Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1869-12-18
Presidents Message.
p Ae Senate and Housc of Rsprcscntatires =.

To Me Senate and House Of Represcntdtires
In coming before you for the first time
as Chief Magistrate of this great Nation,
1t IS with gratitude to the giver of all
good for the many benefits we enjoy.
We are blessed with peace at home, and
are without cntangling alliances abroad.
These blessings are entrusted to our care,
for safe keeping during the brief period
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 rstewardship.
| earnestly desire that neither you nor /
may be condemned by free and cnlght-
ened constituency, nor by our own con-
sciences.
Emerging from a rebellion Of gigantic
magnitude, aided as it was by the SYM
patby and assistance of foreign nations
with which we. were at peace, eleven
States of the Union were four years ago
left without legal State Government; a
national 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 righttully belongs, in the keep
ing of the laborer The work of rest or
ing State Governments loyal to the
Union; of protecting and fosting free
labor, and providing means for paying the
interest on the public debt, has received
ample attention from Congress. Al
though your efforts have not met with
the success in all particulars that might
have been desired, yet on the whole they
have been more successful than could
have reasonably been anticipated. Some
States which passed the ordinance of
secession have been fully restored to their
place IN the Union. The eighth, Georgia,
held an election at which she ratified her
constitution, republican in form, elected
a Governor, Members of Congress, a
State Legislature and all other officers re-
quired. The Governor was duly installed
aDd the Legislature met and performed
all the acts then required of them by the
reconstruction acts of Congress. Subse-
quently however, in violation of the con-
stitution 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 members who are disqualified
by the third clause of the 14th amend
ment to the Constitution, an article
which they themselves had contributed
TO ratity. Under these circumstances /
would submit to you whether it would
not be wise, without delay, to enact a
law authorizing the Governor of Georgia
to convene the members originally elect.
oIt n hl | Slntn L.,
ber to take the oath prescribed by the
reconstruction act, and none to be ad-
mitted who are ineligible under the third
clause of the 18th amendment.
The freedmen, under the protection
which they have received, are making
rapid progress in learning, and no com
plants are heard of lack of industry on
their part when they receive fair remu-
neration for their labor.
The means provided for paying the in
forest on the public debt, with all other
expenses of the government are more
than ample. The loss of our commerce
is the only result of the late rebellion
which has not received sufficient atten-
ton from you. To this subject l call
your earnest attention. | will now sug-
gest plans by which this object may be
effected, but | will if necessary, make it
the subject during the next session of
Congress.
At the March term, Congress by joint
resolution, authorized the Executive to
order an election~in the States of Virgin
in, Mississippi and Texas, and to submit
to them constitutions which each; previ-
ouclxy Il, Convention bo 4 fro,,ol ~ "a e,l
mitted, the constitutions, either entire or
in separate parts, to be voted upon at
the discretion of the Executive. Under
this authority elections were then called
in Virginia, the election took place on
the 9th OF July 1860. The Governor
and Lieutenant Governor elected have
been installed. The Legislature met and
did all required by this resolution and
by all the reconstruction acts OF Congress,
and abstained from all doubtful authority
l recommend that her Senators and Rep
resentativcs and the State be fully re-
stored to its place in the family of States.
Elections were called in Mississippi
and Texas, to commence on the 30th 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 meet your APP
proval and thus close the work of recon-
struction.
Among the evils growing out Of the
rebellion 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 u duty and one
of the highest duties of governments to
secure to the citizens medium of ex-
change. of fixed unvarying value. This
implies return to the specie basis, and
no substitute for it can be devised. Ii
should be commenced now and reached
at the earliest practicable moment con-
sistent with fair regard to the interest
of the debtor class. Immediate resump-
tion, if practicable would not be desira.
BILE.
1t would compel the debtor class to