Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Feiiotp-oitizenS Of the .Ssnote =
and Ho,lse Of Reu~eseago,gy,,0s I

FelOtp-oitize'as Of tse Senote
and House Of Representatives
Upon the resssemDiin OF Congress, 4
sgain bec0mss my d7ty 20 call your st
tsution 20 the state OF the Uoion, and
the oisoTgsBiZed condition, under the va
rious laws which have been passed upoI
the subject OF reconstruction. IL MAY
sally be assumed as an axiom, that in
the govern vent OF the Ststes, the great.
est wrong Inflicted on q people was
caused by u just and arbitrary lsgisls-
tQn, or BY the unrelentiug DEGREES oi
dHpOtic rule, sDd that Ia the time OF in
t0rious and oppressive measures, the
greatest good thai can be conferred on 3
nation Is the legislator or ruler who has
the wl-dOm and msgnsnimity to Tetrsee
his steps when con WINGED OF error, and he
will sooner or later be rewarded with
the respect and gratitude OF an iutelii-
gent and patriotic people. Our own peO-
ple-Our own history, although embrao-
ing period Of less than 8 century, af-
fOrds abundant proofs that most, If not
sll, OF cur domestic troubles are directly
tTacesble 10 direct violations OF the or
gsnic laws ard excessive legislation
The most striking Illus rations of this
fact are furnished by the enRotments Of
the psst three years on the question Of
recOnstTuction aud after a fair trial
they have substantially failed, and
proved peTnicious in their results; and
there seems 20 be no good reason why
they should longer remain on the statute
bOuks. States TO which the Constitution
guarantees a Republican form Of govern
ment have been reduced to military de-
peDdsnciss, in each nf which the people
have been msde subj CT to the arbitrary
Will Of rhe C mmandiug Gene al; and
although the Constitution requires that
each Safe shall be represented in Con-
gress, Nirginls, Mississippi and Texas
ar vet excluded from the House, and
contrary 70 the express provisions Of that
instrument were CsBied participation in
the recent election for President sDd
y tee- President % the United S ates
The attempt 70 place the whole populs-
ton under the domination OF persons OF
color In the South, has impaired, II not
destroyed the kindly relations that had
previously existed between them, and
mutual distrust has rendered feeling of
suimosity, which, leading il some in-
stsuces to collision snd Oloodshed, has
prevented that cooperation between the
Iwo races 50 essential TO the success of
industrial enterprises 10 the Southern
States; nor have the inhabitants nf
those States alone suffered from the dis
tUrOed c0nGi iJn or Hfiairs growing
out Of these Congressional enact
Inents, bus the entire UBi &c has
been sgiraJed " grave approximations
Of troubles, which might sgsin involve
the p-acs Of the nS8ou. rs interests
sve been "a luriousiy att -etsd hy the de-
rGngsment Uf business aud labor, and the
consequent want of prosperity. Through
out thst portion Of the Federal COnstitu-
Il ,n-the Magma Cnarta Of common
righIs-undeF whnss wise aud salutsry
provisions we have successfully con-
duetsd cur domestic aud foreign affairs,
ourselves, Is peace and war to bseome 8
great nation Rmorg the powers Of the
earth, must Rs- ure1iy now be sdt quste to
the settlement OF q question growing
out ef civil war Wsged for Its vindica-
ton. TINS great fat is made most
manifsst by the condition OF the country
WI sn COl grs~s sssemb ed on the 9th |
0f December, 1865; evil strife had ceased |
and he spIrit o. robe,ii q had spent its |
entire force. IL the Southern = SITES the /
people had warmed into national life, l
snd throughout the whole country g /
healthy resct:oD Ia public sentiment had I
taken pisce By the application OF the 1
simplest elective prOvisluns OF the Con- /
stItutiOn tue Executive Department, |
with the voluntary aid Of those /
BlAJCs, bsd brought the work Of /
restoration Rs near completion, as was /
in the scope Of ijs authority, ana the IA /
lion was encouraged by the prOsEfet of I
early aud satisfactory sdiuslmE Sf sll /
is q Gicuities. Congress, however, in
teriei ed, AID, refusing 10 perfect the /
work 81 nearly done, declipsd 10 admit 1
the msmbers OF Congress from those
States, and adopted clurse which ar
rested The progress Of restoration and
frustrated that which had been done sbd
successfully accomplished, and now,
after three yeGTs y sEi5stiOD and strife,
hiss lef the cOanuy uTthsT from the 81
taium-Bt Of q warm and iFaieTual
feel & than at the inception Of ths Con-
gressiUHal plan Of reconstruction. II
needs no argument 10 show tbs the leg
islatiOu which has produced such cOnse-
qusnces should be sbrugated, or else be
mad To Coz form 10 the genuine nTinci-
pl-- OF = Republican government.
ITLdHr the Il fiaence Of party passion
an sectional prtjudice, other scls hsve
been passed, not warranted by the Con
sliiution, Congress has already been
mace familiar Win my Views respecting
the Tsnure-oi- office bill, and experience
proved that its repeal Is demanded by
the b. - iJlerssts of the country, and
inst while il remains 10 force the Prssi-
dent cannot eTi in that rigid account
ability publc Ufh sers so essential 20 q
] usi a. q efficient roG,iOn OF the lave,
aud lie vocation would enable the Ex
seutIve Department TO bXeTe So tue power
OF appointment and removal ia accord
RnGe with the original design OF the Fed
eTsl Constitution.
4. nH n HTar1h 1sET kirrr q n an ]
pr0priati0n fer the ~ p Tt II the army
Tor the year ending Jal9 so, 1867, and
for other purposes, Contains erOvisioDs
" gnIcs inieFferes with the PRESIDENT
coIsgilGI mai functions g commander
in chief Of the srmy and navy, and the
rights q protect themeely YES by means Of
iheiF oWB militia.
These provisions should be st once an
nuiied, for v hiie the first might in q
time Z greai emergency, seriously en-
barr zss The Executive in his etfOrls to
employ ana uiTec5 the common strergrh
Of me nation Tor its protection and pow
OF, ibe other is contrary to the express
Of the Constitution, that q
well regU ated militia heing necessary to
the seeu,igy o free S ate, the right OF
the peeps 10 keep and bear arms, shall
noi be ID.ring-d. II IS believed that the
rep al OF al such laws would b. accepted
hy the AmsFiesE people as 81 least q par
Iisi Es ufn TO the fundamental principles
OF tne }overnmeBt and an indication
that hereafter the Constitution is 20 be
mas the uneTTiug national safe
guzTt. They can be productive
Of no permanent benefit 10 TIE
country, sud shoCsd not be permitted 70
stsnd b. s. mzny monuments Of the de-
vent wisdom which has cbAraeteriz
&c -nt legislation.
spndt { on Of our finances demand
e&and earnest consideration o.
yCOmpated vito the growth
.-InpUistiOu, tie expenditures have
,sso44s,i an sbnouut pTecedeDted Ia our
History. The popu on of the Y iited
fs lates in 1890 was nearly 1000 000, aud
increasing each decade about hurry per
cent Il resahed IL 1850. 81 900 Geo, al 10
cFeAsa o. 700 eT ceui. on the population
10 1859 / 1883 Il Il estimated tnat e. will
reach IS OGD, 900, an Increase OF 66S per
cent. iD ssveusy nine years The annual
expenditures Of th- r d-ral q ,vaTnBlest
su I78Is were 4 20 000; ~ 1870, $40
100 WJ@: 90 1859, S4i oOe,000; im 1859
s65 COZ 900; IL l585. EszrIy a 300, go go
ia 1867 l. estimated by the Secretary
of tnz Treasury in his last annual report,
thSt they wIl be SS72 900 coo By oon-
naFisun the public disbursements Of 1863, I
as tssiaizted with those Of 1871. it VIII
il1 g-csi that the fuCraa3e Of eXDsuQlluFes. 4