Year: 1867

and House Of Representotiees


The continued disorganization of the


Union, to which the President has so often


called the attention of Congress, is yet
subject of profound aud patriotic concern


We may, however, find some relief from
that anxiety in the reflection that the
painful political situation, although before
untried by ourselves, is not new in the
experience of nations. Political science
is, perhaps, as highly perfected in our
own time and country as in any other, but
it has not yet disclosed any means by
which civil wars can be absolutely pre-
vented. An enlightened nation, however,
with wise aud benefcent Constitution
and free government, may diminish their
frequency and mitigate their severity by
directing all its proceedings in accordance
with its fundamental laws. When a civil
war has been brought to close, il is man
ifestly the FIRST interest aud duty Of the
State to repair the injuries which the war
has inflicted, and secure the benefit of the
lessons it teaches as fully and speedily as
possible. This duty was, upon the term.


ination of the rebellion, promptly accept
ed, not only by the Executive department


but by the insurrectionary States them
selves, and restoration, IN the first mo.
ment of peace, was believed to be as easy


aud certain as il was Indispensable The


expectations, however, then 30 reasonably


and confidently entertained, were disap-


pointed by legislation from which | felt
constrained, by my obligations to the Con-
stitution, to withhold my assent; and it il,
therefore, source fprofound regret that.
in complying with the obligation imposed


upon me, IA President of the United


States, by the Constitution, to give to
Congress, from time TO time, information


of the state of the Union, | am unable
to communicate any definite adjustment
satisfactory TO the American people of the
questions which, since the close Of the re-
bellion, have agitated the public mind.
On the contrary, candor compels me to
declare that, at the present time, there is
no Union as our forcfathcrs understood
the term, and as they meant it to be un.
derstood By US. The Union which they
established can exist only when all the
States are represented in both Houses of
Congress where one State is as free as
another to regulate its internal concerns
according to it's own will, and where the
laws Of the central Government are strict
Ily confined to matters of national iurisdic.
ton, aud apply with equal force to all the
people of every section. That such is not
the present state Of the Union is a melan.
choly fact, and all must acknowledge that
the restoration Of the States to their prop
er legal relations with the Federal Gov
crnment, and with one another, according
to the terms of the original compact,
would be the greatest temporal blessing
which God in his kindest providence
could bestow upon this nation. 1t be.
comes our imperative duty to consider
whether or not it is impossible to efFec,
this most desirable contamination. The
Union and the Constitution are inse para.
BILE. As long as one is obeyed by all par
ties, the other will be preserved. and If
one is destroyed, both must perish togeth-
er. The destruction of the Constitution
will be followed by other and still greater
calamities. 1t was ordained not only TO
form more perfect union between the
States, but to establish justice, insure do
mestic tranquility, provide for the COM
mon defense, promote tho general vel.
fare, and secure the blessings Of liberty
to ourselves and our posterity. Nothing
but implicit obedience TO all its require
mcnts in all parts of the country will
accomplish these great ends. Without
that obedience, we can look forward only
to continual outrages upon individual
rights, incessant breaches Of the public
peace, national weakness, financial dis
honor, the total loss of our prosperity,
the general corruption of morals. aud the
final extinction of popular freedom. To
save the country from evils 80 appalling
as these we should renew our efforts again
and again. To me the process of restora-
tion seems plain and simple. Il consists
merely in a faithful application of the
! Constitution and laws. The execution
of the laws is not now obstructed or op-
posed by physical force there is no
military or other necessity, real or pre-
tended, which can prevent obedience
to the Constitution either North or South
all the rights and obligations of States
and individuals can be protected and
enforced by means perfectly consistent
with the fundamental law; the courts
may be everywhere open, and, if open,
their processes would be unimpeded
crimes against the United States can
be prevented or punished by the
, proper judicial authority in a manner
entirely practicable and legal. There
/ is, therefore, no reason why the Consti.
tuition should not be obeyed, unless those
who exercise its power have determined
that it shall be disregarded and violated


The mere naked will of this Government,
or Of one or more of its branches, is the
only obstacle that can exist to a perfect
union of all the States. On this mo.
mentous question, and some Of the meas.
ures, growing out of it, l have had the
misfortune to differ with Congress and
have expressed my convictions without
reserve, though with becoming defer
ence to the opinions of the Legislative
Department. These convictions are not
only unchanged, butstrengthened by sub
sequent events and further reflection.
The transcendent importance of the sub
lject will be sufficient excuse for calling
your attention to some Of the reasons
which have so strongly Influenced my
own judgment. The hope that we may
all finally concur in mode of settlement
consistent at once with our true interests
and with our sworn duty to the C0nstitu-