Evening star., 1869-12-06
EVENING STAR.
SECOND edition.
Presidents Message.

t,tc IA TIE tiVc- - all good Ior st'S many OCh-
oEts We enjoy: we are blessed vi;h peace AT
home. and are without entanaiiug alliances
abroad to forbod- trouble; with'v territory un-
surpassed in fcr-iity. ot an ares equal 10 the
shuusigdt support Of five hundred mil
lions Of Qeorse. and absUEfing in every
variety 0f useful mineral iG quantity sufi-
cient TO suprIy the world for generations;
with exubeTsnt crops; viii a variety Of
climate ailss ted ito the production of every
species of siTth'S riches. end suited To tle
habits. tastes and requirements OF every
EvIng thing. with POPULATION of forty
millions u free people, all speaking one
language. with facilities tor every mortal to ac
quire education. with institutions closing to
none the avenues to fame or any blessing on for
tune thatS1ay bc coveted; with freedom of the
pulpit, the press and the school; with a revenue
flowing iFtO the national treasury beyond the
reguiTen nts of the government. Happily, haT-
mOHy - i0mg rapidly restored within our own
borders. Manufactures hitherto unknown in
our eoHntry are sPringing up in all sections.
producing a degree of national Independence
unC qnaiied by that OF any other power.
These blessings and countless others are en-
trusted 70 your care and mine, TOR safekecPing
Tor the brief period OF our tenure OF office. In
short time we must, each of us, return to the
wants of the people who have conferred upon
ns our hOnors. and account TO them for our stew
aTdShip. l earnestly desire IL at neither YOU nor
4 NAV he condemned by a free and enlightened
constituency, nor by our own eonseiences.
Emerging from a rebellion OF gigantic magn-
~
siStance of nations with which We were at peace,
eleyen States of the Union were, four years ago,
ltlt without legal State governments. ma
tOnal debt had been contracted; American COM
neFce Was almost driven from the seas; the in
dastry of the One-haIf of the country
had been taken from the control Of
the capitalist and placed where all labor
rightfuIy belongs. in the keeping of the laborer.
The work OF restoring OF State governments
loyal TO the Union, of protecting and fostering
Tree labor. and providing means for paving the
mi On he. let n
attention from Congress. Although your efforts
have not met with the succeSs in all particulars
that might have been desired. Yet. on the whole,
ihey have been more successful than could have
reasonably been anticipated.
Seven States which passed ordinances OF Sc
ression have been fully restored 10 their
gia. held an election at which she
ratified her constitution, republican in
forln, elected a Governor, members Oi Con-
gfcss- State Legislature, and all other officers
required. The Governor MAS duly installed, ard
Tie Legislature met AMI performed all the acts
then required cf them by the reconstruction
acts If tOnsrc~-. SUb~cIuC nt!y, however, in yio-
iti0n Ui the Constitution hich they Just ratified
las Sincc d1cided by The Supreme Court Of the
State they Unseated the cOlOred members OF the
legislature. and admitted 10 seats some members
who axe disqualified by the third clause Of the
fourteenth amendment to the Constitution. an
article which they themselves had contributed
o. ratfy. DBdcr these circumstances would
submit 10 YOU whether IL would not be wise,
without delay, to enact q law authorizing the
Governor OF Georgia to convene the members
originally elected TO the Legislature, requiring
each me nIber TO take the oath prescribed by the
reconstruction acts, and none 10 be admitted
HhO we're ineligible under the third clause OF
the fourteenth amendment.
The freedmen. under the protection which
they have received, are making rapid progress
in learning. ant no complaints are heardO lack
of industry ON their part where they receive
fair compensation Tor their labor. The means
prov i,led for paving the interest on the public
debt, with all other expenses OF government, are
81. Fl.aalr nf
The only result OF the late rebellion which has
not received sufficient attention from you. To
This subject call your earnest attention. viii
not nov suggest plans by which this subject may
he effected. but will. If necessary, make IL the
subject - especial message during the session
of Congress
At the March term, Congress, by joint reso-
lutiOn. authorized the Executive TO order cleo
tiOns in the States of Virginia, Mississippi. and
Texas, to submit 10 them the constitutions which
each had previously, in convention, framed; and
submit the constitutions, either entire, or in
separate parts, to be voted upon, at the discTe-
tion of the Executive. Under this authority
elections we've called. ln Virginia, the election
took place on the sixth OF July, ls6,; the Cover
nor and Lieutenant Governor elected have
been installed; the Legislature met and dId
all required by this resolution, and
by all the reconstruction acts of Congress, and
abstained from all doubtful authority. IrecOm-
mend that her Senators and Representatives be
promptly admitted to their seats, and that the
State be fully restored 10 its place in the family
of States. Elections were called in Mississippi
and Texas to commence on the j0th OF Noyem
ber iSol, and 90 last two days in Mississippi and
four days in Texas The elections have taken
place, but the result i not known. IL is to be
hoped that the acts OF the legislatures Of these
States when they meet viii be >ach a. TO receive
your approval and thus clo,e the work Of recon-
stIuctiOn.
Among the evils growing ont of the rebellion,
and not vet referred 10, - that of an iTredecna-
BILE currency. IL i an evil which hope will
receive YOUR most earnest attention. 1t l.
duty, ami one OF the highest duties Of govern
nicnt. to secure ~ the citizen medium OF .eN-
change OF fixed, unyaTyiDg value. This implies
a return TO -Eecie basis, ami no substitute Tor IL
can he devised. IL should be commenced now
and reached at the earliest practicable moment.
consistent with lar regard To the interest
of The dcbtOT class. Immediate rc>ump
tion. il practicable. would not be desirable
1t would compel the debtor class to pay, beyond
their contracts. the premium IN gold AZ the date
Of their purchase. and would bring bankruptcv
and ruin To thousands. Fluctuations. however,
in the paper value of the measure OF all values,
gold; j. detrimental To the interest of trade. IL
makes the nan OF business an involuntary
gambler, for ~ ali sales where future payment
- to be made, both parties speculate a To what
viii be the value Of the currency 10 be paid
and received | earnestly recommend to
YOU then such legislation - Will insure grad
anal return TO specie payment, and put inn
mediate stop to TiuctuatiUn i'm the value OF cur
Ttncy. The methods to secure the former Or
these results are numerous rs are the Spccula-
tors on political economy. To secure the latter
I see hat ono Wav. anu that u Ia authorize the
Treasury TO redeem it, own PAPER. at "A liked
price, whenever presented; and TO withhold
from circulation al currency ~ redeemed until
30 ld gain tor gold
The vast resources OF the Nation, bJh devel-
oped and undevelored. ought to make onT ere
tiit the best earth With a less burden OF
taxation than the citizen has endured for six
wears past. the eHtiTe public debt could be paid
fn ten wears. but il i not desirable that the peo
pie siDuld be faNcd Ia pay il in that time. Year
by wear tie ability To pay increases i'm a rapid
ratio. But the burden of interest ought
~ be T,,sccd rapidly can be
done, without the violation of contract
ne public debt - represented in great part
bN bonds having from live To twenty and from
tc 10 forty wears t0 run, bearing interest at the
ta1r u SIX Per cent. and i've per cent. rCspec-
uNcls- Al i optional with the Government To
ray these DOn''> at any period after the eSpira-
non Oi the least time mentioned upon their face
Ihc TIME mas already expired when great
part OF them biaY be taken up, and
- Tsi'uy approaching when all NAV be
IL u believed that All which ay,. noN dine may
De replaced by bonds bearing a rate nj inter,st
Ji0s CNcectlidis, four and one haiI per c,ut ami
- Tdpidly The remainder become In. "a,
they may DE- replaced in the same way. To ac-
tuIupliSI this IL nIay be Necessary 10 .rtboriS.
of the mOnsy c,nter- ~ Europe. or by IN Assist
ant Treasures Of thc niJSd States, II We ,ptio,
Of the holder 0f the bond.
fSus-s>f this subject for tie CO.'S L,Tatio7 Of
Congress, AMI also simultaneously with this the
EfcBrlc1y Of Te,leeInirg cur currency, as before
siggest'l. ~ - market value 81 the tine the