The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1868-12-17
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

portant document, we are lnuepteu u
the Charleston Daily Ne,cs:
The President, in beginning his
= message, says that the greatest wrongs
+ inflicted on people are caused by un-
Just and arbitrary legislation, or the
unrelenting DEGREES of despotic rulers,
and that a timely revocation of inju-
rious and oppressive measures is the
greatest good that can be conferred
upon a nation. The legislator who
retraces his steps when. convinced
of error will be rewarded with the re-
spect and gratitude of his people. Our
own history proves that most If not all
of our domestic troubles are traceable
to violation of the organic law and ex-
cessive legislation. This is strikingly
shown by the Reconstruction enact
ments of the past three years. CATER
a fair trial they have substantially y
failed, and proven pcrnicious in their
results, and there seems to be no good
reason Why they should longer remain
upon the statute book. States to which
the constitution guaranteed republl-
can form of government have been re-
duced to military dependencies, in
each of which the people have been
made subject to the arbitrary will of u
commanding general. Although the
constitution requires that each State
shall be represented in Congress, Vir-
ginia, Mississippi and Texas are yet
excluded from the two houses, and,
contrary to the express provisions Of
that instrument, were denied participa-
tiou in the recent election for Presi-
dent and Tice-President Of the United
States. The attempt to place the white
pcotle under the domination ofpcrsoDs
of color. in the South has impaired, if
not destroyed, the friendly relati9ns
that had previously existed between
them, and mutual 'distrust has cngcn-
dered feeling of auimosity which,
lcading in somc instances to collision
and bloodshcd, has prevented that co
operation between the two races which
is so essential to the success ofindustrial
enterprises iu the Southern States. -
The President says further, that the
entire Uailn has been sgitated by the
apprehension Of troubles, involving the
peace of the nation, which has been in.
iuriou>ly affected by the arrangement
of business and labor, aud the want of
prosperity in the South. The Federal
Constitution must assuredly be adequate
10 the settlement Of affairs growing out
of the war waged for its vindication.-
When Congress met in December, IS
65, the Executive had, under the con-
stitution, nearly completed the work of
restoration. But Congress interfered and
adopted measures which arrested the
progress of restoration, and which after
three years Of strife have left the coun-
try further from union and fraternal
feeling than at their beginning. This
Legislation should be abrogated, or else
made to conform to the principles of
republican government. The Presi-
dent goes on TO say that the "Tcnure-of
j'Ofice bill' should be repealed, because
while it is in force the President can.
not enjoin that rigid accountability of
public officers SO essential to an houoest
administration of the laws. The Presi-
dent says that the army appropriation
act of March 2, 1867, interferes with
the Presidents constitutional functions
as commander.in. chief, and denies States
of the Union the right of protecting
themselves by their own militia. Both
of these provisions should be at once
anpulled. "It is believed that the re-
peal of altsuch laws would be accepted
by the American people as at least a
partial return to the fundamental prin-
ciples of the Government, and an indi-
cation that hereafter the constitution
is to be made the nations sole and un-
=. erring guide"
The President says that the public
expenditures have reached an unprece-
depted amount in comparison with the
growth Of the population. That has
increased from 1871 to 1850 700 per
cent, and by 1860 will have increased
to $50 per cent. In the same time the
annual expenditure of the government
has increased no less than SGlS per
cent. In 1860 the expenditures we're
only s63 100000. In 1869 they will
be S372,000,000, an increase of4S9
per cent, while the population has on
ly increased q per cent. The national
expenses in 1871 were 81 per capita, in
1860 50, and in 1869 they will be 50 7S.
The President further says that the
receipts from internal revenue and GUS
toms havegradually diminished during
the last three years, and continuance
of extravagaut expenditures will in
volve us in national bankruptcy, or
make inevitable an increase of the
present onerous and obnoxious taxes.
Judicious legislation and economy can
alone remedy the defect and avert the
threatened danger. Without proper
care there will be no balance in the
Treasury at the close of the present
year, which would once more increase