Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-04-16
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
MAsH1NeroN. april

W AsHINsrOS, April :.
The following message was received
from the President by congress at 4
O'Clock this afternoon
To the Senateand House of Represeutiyes:
While [ ana aware that the time in
which Congress proposes now to remain
in session is very brief, and that 1t Is
its desire as far as consistent with pub
lie interest TO avoid entering upon the
the general businesses of legislation,
there is one subject which concerns so
deeply the welfare of the country that
I deem it my duty to bring it before
you.
1 have no doubt yea will concur with
me in the opinion that it is desirable to
restore the States which were engaged
in the rebellion to their relations to the
Government and the country Mt as ear
" q period as the people of these
States shall be found willing to become
peaceful and orderly communities and
to adopt and maintain such eonstitu-
tions and laws as viii effectually Sc
cure the civil and political rights of all
Dersons within their borders. The au-
thoritv of the United States which has
been indicated and established by its
military power, must undoubtedly be
asserted for the absolute protection of
all its citizens in the full enjoyment of
| freedom and security, which is the OBJ
| iect of the republican government
| But whenever the people of rebelllous
State are ready to enter in good faith
upon the accomplishment OF this OBJ
iect in entire conformity with the Con-
stitutional authority of Congress, it is
| certainly desirable that the causes of
| irritation should be removed as prompt
| ly as possible, that more perfect
union may be established and the
country be restored to peace and pros
perity. The Convention of the people
of Virginia, which met in Richmond
on Tuesday, December Sd, 1867, formed
| a Constitution for that State, which was
| adopted by the Convention on the I1th
/ of April, 1868, and desire respectfully
I to call the attention of Congress to the
propriety of providing by law for the
| holding of an election in that State, at
some time during the months of May
! and June next under the direction OF
/ the military commander of the district,
| at which the question of the adoption
of that constitution shall be submitted
to the citizens of the state, and If this
| should seem desirable, / would recon-
mend that a separate vote be taken up
| on each part as may be thought expe-
/ dent, and that at the same time and
| under the same authority there shall be
/ an election for those officers provided
| for under such constitution, and that the
constitution or such parts thereof as
shall have been adopted by the people.
/ be submitted to Congress on the first
! Monday of December next for their con-
/ sideration, so that if the same is then
approved the necessary steps viii have
been taken for the restoration of Vir-
| ginia to its proper relations to the I'm
/ ion. am led to make this recon-
mendation from the confident hope and
belief that the people of that State are
now ready to cooperate with the Ma
| tional Government in bringing it into
such relations to the Union as it ought
as soon as possible, to establish and
maintain, and to give to all its people
those equal rights under the laws,
which are asserted in the Declaration
of Independence in the words of one
! of the most ilIustrious of it's sons.
desire also to ask the consideration
of Congress to the question whether
there is not just grounds for believing
the constitution framed by convention
of the people of Mississippi for that
state and once rejected, might not be
again submitted to the people of that
State in like manner and with the prob
ability of the same result.
U. s. GRANT.