Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1869-12-07
pREsrDENT.s MESSAGE.

ehtS W. enjoy, We are blessed with peace at
home, and are without entangllng alliances
abroad to foreboie trouble; with territory un-
surpassed in fertility. Of an area eqaai to the
abundant support OF five hundred millions
of people, and aboUnding IN every variety OF
useful mineral in quantity Suttlcic"t to supply
the word for generations; with czuberant
crops with variety OF SPECIES OF earth
riches, and suited TO the habits, tastes ana re
ouirements of every living thing; with pop
ula,ion of forty millions OF free people, all
speaking one .GGcu4.e; with iac;lues tor
every morta! to ;,,l..c an education; with
institutions closing 10 none the avenues TO
fame or any blessing OF fortune that may be
coveted; with freedom ct the pulpit, the
press and the school with i revenue flowing
into the national treasury beyond the require
ments OF the government. Happily, harmony
is being rapidly restored within our own Dor
ders. Manufactures hitherto unknown in our
country are sprncing up in a sections, pro-
duciDg degree of national independence un
eoualled by that of any other power.
These blessings and countless others are en-
trusted to your care and mine, for sa;ekecping
for the brief period of our tenure OF office, In
| short time we mus, each OF Us, return to the
ranks OF the people who have conferred upon
us our honors, and account 10 them iGr our
stewardship. | earnestly desire that neither
| YOU nor | may DC condemned by tree and
enlightcn constituency, nor ~ our own con
sciences
Emerging from rebellion OF gigantic iaagnl
tude, aided as it was by the sympathes and as
sistance Of nationswith which We were at peace,
eleven States Ct the Union were, four years
ago. left without legal State governments. \
national debt had been contracted American
commerce was almost driven from the seas;
the Industry Of one halt of the country had
been taken from the contrGl 81 ihd capitalist
and placed where all labor rghtiully belongs,
in the keeping of the laborar. The work OF
restoring the State governments loyal TO the
Union, OF protecting aud fostering free labor,
aud providing means Tor paying the interest
on the public debt, has received ample atten
ton from Congress. Although your efforts
have not met with the success IN all particulars
that might have bcen desired, yet, on the
whole, they have been more successful than
could have reasonably been anticipated
Seven States which passed ordinances OF Sc
csssion have been fully restored to their places
in the Union. The eighth, Georgia. held an
election at which she ratified her constitution,
republican in form, elected a Governor mem
hers Of Congress, State Legislature, aud all
other officers required. The Governor was
duly installed, and the Legislature met and
perto,mcd all acts then required OF them by
the reconstruction acts OF Congress- Subse-
ouently, however. in violation OF the Consttu-
ton which they just ratified las since decided
by the Supreme Court OF the State) they IN
seated the colored members OF the legislature,
and admitted to seats some members who ere
disqualified by the third clause OF the four
tccnth amendment to the Constitution, an ar
tclc which they themselves had contributed to
ratify. Under these circumstances | would
submit to you whether 1t would not be wise,
without delay, TO enact 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 rec0nstluctiOn acts and none 20 be admit
ted who were Ineligible under the third clause Of
| the fourteenth amendment
The freedmen, uulcr the protection which
| they have received, arc making rapid progress
| in learning, and no complaints are heard OF
lack of Industry en- their part, where they re
ceiyc fair compensation Tor their labor. The
means provided tor paying The interest on the
public debt, with al other expenses OF govern
mcut, ere more than ample. The loss Of our
commerce is the only result OF the late rebellion
which has not rec2ived sufficient attention from
you. TO this subject call yen. earnest atten
ton. vii! not now suggest plans by which
this subject may be effected, nut will, ii neces-
sarv, make it the subject OF . special message
during the session OF Congress
| 4; the March term, Congress, by Joint rcSo-
| luton, authorized the Executive to order ccc
tons ia tho States ct Virginia, Mississippi, and
| Texas, to submit to them the constitutions
which each had previously, 10 convention,
| framed and submit the constitutions, either
entire, or in separate parts, to be 7oiei upon,
| at the discretion Of the Executive. Under
| this authority elections were called. In Viz
giuia, the election toek place on the sixth OF
| July, 1869; the Governor and Lieutenant Gov
ernor elected have been installed; the Legisla-
ture ne; and did all required By this resolution
and lv al the recon truetion acts OF Congress,
and aNslaiGod irom al! doubtful! authority. |
recommend that her Senator'S and Represen-
tatives t. promptly admitted 20 their seats,
AMI that the State he July restored to It's place
in the family Of States. Elections we're called
in Nississipui and Texas to commence on the
SO.h of November, 1869, ard to last two days
| in Mississippi and four days ia Texas. The
elections have taken place, bnt the result Is
not known. 1t is to he hoped that the acts oil
the legislatures of these States when they meet
will be such as to receive your approval and
| thus close the work OF reconstruction.
Among tie evils growing out OF thc fo5el
| lion. aud 40. yet referred to, IS that OF an IRE
aecmahic currency l. is an evil which hSrc
will receive your most earnest attention IL /
duty, and one o! the highest duties OF eoreFn
ment, to secure to the citizen a medium OF ex
change OF fixed, unvaryng value. This implies
n return to specie basis and no substitute Tor II
eau be devised 1t should be commenced now
and reached at the earliest practicable moment,
| consistent with fair regard to the interests OF
| the debtor class. Immediate resum ptiou, il
practicable would not be desirable. 1t would
compel the debtor class to pay, beyond theil
contracts, the premium in god at the date Of
their purchase, and woud bring bankruptcy
aud ruin to thousands. Fluctuations, however,
in the paper value OF the measure OF all values,
0oIL, is detrimental to the interest OF trade. 1t
makes the man Of business an involuntary gam.
bier, for in all sales where future payment is 10
| be made, both parties speculate as TO what will
be the value OF the currency to be paid and re-
ceived. | earnestly recommend tc you then
such legislation az will insure gradual return
to specie payment, and put al immediate stop
| to fluctuaton in the value Of currency. The
| methods to socute the former OF these results
| are as numerous "A are the spectators Oh 20
litlcal economy To secure the latter see but
one way, and that is 10 authorize the Treasury
y -nl yrl,o