The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1869-12-15
RECONSTRUCTION.

ing paragraphs, on these topics, wit
comments. f
RECONSTRUCTION. ~.
eat the March term, Congress, b,
q Joint resolution, authorized the Elk
ecutive to order elections in the State
of Virginia, Mississippi and Texas, t.
submit to them the constitutions which
each had previously in convention
framed, and submit the constitution
either entire or in separate parts to b.
voted on at the discretion of the Exec
utive. Under this authority elections
were called. In Virginia the election
took place on the 9th of July, 1862
The Governor and Lieutenant Govern
or elected have been installed. The
Legislature met and did all required
by this resolution, and by all the Re
construction Acts of Congress and alb
stained from all doubtful authority. /
recommend that her Senators and Rep
resentatives be admitted, and that the
State be fully restored to its place in
the family of States. Elections were
called in Mississippi and Texas, to COM
mence N the Both 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 Legislature of these States
when they meet Will be such as to re-
eeive your approval, and thus close
the work of reconstruction.
& When the people of the North were
called upon, by Mr.. LINCOLN, and his
adherents, to furnish men and means,
to put down the rebellion, it was claim
ed that all acts of secession, were lille
gal and void. II was heralded through
out the land, at the close of the con-
test, that the South had been subjuga-
ted; and the rebellion put down; and
that the recreant States, could not get
out of the Union. @ 1903
In less than two years after peace,
the entire ten Southern States are de-
clared out of the Union ; and without
State Governments How did they
get out? What party is it that is now
a disunien party? The Republican
party forced the Southern States out,
and Congress stripped them of their
sovereignty; and is o destroying
their State Governments by putting
the people under military satraps, and
compelling them under duress, to in
corporate "tnegro suffrage" in their con
as a condition of their read
mission into the Union! In this, the
administration is doing o to sap
the foundations of selfgovernment,
than JEFFERSON DAVIS.
THE TENURE OF OFFICE ACT.
son my assuming the responsible
ties of the Chief Magistracy of the
United States it was with the convic-
ton that three things were essential to
the peace, prosperity and fullest devel-
opment of the country. First among
these is strict integrity in fulfilling all
our obligations ; second, to secure pro-
lection to the person and property
of the citizens of our common country,
wherever they may choose to move,
without reference to original nationali-
ty, religion, color or politics, demand
ing of him only obedience to the laws,
and proper respect for the rights of
others. Third, the union of all the
States, with equal rights, indestructi-
BILE by any unconstitutional MEANS
To secure the first of these, Congress
has taken two essential steps: First,
in declaring byjoint resolution that the
public debt should be paid, principal
and interest, in coin; Second, by pro-
viding means for paying. Providing
the object desired without a proper ad-
ministration of the laws for the collec-
ton of revenues and an economical dis
bursement of them. To this subject
the administration mas most earnestly
addressed itself, with results, as 1 be-
lieve, satisfactory to the country
There has been no hesitation in chang
ing officials in order to secure the eff
Gent execution of the laws sometimes,
too, where, in a mere party view, I'M
desirable political results were likely
to follow from any hesitation in sus-
tanning efficient officials against remon-
strances wholly political 1t may be
well to mention here the embarrass-
ment possible to arise from leaving on
the statute books the so-called tenure
of office acts and to earnestly recon-
mend their total repeal. 1t could not
have been the intention of the franz
srs of the Constitution when providing
that appointments made by the Presi-
Dent should receive the consent of the
Senate that the latter should have the
to retain in Office persons placed