Year: 1869




On Tuesday of last week the Presi-
dent sent into Congress the following
Message on the subject of the reconstruc-
ton of Virginia and Mississippi:


To the senste and House of Representatives.


While l am aware that the time in
which Congress proposes now to remain
in session is very brief, and that ii is its
desire as far as consistent with public
interest to avoid entering upon the gen.
eral business of legislation, there is one
subject which concerns so deeply the
welfare of the country that L deem it
my duty to bring it before you.


/ have no doubt you will concur with
me that the opinion that it is desirable
to restore the States which were engaged
in the rebellion TO their relations 10 the
Government and the country at as early
u period as the people of these States
shall be found willing to become peace
full and orderly communities, and to
adopt and maintain such constitutions
and laws as will effectually secure the
civil and political rights of all persons
within their borders. The authority
the United States which has been viu-
dicated and established by its military
power, must undoubtedly be asserted



liens in the full enjoyment of freedom
and security, which is the object of the
republican government. But whenever
the people of rebellious State are ready
to enter in good faith upon the accom-
plishment of this object in entire con-
formity with the Constitutional author
ity of Congress, it is certainly desirable
that the causes of irritation should be
removed as promptly as pOssible,' that
more perfect union may be established
and the scountry be restored to peace
and prosperity. The Convention CT the
people of Virginia, which met in Rich
mOnd on Tuesday, December Sd, 1867,
formed a Constitution for that Stale,
which was adopted by the Convention
on the 18th of April, 1888, and I desire
respectfully to call the attention of Con-
gress 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 theiquestioR of the
adoption of that constitution shall be
submitted to the citizens OF the State,
and if this should seem desirable,
would recommend that a separate vote
be taken upon each part as may be
thought expedient, and that at the same
time and under the same authority there
shall be an election for those officers
provided under such constitution, and
that the constitution or such parts there
of as shall have been adopted by the
people, be submitted to Congress on the
first Monday of December next for its
consideration, so that if the same is then
approved the necessary steps will have
been taken for the restoration of Vir-
ginia to its proper relations to the
Union. I 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
National 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 peo-
pie those equal rights under the laws,
which; are asserted in the Declaration
of Independence i'm the words of one of
the most illustrieus Gifts sons.


I desire also to ask the consideration
of Congress to the question whether
there is not just grounds for believing
the constitution framed by a conven-
of the people of Mississippi for that
State and once rejected, might not be
again submitted to the people of that
State i'm like manner and without the
probability OF ihe same result,


q. S. GRANT.


WASHINGTON CRY pril Z 1859 10