Nebraska advertiser. [volume] (Brownville, Nemaha County, N.T. [Neb.]) 1856-1882, 1869-12-16
PREsIDENT,s MEssAGE.


of this great nation, it ss with great
gratitude to the Giver of all good for the
many benefits we enjoy.
We are blessed with peace ut home.
and are without entangling alliances
abroad to fOrebode trouble; with ter
ritOry unsurpassed in fertility of an
area equal TO the abundant support of
five hundred millions OF people, and
abounding in every variety of useful
minerals, In quantity sufficient to sup
ply the world for generations, with
eXuberant crops; with variety of eli
mate, adapted TO the production of
every species of earth's riches, suited
to the habits, tastes and Requirements
of every living thing; with pOpula-
ton of forty millions of free people
all speaking one language, with facili-
ties for every mortal to acquire an ed
ucatiOn with institutions closing to
none, the avenues to fame, or any
blessing of fortune that may be cOvet-
ed, with freedom Of pulpit, the press
and the school, with a revenue flow
ing into the National Treasury, be-
yOnd the requirements of the Govern
ment supply; harmony is being
rapidly restored within our own bOr-
ders, manufactures, hitherto un-
known i'm our country are springing
! up inalldiTectiOns, prOducinga degree
! of National Independence unequalled
| by that Of any other power.
! These blessings and countless others
are entrusted to your care, and more,
! for safe keeping, for the brief
period OF our tenure of office. In a
short time we must each of us return
to the ranks of the people who have
/ conferred upon US our hOnOrs, and
account to them for our Stewardship.
/ earnestly desire that neither you
nor l may be condemned by free and
enlightened constituency, nor by our
own consciences.
Emerging from a rebellion of gi-
gantic magnitude, aided as it was by
! the sympathy and assistance of ma
tiOns with which we were at peace,
| eleven States of the Union were four
years ago left without legal State gov
eminent, debt had been contracted,
American Commerce was almost driV-
en- from the sea, the industry of one
half the country had been taken from
the control of the capitalist and placed
where all labor rightfully belonged,
/ liz the keeping of the labOrer. The
work of restoring State government
! lOyal to the Union, of protecting and
! fostering free labor and providing
means for paying the interest on the
I public debt, has received ample atten-
ton from Congress, although your
labOrs have not met with the sue
cess in all particulars that might have
4 been deserved yet on the whole they
have been reasonably anticipated.
Seven States, which passed ordinan-
/ ces of secession, have been fully re-
stored to their places in the Union.
The eighth, Georgia, held an election,
at which she ratified her Constitution,
/ republican in form, elected a Cover
nor, Members of Congress, a State
Legislature, and all other officers re-
quired. The Governor was duly in
stalled and the Legislature met and
performed all the acts then required
: of them by the recOnstructiOna acts of
Congress. Subsequently, however.
i'm violation of the Constitution which
they had just ratified, as since decided
, by the Supreme Court of the State,
they unSeated the cOlOred members of
the Legislature and admitted to seats
some members who are disqualified
by the third clause of the Fourteenth
i Amendment to the Constitution, an
article which they themselves had
contributed TO ratify. Under these
circumstances l would submit to you
e whether it would not be wise, without
delay, TO enact a law authorizing the
Governor of Georgia to convene the
members originally elected to the
, Legislature, requiring each member
TO take the oath prescribed by the re-
construction act, and none to be ad-
- mitted who are ineligible. under the
third clause of the Fourteenth
! Amendment.
), At the March term Congress by joint
resolution authorized the Executive
TO order elections in the States of Vir-
ginia, Mississippi aud Texas to SUBJ
y NIT to them the Constitution which
. each had previously i'm Convention
framed, and submit the Constitution,
either entire or in separate parts, to be
voted OH at the discretion of the Exc
cutive. Under this authority cleo
q tiOns were called. In Virginia the
election took place on the 9th of July,
= 1869. The Governor and Lieut.. Gov
ernor have been installed. The Leg
islature met and did all required by
:, this resolution, and by all the Recon-
!, struction acts of Congress, and ab-
stained from all doubtful authority.
I recommend the admission of Sena-
= tors aud Representatives, and the
State be fully restored to its place in
= the family Of States. Elections were
: called i'm Mississippi and Texas to
commence on the 30th of November,
1869. and to last two days in Missis-
;, sippi, and four days in Texas. The
elections have taken place, but the re-
suit is not known. Ii is to be hoped
p that the acts of the Legislature OF
these States, when they meet, will be
such as to receive your appreciation,
d and thus cease the work of recon-
' structiOn.
= Among the evils growing out of the
rebellion and not yet referred to, is
). that of an irredeemable currency; il
isan evil which / hope will receive
: your most earnest attention. It Is a
duty, and one of the highest duties,
= of the Government to secure to the
citizens a medium Of exchange OF
fixed, un, arying value. This implies
/ a return to a specie basis, and DO sub
stitute fOrit can be devised. IL should
be commenced now and reached at the
u earliest practical moment consistent
p with a fair regard to the interests OF
the debtor class, immediate resump-
ton, if practicable; it would compel
z. the debtor class to pay beyond their
=, contracts the premium on gold at the
ii date of their purchase, and would
bring bankruptcy and ruin to thou
sands. Fluctuations, however, in the
m paper value of the measure Of gold, is
detrimental to the interests of trade.
y It makes the man of business an in
= voluntary gambler, for in all sales,
when future payment is to be made,
both parties speculate. AS to what
R, will be the value of the currency ia
be paid and received, I earnestly rec
> Ommend to you such legislation as
will insure a gradual return to specie
payment, Ond put an immediate stop
to fiuctuatiOn in the valu of currency
al The methods to secure the results are