Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-10
TELEGRAPHIC.
WASHINGTON.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

which have been passed upon the subiet
of reconstruction. It may be safely a.
sumed as an axiom in the governmer
of the States that the greatest wrong. in
hicted upon people, is caused by unius
and arbitrary legislation or by the unre
lenting exercise of despotic rule and tina
the ending of injurious and oppressiv
measures is the greatest good that cal
be conferred on nation. The legislato
or the ruler who has the wis lom anC
magnanimity to retrace his steps whel
convinced Of error, will sooner or late
be rewarded with the respect and graft.
tude Of an intelligent and patriotic people
Our ewn history, although embracing. 8
period less than a century, affords abun.
dant proof that most, if not all our domeS.
nc troubles, are directly traceable to
violations of the organic laws and excess
sive legislation. The most striking illus.
trations of this fact are furnished by the
enactments of the last three years on the
question of reconstruction. After 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 on the statute
book.
States TO which the constitution
guarantees a republican form of govern
ment have been reduced to military de-
tendencies, in each of which the people
have been made subject to the arbi-
trary will of the commanding General
Although the constitution requires that
each State shall be represented in Con-
gross, Virginia, Mississippi and Texas
are yet excluded from the Houses,
and, contrary TO the expressed provisions
OF that instrument, were denied partici-
patton in the recent election for President
and Vice President of the United States.
The attempt to place the whole popuIa-
lation under the dominion of persons of
color in the South, has impaired, if not
destroyed, the kindly relations that had |
previously existed between them, and |
this mutual distrast has engendered |
a feeling of animosity which, leading Ia |
some Instances to collision and bloodshei, |
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 these
States alone suffered from the disturbed
condition of affairs growing out of these
Congressional enactments. The entire
Union has been agitated by grave appre-
tensions of troubles which might again
involve the peace Of the nation. It's in.
terests have been injuriously affected by
the arrangement Of business and labor
and the consequent want of prosperity
throughout that portion of the United
States.
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 in peace and in war
and become 4 great nation amoag the
powers Of the earth, most assuredly will :
now be adequate 10 the settlement of J
questions growing ont Of the civil war, I
~aged for its yIndIcation. This great
fact is made most manifest by the condi-
ton OF the country. When Congress as
sembled IN the month of December, 1865, {!
civil strife had ceased, the spirit of re-, :
bellion had spent its entire force in the /
Southern States, the people had warmed !,
into national life, and throughout the q
whole country healthy reaction in pub a.
lie sentiment had taken place. n
by the application Of the simple vet =
effective provisions Of the constitution, Z
the Executive Department, with the vol =
untary aid of the States had brought -
the work Of restoration as near compile :
ton as was within It's scope of authority, | -
and the South was encouraged BY the | =
prospect OF an early and satisfactory :"
adjustment Of all it's difficulties Com
gress, however interfered and refusing 3
TO perfect the work so nearly done; de. u
cllned TO adIsit members from the South p
ern States, and adopted the course of G,
measures which arrested the progress u
Of restoration, frustrating what had been a
done or successfully accomplished, and | q
after three years OF agitation and strife, u
has left the country further from the ate IL
tainment of union and fraternal feeling CT
than at the inception Of the congressions "
al plan Of reconstruction. 1t needs no
argument 10 show that legislation which "
has produced such consequences should 1
be abrogated or else made to conform to Y
the genuine principles Of republican Il
government el
Under the influence OF party passion and al
sectional prejudice, other acts havo been S
passed not warranted by the Constitution. CT
Congress has already been made familiar | 81
with my views respecting the tenure-of- Il
office bill. Experience has proved that s,
It's repeal is demanded by the best inter- 81
ests Of the country, and that while it re- Il
mains IN force the President cannot re- | v
quIre that rigid accountability of public 5,
officers so essential TO an honest and eff s,
cient execution Of the laws. Its repeal | s
would enable the Executive department | L
10 exercise the power of appointment | l,
and removal in accordance with the | al
original design of the Federal c0nStitUo IL
ton. te
The act of March, 1867, making
appropriation for the support of the army to
for the year ending June 80, 1867, and il
for other purposes, contained provision | W
which interieres with the Presidents ST
constitutional functions as commander in ! W
chief Of the army and navy, and denies eI
10 the Southern States of the Union the | it
right TO protect themselves by means of st
their own militia. in
These provisions should be at once an al
uulled, for while the first might in times m
Of great emergency seriously interfere 81
with the Presidents duty to employ end | st
direct the common strength Of the ma ii
ion for its protection and power, the hi
OlUeI Is COulIdIN 10 lIG GAyI6SS QGCiald- I ~
ton of the constitution. A well regula- eC
ted militia being necessary to the secu- tt
rity of free State, the right Of the peo- W
pie to keep and bear arms should not be c,
infringed. 1t is believed that the repeal Il
of all such laws would be accepted by Il
the American people as at least a partial az
return &c the fundamental principles OF la
the government and an indication that W
hereafter the constitution is to be made ii
the national guide, safe and unerring 81
While they can be productive OF no per- pr
InanentE benefit 10 the country they ii
should not be permitted to stand as so N
many monuments OF the deficient wisdom a
which has characterized our recent legis- Il
alton. el
Tho condition OF cur finances demands b
the early and earnest consideration OF
Congress. Compared with the growth CT
Of our population, the public expenditures II
have reached an amount unprecedented al
in the history of the nation. The popu ii
latiou of the United States in 1870 was II
nearly four millions of people, increas- h
ing each decade about 80 per cent, it y
reached in 1860 thirty-one millions sn 81
increase OF 700 per cent. in population in i
1890. In 1869 it is estimated it will :