Year: 1865

Eestoreu aIectlon ana would have entaied incacu


laDe ana exhausting expense. Peaceful emigration


to and from that portion of that country il one Of the


best means that can be thought Of for the restoration


OF harmony, and that emigration would have beer


prevented for what emigrant from abroad what indus


trlous citizen at home would place himself willingly
Il under military rule? The chief persons who would
have followed in the train of the army would have
Y been dependent on the general government or mer


who expected profit from the miseres of their errino


elloweltzen5 the powers of patronage and rule which


would have been exercised under the president over


vast and populous and naturally wealthy region are


greater than unless under extreme necessity should
be willing to entrust any one They are such as


for myself could never unless under an occasion Of


great emergency consent to exercise The wilfu use


of such powers, fcontinued through period of wears


would have endangered the purity of the general adj


mnistraon and the liberties of States which remained


loyal BESIDES, the policy of military rule over con-


queTed territory would have implied that the States


whose inhabitants may have taken part in the rebellion


had, by the act of those Inhabitants ceased to exist


But the true theory is that all pretended acts of
SION were, from the beginning, null and void. The
states cannot commit treason the individual


VINO may have committed treason any more than they


can make Vald treaties or engage in lawful commerce


with any foreign power The States attempting to


secede placed themselves in condition where their


vitality was impaired, but not extinguished Their


functions were suspended, but not DESTROYED but If


any State negecs refuses to perform its office there


is need that the general government should main


tain all Its authority, and possible resume


the exercise OF all its functions On this principle


have acted, and have gradually and quietly and by


almost impercptbe steps sought to restore the RIGHT


u energy OF the general government and Of the States


To that end provisional governments have been ap-


pointed for the States conventions called governors


elected Legislatures assembled and senators and rem


resentatlYes chosen to the congress Of the United


States. At the same time the courts of the United


States as far could be Done have been restored SO


that the laws OF the United States may be enforced


through their agency The blockade has been removed


and customhouses reinstated in ports of entry so that
. revenues OF the United States may be collected


The Postothce department renews its ceaseless ac-


tvity and the general government is thereby enabled


to communicate promptly With its officers and agents


The courts being security to persons and property the


opening of ports invites the restoration of industry and


commerce. The postofice renews the facilities of So


ca intercourse and of business and is not happy for


all that the restoration of each one Of these functions


of general government brings with it blessing to the


States which they are extended? Is it not sure
promise of harmony renewed attachment to the /
Union that after all that has happened the return To


the general government is known only as a bene6


cence? know very well that this policy is attended


with some risk that for its success requires at least


the acquescence of the States which it concerns that
1t implies an invitation to those States by renewing


their allegiance to the United States to resume their
functions as States of the Union but it is risk that
must be taken in the choice of difficulties II is the
smallest risk, and TO diminish and if possible to re-
move all danger have felt it incumbent on me to as


sert one other power Of the general government the
power Of pardon State can throw defence over
the crime OF treason. The power of pardon is exclu
sively vested in the executive government of the Trni


ted States. In exercising that power have taken
every precaution to connect it with the ceares recog
milton OF the binding force of the laws of the Unitsd
States, unqualified acknowledgment of the great So


ca change OF condition IN regard slavery which has
grown out Of the The next step which l have
taken to restore the constitutional relations of the
States has been an invitation to them to participate in
the high Office OF the amendment of the constitution


Every patriot must wish for general amnesty at the
earliest epoch consistent with public safety For this
great end there is need of concnrrenca ~ ~ r,-
ions, and the spirit OF mutual concihation. All par


ties in the late terrible conflict work together in
harmony 1t is not too much to ask, in the of
the whole people, that the side the plan of re-
soration shall proceedin conformity with willingness
cast the disorders of The past into obvon and that
the evidence of sincerity in the future maintenance of
the Union shall be put beyond doubt by the ratifca
ton of the proposed amendment the constitution
which provides for the abolition of fslavery forever with
in the limits of our country So long the adoption
of this amendment is delayed long will doubt and
Jealousy, and uncertainty prevail This the
which will etface the sad memory Of the past This is
the which will most certainly call population
and capital and security to those parts Of the Union
that need them most Indeed it is not too much to +
ask of the States which resumng their places
in the family of the Union, to give this pledge of per
petual loyalty and peace; until it is done the past t
however much may desire it, will not be forgotten
The adoption OF the amendment re-unteS US beyond
all power of disruption it heals the wound that is i'm
perfectly closed it removes slavery which has so long
perplexed and divided the country it makes of us once
more united people, renewed and strengthened C
bound more than to mutual affection and support le
The amendment to the constitution being adopted it n
would remain for the States whose powers have been
long in abeyance to their places in the two
branches Of the national egslau and thereby com
petc the work Of restoration Here it is for YOU fell
citizens of the senate, and for you fellow citizens
Of the house of representatives to judge each of you
for yourselves of the election returns and qualifications Il
Of your members The full assertion of the pow
Of the general government requires the holding of b.
circuit courts of the United States within the districts
where their authority has been interrupted in the pres b.
mt posture OF public affairs. Strong objections th
ave been urged to holding these any of the p
states where the rebellion has existed and it was as b
ertaned by inquiry that the circuit of the Uni 1t
ed States would not be held iii the district Of Virginia h
Turing the autumn early winter until congress st
hould have had opportunity to consider and on
he whole subject To your deliberations the restora
ion OF this branch OF the civil authority of the United ch
ates is therefore necessarily referred with the hone o
hat early provision will be made for resumption of all


IS functions 1t is manifest that treason most fla grant
n character has been committed. Persons who are c
harged with its commission should have fair and i'm st
artia trials in tho high and civil tribunals
ry in order that the constitution and the laws NAV be
lilly yindcated the truth clearly established and affirm ex
that treason crimes that traitors should be pun tr3
she'd and the ofense made infamous and at the same
me that the question may be judically settled finally nj
nd forever that no State of its will has the right m
its place in the Union. The relations of in
be general government towards the four millions of ev
lhabitants whom the has called into freedom have
ngaged my most serious consideration. On the pro- th
riey of attempting TO make the freedmen voters by
le proclamation of the executive took for my sol
el the constitution ITSELF the interpretations of that
lstrument by its authors and their cotempoares and
ecen legislation by congress. When at the first
rents towards independence the congress of the Uni th
ID States instructed the several States to institute f
oYernmens Of their own they left eanh State tn de- at