The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-12-17
LEADING FEATURES
OF THE
Presidents NJ eSsage
Feliow citizens Of the senate and house
of fRepresentaticeS:

FeiioaO citizens Of the senate and house
of Representatives:
Upon the reassembling Of Con-
gress, it again becomes my duty to
call your attention to the state OF
the Union, and to lis continued dis
organized condition under the vari-
Gus laws which have been passed up
on the subject of reconstruction. 1t
may be safely assumed, as an axiom
in the government of States, that
the greater wrongs inflicted upon a
people are caused by an unjust and
arbitrary legislation, or by the the
unrelenting DEGREES of despotic ru
lers, and that the timely revocation
of injuries and oppressive measures
is the greatest good that can be con
fcrred upon nation. The legisla-
tor or ruler who has the wisdom
and maenanimity to~retrace his
steps when convinced of error, will
sooner or later be rewarded with
the respect and gratitude Of an intel
igent and patriotic people. Our
own history, although embracing a
period less than century, affords
abundant proof that most if not all
of our domestic troubles are direct
ly traceable to violations of the OF
ganic law and excessive legislation.
The most striking illustrations OF
this fact are furnished by the enact
ments of the past three years upon
the question of reconstruction. AT
ter fair trial they have substantial
failed, and proved pernicious in their
resulrs, and there seems to be no
good reason why they should remain
longer upon the statute book States
to which the Constitution guarantees
republican form Of of government
have been reduced to military de
pendence, and in each the people
have been made subject to the arbi-
trary viii Of the commanding Gen
eral.
Although the Constitution re-
quires that each State shall be rep
resented in Congress, Virginia, Mis-
sippi and Texas are yet excluded
from the two Houses, and, contrary
to the express provisions of that in
strument, were de MED participation
in the recent election for President
and Vice President of the United
States. The attempt to place the
white population under the dom
ination Of persons of color in the
South, has impaired, if not destroy
ed the kindly relations that had pre-
viously existed petween them, and
mutual distrust has engendered a
feeling Of animosity which, leading
in some instances to collision and
bloodshed, has prevented that CO.
operation be tween the two races so
essential to the success of industrial
enterprises in the Southern States.
Nor have the inhabitants of those
States alone suffered from the dis
turbed condition of affairs growing
out of these Congressional enact
ments Theentire Union has been aei
tated by grave apprehensions OF
troubles which might again involve
the peace Of the nation. Its inter
ests have been injuriously affected
by the derangment of business and
labor, and the consequent want of
prosperity throughout that portion
Of the country. The Federal con-
stitution, the magma charta of Amer
ican rights, under whose wise and
salutary provisions we have success
fully conducted all our domestic and
foreign affairs, sustained ourselves
in peace and in war, and become &
great haitian among the powers OF
the earth, must assuredly be now
adequate to the settle I ent Of the
question growing out Of the civil
war, which was waged alone for its
vindication. This great fact is made
most manifest b3' the condition Of
the country when Congress assem-
bled in the month ofDecember 1865
Civil strife had ceased, the spirit of
rebellion.had spent its entire force in
the Southern States, the people had
warmed into nstional life, and thro' t
the whole country a healthy reaction
in public sentiment had taken place.
BY the application Of the simple,ye
effective, provisions of the Constitu
ton, the Executive Department.
with the voluntary aid of the States
had prought the work of restoration
as near completion as was within
the scope of its authority, and, the
nation was encouraged by the pros
pect Of an early and satisfactory ad
justment of all its difficulties. Con
gress, however, intcrvened, and: re-
fusing to perfect the work so nearly
consumated, declined to admit mem
bers from the unrepresented States,
adopted a sirles of measures which
arrested the progress of restoration,
frustrated all that had been so sue
cessfully accomplished, and, after
three yeaas of agitation and strife,
has left the country further from
the attainment of union and frater-
nal feeling than at the inception of
the Congressional plan of reconstruc
tiCn. 1t needs no argument to
show that legislation which has pro
duced such baneful consequences
should be abrogated, or else made
to conform to the genuine princi-
pies CT republican government. Un
der the influences of party passion
and sectional prejudice, other acts
have been passed not warranted by
the Constitution
Congress has already been made
familiar with my views respecting
the Tenure of Office Bill Expert.
ence has proved that its repeal is de
manded by the best interests of the
country, and that, while it remains
in force, the President can not en-
join that rigid accountability ofpub-
lie officers so essential to an honest
and efficient execution of the laws.
Its revocation would enable the EX