The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-12-17
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
FeYo,c- Citizens Of the Senate and House
Of Representatives..

Of Representatives..
RECONSTRUCTION.
Upon the reassemblins of Congress it
again becomes my duty to call your at
tention to the state of the Union, and to
the disorganized condition under the
various laws which have been passed
upon the subject of Reconstruction. 1t
may be safely assumed as an axiom in
the government of States, that the
greatest wrongs inflicted upon people
are caused By unjust and arbitrary legis
lation, or by the unreenting decree of
despotic rulers, and that the timely re-
vocation of injurious and oppressive
measures is the greatest good that can
be conferred upon nation. The legis-
lator or ruler who has the wisdom and
magnanimtly to retrace his steps when
convinced of error, will sooner or later
be rewarded with the respect and graft
tude of an intelligent aud patriotic peo-
pie. Our own history, although EN-
bracing a period less than a century
affords abundant proof that most if not
all of our domestic troubles, are directly
traceable to violations of the organic law
and excessive legislation. The most
striking illustrations of this fact are
furnished by the enactments Of the past
three years upon the question Of Recon
struction. After a fair trial they have
substantially failed and proved perni-
cious in their results, and there seems to
be no good reason why they should long
ger remain upon the statue book. States
which the Constitution guarantees a Re.
publican form of government have been
reduced to Military Dependencies, in
each of which the people have been made
subject to the arbitrary will Of the Com
manding General. Although the Con
stitution requires that each State shall be
represented in Congress, Virginia, Mis-
sissippi, and Texas are yet excluded from
the two Houses, and contrary to the ex
press provisions Of that instrument were
denied participation in the recent elec.
tion for a President and Vice President
of the United States The attempt to
place the white population under the
domination OF persons of color 10 the
South, has impraic1 if not destroyed the
kindly rehtions that had previously ex-
listed between them, aud mutual dlstrust
has engeudered feeling of anm0sity
which, leading n some instances to col
lision and bloodshed has prevented that
cooperation between the two races so es-
seotial to the success Of industrial enter
prses in the Southern States. Nor have
the inhabitants of those States alone suf
fered from the disturbed condition of af
talrs growing out OF these Congressional
enac;ments. The entire Union has been
agitated by grave apprehensions of trou
bles which might again involve the peace
Of tie Nation. Its interests have been
injuriouSly affected by the arrangement
OF business aud labor, and the consequent
want of prosperity throughout that por
tion of the country. The Federal Con
stitution, the HdgHa Chartd of Ameri-
can rights, under whose wise and salutary
provisions we have successfully conduct
ed all our domestic and foreign affairs,
sustained ourselves in peace and in war,
and become great nation among the
Powers of the Earth, must assuredly be
now adequate to the settlement of ques
tons growing out OF the civil war waged
alone for its yindication. This great fact
is made most manifest by the condition
Of the country when Congress assembled
in the month of December, 1868 Civil
strife had ceased. The spirit of rebellion
had spent its entire force. In the South
eru States the people had warmed into
National life, and throughout the whole
country healthy reaction in public SEN
timent had taken place. BY the applica-
ton of the simple yet effective provisions
of the Constitution the Executive De-
partment, with the voluntary aid of the
States, had brought the work of restora-
tioD as near completion as was within the
scope Of lis authority, aud the Nation was