitrary will of the
commanding General. bas .i..l7e-i1
Although the constitution requires
that each State shall be represented in
Congress, Virginia, Mississippi and
Texas are yet excluded from the two
Houses, and, contrary to the express
provisions of that instrument, were
denied participation in the recent cleo
ton for President and Vice President
of the United States. "a fz.
The.attempt to place the white 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 render
ed feeling of animosity, which, lead
ing in some instances to collision and
bloodshed, has prevented that CO.
operation between the two races so
essential to the success of industrial
enterprises in the Southern States.
Nor have the inhabitants of those
States suffered from the disturbed con-
dition of affairs growing out of these
Congressional enactments. The en-
tire Union has been agitated by grave
apprehensions of troubles which might
again involve the peace of the nation,
its interests have been injuriOusly af-
fected by the arrangement of business
and labor, and the consequent want of
prosperity throughout that portion of
the country. rszgas. ~
The Federal constitution, the magma
charta of American rights, under
whose wise and salutary provisions
we have successfully conducted all our
domestic and foreign affairs, sustained
ourselves in peace and in. war, and be-
come great nation among the powers
of the earth, must assuredly now be
adequate to the settl lement of questions
growing out of the civil war, waged
alone for its vindication. This great
fact is made most manifest. When
Congress assembled in the month OF
December, 1865, civil strife had ceased.
The spirit of the rebellion had spent
its entire force in the Southern States,
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 constitution. a..se k,.s.
The Executive Department, with the
voluntary aid s5of 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 oi
all its difficulties. Congress, however
intervened, and refusing to perfect the
work SO nearly consummated, declined
to admit the members from the States
adopted a course of measures which
arrested the progress of restoration,
frustrated all that had been success
fully accomplished, and, after three
y years of agitation and strife, has left
the country further from the attain.
ment of union and fraternal feeling
than at the inception of the Congress.
Ional plan of reconstruction. Itneeds
no argument to show that the legisla.
ton which has produced such conse
uuences should be iabrogated or elst
made to conform to the genuine prin
] ciples of republican government. 81
s -,i,# 80 ILLEGAL ACTS. e.. h..s ~ -. 3.
sd Under the influence of party passion
and sectional prejudice, other act
have been passed not warranted by
the constitution. Congress has al
ready been made familiar with m,
Yiews respecting the Yenure-0fr 0fic.
bill. Experience has proved that it
repeal is demanded by the, best inter
ests of the country, and that while ]
remains in force the President canno
.1enioina that rigid accountability Q
public officers SO essential to an homes
official execution of the laws. Itsire
vocation would enable the Executive
Depart1nent to exercise the power Q
appointnlent and removal in accord
ance with the original design of th
Federal constitutio -,
The act of, March 2, 1867, maxim.
dDDEODEIAlkOAASAO AOAf eAiSs f2lStP kOSsH' -
army for the year ending June 3(
1858, and foripther purposes, contain
provisions which interfere. with tn
= Presidents constitutional functions a
Command derrin-C Chief of the army, an
deny to States of the Union the righ
to protect themselves by meansT
their own militia. g Ai'l15 tsn7 II .,zpl /
These provisions should be at ono
annulled, for while the first might, j
times of great emergency, serfousI
.embarrass the Executive in efforts t
employ and direct the !. commo
strength of the nation for its prootte.
s.i ton and preservation, the other
contrary to the express declaration
the constitution, that q well regulate
militia being necessary to thetseeurit
of free State, the right of the peopl
-oto keep and bear arms shah motibe II
fringed. It is believed that the repe'
of all such laws would be accepted b
the American people as at least e q pa
d tial return to the fundamental prime
IL Q.,d on ind