Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-12-16
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
10 he senate and Ho.se d RsDrs,,nalivss. nsu.

10 he Seldte ana House OF representatives
In coming before you for the first tim
as Chief Magistrate of this great nation, j
is with gratitude to the Giver of all goo'
for the many benefits We enjoy. We ar
blessed with peace at home, and are withou
entangling alliances abroad to forebod
trouble, with territory unsurpassed In fer
tility, of an area equal to the abundant sup
port of five hundred millions of people
and abounding in every variety of use
full mineral in quantity sufficient t,
supply the world for generations, Will
exubersnt crops and with q variet,
of climate adapted to the production o
every specie of earth's riches, and suiteC
to the habits, tastes ard requirements o
every living thing; with population o
forty millions of free people, all speaking
one language; with facilities for every NOR
tai to acquire an education; with lnstitu
tons closing to none the avenues to fame
or any blessing or fortune that may be COW
eted: with freedom of the pulpit, the press
and the school; with a revenue flowing into
the national treasury beyond the
requirements of Government sup.
ply. Harmony is being rapidly
restored within our own borders Manu-.
lectures hitherto unknown Ia our country
are springine up In all directions, producing
q degree of national Independence une-
qualed by taas of any other power. These
blessings, and countless others, are in.
trusted to your care, and more for safe
keeping for the brief period of our tenure
of Office. In 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 ncr may
be condemned by free and enlightened
constituency, nor by our own con-
science. Emerging from re-
bellion of gigantic magnitude, aided
as it was by the sympathy and as
sistance of nations With which we were at
peace, eleven Ststes OF the Union were
four years ago left without legal state
governments; debt had been contracted; !;
American commerce was almost driven
from the seas; the industry of one-half
the country had been taken from the con-
troll of the capitalist and placed where all
labor rightfully belongs, in the keeping of
the laborer. The work of restoring the
state governments loyal to the Union.
of protecting and fostering free labor and
providing means for paying interest on the
public debt has reed ample attention frem
Congress; although your efforts have not
met wi b the success, in all particulars, that
might have been desired. vet on the whole
they have been more successful than could
have been reasonably anticipated. Seven
states which passed ordinancesof secession
have been fully restored TO their places in
the Union. The eighth, Georgia, held an
election, at which she ratified her consti-
tuition, republican in form, elected a gov
ernor, members of Congress, state legis-
lature and all other officers required. The
governor was duly installed and the legis-
lature met and performed all the acts
therein required of them by the
reconstruction acts of Congress- Subse-
1uently, however, in violation of the con-
stitution which they had Just ratified. as
since decided oy the supreme Court of the
state, they 1nsested the colored members
OF the legislature. and admitted to seats
some members who are disqualified b. the
third clause Of the fourteenth amendment
to the constitution, an article which they
themselves had contributed to ratify. On
der these circum stances, would submit to
you whether it would not be wise without
delay to enact a law authorizing the COVER
ner of Georgia to convene the members
elected, requiring each
member to take the oath prescribed by the
=
who are ineligible under the third clause of
the fourteenth amendment. the freedmen
under the protection which they have re.
ceived are making rapid progress in learn
ing. and no complaints are heard for lack
of industry on their part, when they re-
ceive fair remuneration for their labor.
The means provided for paying the in
terest on the public debt with all other
expenses of the Government are
more than ample. The loss OF our com
meree is the only result of the late rebel
lion which has not received sufficient at
tention from you. To this subject / call
your earnest attention. Twill not now sug-
gest plans by which this object may be ef-
fected, but vii, If necessary, make it the
subject of a special message during the
session Of Congress.
At the March term Congress, by Joint
authorized the executive to or
der an election in the states of Virginia,
and Texas. to submit to them
the constitutions which each had previous
" in convention framed and submitted,
the Constitution, either entire or in separate
parts, to be voted upon. at the discretion
of the Executive. Under this authority,
were called. In Virginia the cleo
tion took place ON the 9th of July, 1859 |
The Governor and Lieutenant Governor
elected have been installed. The Legisla-
ture met and did all required by this reso-
luton and by all the reconstruction acts of
CongIe ess, and abstained from all doubtful
recommend that her Senators
and Representatives be recognized, and
that the state be fully restored to its place
in the family of states. Elections were called
in Mississippi and Texas, to commences
on the 50th of November, 1869, and to last
two days in Mississippi and four days in
Texas The elections have taken place, but
the result Is not known. 1t is to be hoped
that the acts of the Legislatures of these |
states, when they meet, will be such as to |
receive your approval, and thus close the
work of reconstruction.
Among the evils growing out of the re-
bellion, and not yet referred to, is that of
an irredeemable currency. 1t is an evil
which, / hope, will receive your most
earnest attention 1t is duty, and one of
the highest duties, of the Government to
secure to the citizens a medium of
exchange of fixed, unvarying val
ne. This implies return to a
specie basis, and no substitute for it can
be devised. 1t should be commenced now,
and reached at the earliest practicable mo-
ment, consistent with q fair regard to the
interest of the debtor class, Immediate re-
if practicable, would not be de-
rable. 1t would compel the debtor class
to pay beyond their contracts the premium
Of gold at the date of their purchase, and
would bring bankruptcy and ruin
to thousands. Fluctuations, however,
in the paper value of the measure
of all values, gold. is detrimental to the in
terests OF trade; it makes man of busi-
ness an involuntary gambler, for in all
sales when future payment il to be made, |
both parties speculate as to what will be |
the value Of the currency TO be paid and
l earnestly recommend to you, |
then, such legislation as will Insure grad |
ual return to specie payments, and put an |
immediate stop to fluctuations in the value |
Of currency The methods to secure these |
results ere as numerous as the speculations \
on political economy. To secure the |
latter / see but one way, and that is, |
to authorize the treasury to redeem its own |
paper at fixed price whenever presented;
to with old from circulation all such cur
rency deemed until sold again for gold;
the vas resources of the nation. both de-