The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1869-03-18
ANDERSON S c. THURSDAY MARCH 49, 1889

without impairing the fundamental prin-
eipIes of the Government itself II is ncc-
essnry to she existence of the States, as
we'll as to the protection of the liberties
of the people for the right to select the
elector in whom the political power of
State shall be lodged involves the right
Of the State to govern itself When
deprived of this perogstive, the States
will have no power worth retsining; all
will be gone, and they will be subjected
to the arbitrary will of Congress. The
Government will then be e.contraliEed, it
not by the passage of laws, then by tho
adoption, through partisan influence, OF
An amendment directly in csn6ict with
the original design Of the Constitution.
This proves how necessary it is that the
people should require tho adminlhtsation
Of the three great departments OF the
Government strictly within the limita-
,ions of the Constitution. Their bounda-
rics have been ACCURATELY defined, and
neither should be allowed to trespass up,
on the Other, nor above all, to o1roarh
upon the reserved rights of the people
and the States. The troubles Of the past
four years will prove to the nation bless
ings if they produce so desirable result.
Upon those who became Young men
amid the sound of cannon and din of arms,
and quietly returned to the farms, the
factories, and the schools of the land, will
principally devolvc the solemn duty OF
pcrpetuating the Union of the States, IN
defence oil which hundreds of thousands
of their comrades expired, and hundreds
of millens Of. national obligations were
incurred. A manly people will not neg
lect the training necessary to resist ag-
rresson, out they should be jealous lest
the civil be made subordinate to military
element. We need to encourage, in er-
ery legitimate way, study Of the Con-
stitution for which the war was waged,
knowledge of and reverence for whose
wise checks by those 30 soon to occupy
the places filed by their seniors will be
the only hope of preserving the Republic.
The young men Of the nation, not Yet un-
der the control of party, must resist the
tendency 10 centralization-an outgrowth
of the great rebellion-and be familiar
with the fact that the country consists OF
united States, and that when the States
surrendered certain great rights for the
sake of more perfect union, tbcy retain
ed rights as valuable and important as
those which they relinquishcd for the COM
mon veal.
This sound old doctrine, far different
from the teachings that led to the attempt
to secede, and kindred theory that
States we're taken out of the Union by the
rash acts of conspirators that happened to
dwell within their borders, must be re-
ceived and advocated with tho enthusiasm
of early manhood or the people will be
ruled by corrupt combinations of the
com mercial centres, who, plcthoric from
wealth, annually migrate TO the capital OF
the nation to purchase special legislation
Until the representatives Of the people in
Congress more fully exhibit the diverse
views and interests of the whole nation,
and laws cease to DC made without full
discussion at the behcst of some party
leader there will never be a proper re-
spcct shown by the law.making power
either to the judicial or executive branch
Of the Government. The generation just
beginning to use the ballot box, tits be-
lieved only need that their attention
should be called to these considerations to
indicate, by their votes, that they wish
their representatives to observe all the
restraints which the people, in adopting
tho Constitution, intended to impose up
on party excess.
Ca6niy reviewing my administration OF
the Government, L feel that, with sense
of accountability TO God, having consci-
entiously endcavored 10 discharge my
whole duty, 1 have nothing to regret.
Events have proved the correctness of the
policy set forth in my first and subsequent
messages the woes which have followed
the rejection OF forbearance, magnanlmlty,
and constitutional rule are known and de-
plorcd by the nation. 49,.
1t tisa matter Of pride and qualification,
in retiring from the most exalted position
in the gift of free people. to feel and
know that in long, arduous, and event
iul public life; my action has never been
influenced by desire for gain. and that
can in all my sincerity inquire, "Whom
have detrauded whom have l oppress-
ed or off whose hand have | received any
bribe to blind my eyes herewith No
responsibility for wars thas have been
waged or blood that has been she'd rests
upon me. My thoughts have been those
of peace, and my effort has ever beon to
allay contentious among my countrymen.
Forgetting the past, let us return to
the rst principles of the Government,
and, uniurling the banner ofour country.
inscribe upon it, in ineffaceable charac-
tiers, "The Constitution and the Union'
one and inseparablo. =
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washington, D. c., March 4, 1868.
Alta dinner party, the waiter dropped