Year: 1869

Message from the President.


The following message was received
from the President by Congress at four
o'clock this afternoon


To the Senate and the House of
Representatives While / am aware
that the time in which Congress pro-
poses now TO remain in session is very
brief, and that it is its desire, as far as
consistent with the public interest, to
avoid entering upon the general busi-
ness of legislation, there is one subject
that concerns so deeply the welfare of
the country, that / deem it my duty
to bring it before you.


I have no doubt that you will con-
cur with me in the opinion that it is
desirable to restore the States which
were engaged in rebellion to their re-
lations~tO the government and the
country at as early period as the peo-
pie of those States shall be found will
ling to become peaceful and orderly
communities, aud to adopt and MAIN
tain such constitutions and laws as
will effectually secure the civil and
political rights Of all persons within
their bOrderss,


The authority of the United States,





which has beenIvindicated and estab-
| lished by the military power, must
undoubtedly be asserted for the absO-
lutte protection of all its citizens in the
full enjoyment of freedom and securi-
| ty, which is the object of a republican
government, but whenever the people
/ of rebellious State are ready to enter
| in good faith upon the accomplish
ment of this object in entire cOnfOrmi-
| ty with the constitutional authority of
| Congress, it is certainly desirable that
all causes of irritation should be re-
moved as promptly as possible, that a
| more perfect union may be established
and the country be restored to peace
and prosperity.


| The convention of the people of Vir-
| ginia which met in Richmond, De-
cember 3, 1867, framed a constitution
| for that state, which was adopted by
| the convention on the 18th of April,
1868, and desire respectfully to call
/ the attention of Congress to the pro-
priety of providing by law for the
| holding Ofan election in that State at
the same time during the months of
Nav and June next, under direction of
| the military commander of the dis
1 DAACbs az W AAACAA AA4C NinCONAOA VI AAS
! adoption of that constitution shall be
Submitted to the citizens of the State,
and if this should seem desirable,
would recommend that aseparate vote
be taken upon such parts as may be
| thought expedient, and that at, the
same time and under the same author
| ity, there shall be an election for the
| officers provided under such cOnstitu-
] AEok Nhn constitution elIGh
parts thereof as shall have been adOp-
ted by the people be submitted to Con-
gress on the first Monday of December
next for its consideration, so that If
the same is then approved, the neces-
sary steps will have been taken for the
tOration of Virginia to the proper re-
latiOns to the Union.


I am led to make this recommends
| ton from the confident hope and be-
lief 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 nnder the law which
are asserted in the Declaration of In
dependence in the words of one of our
most illustrious sons.


1 desire also to ask the consideration
of Congress to the question whether
there is not just ground for believing
that the constitution framed by con-
vention 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 probability of the same result?


u. S. GRANT.