Year: 1866

shut out in time Of peace any state from the


representation to which it is entitled By the


constitution. At present all the people oil


eleven states are excluded, those who were


most faithful during the war, not less than


others. The state of Tennessee, for instance,


whose authorities engaged in rebellion, was


restored to all her constitutional re latOns to the


Union by the energy of her injured and be-


trayed people. Before the war was brought


to termination they had placed themselves in


relations with the general government, had cs


tablished a state government Of their own and
as they were not incluced III the emancipation
proclamation, they, by their own act have
amended their constitution so as to abolish
slavery within the limits of their own state
know Of no reason why the state of Tennes-
see, for example, should not fully enjoy al her
constitutional relations to the United States


The president of the United States stands to.
ward the country in somewhat different atti.
tude from that Of any member of congress
chosen from single district or ststc. The
President is chosen by the people of all the
states. Eleven states are not at this time rep
resented in either branch of congress. It
would seem to be bis duty on all proper occa.
sions to present their just claims to congress-
There always will be differences of opinion. in
of transgressions Of the law, but these do not
constitute valid objections against the right Of
a state to representation. 1t would in no wise
interfere with the discretion Of congress with
regard to the qualfcat ton Of members, but
hold it my duty to recommend to you in the
interests of peace and in the interests of the
Union, the admission of every state to its share
Of public legislation, when, however insubordi.
nate, nsurgent or rebellious its people may
have been, it presents itself not only in the at
titude of loyalty and harmony, but in the per.
CON nf ,tokir hos
be questioned under existing constitutional or
legal tests 1t is plain that an indefinite or
permanent exclusion Of any part of the country
from representation, must be attended by
spirit OF disquiet and complaint. 1t is unwise
and dangerous to pursue course Of measures
which will unite any large section of the
country against another, no matter how much
the latter may predominate. The course of
migration, the development Of industry and
business and natural causes will raise up at the
south men as devoted to the Union as those of
any o:her part OF the land; but if they are all
excluded from congress; if in a permanent
statute they are deciar ed no. to be in full con-
sttutional relations to the country, they may
think they have cause to become a unit in feel
ing one sentiment against the government
Under the political education OF the American |
people, the idea is inherent and ineradicable,
that the consent of the majority of the whole
people is necessary to secure willing acqui-
cscence in legislation. The bill under consd
erasioh refers to certain Of the states rs though
they had not been fully restored to the United |
States. II they have not, let u5 Mt osce act
together to secure that desirable end ut the |
earliest possible moment.


1t is hardly necessary for me to inform con- |
gress that in my own judgement most Of those
states so far at least as depends upon their own
action, have already been fully restored, and
are 10 be deemed to be entitled to enjoy their |
constitutional rights as members Of the Union. |
Reasoning from the constitution itself, and |
from the actual situation Of the country, feel |
myself not only entitled but bound to assume,
that with the federal courts restored in the
several states and in the fall exercise Of their
functions, the rights and interests Of all classes
of the people will, with the aid of the military,
in case Of resistance to the law, be nSrontiAny
against Unconstitutional infringe |
ment and violation. Should this expectation |
unhacply fail, which ! do not anticipate, then
the Executive isiaready armed with the powers
by the act of March, 1865, establish
ing the freedman bureau, and hereafter, as
heretofore. he can employ the land and naval
forcs of the country to suppress Instructions,
to the laws. return the bill to the senate in
the earnest hope that measure involving
questions and interests so important to the
country, will not become q law, unless upon
deliberate consideration by the people it shall
receive the sanction Of an enlightened public
Judgment


(siSued,) ANDREW JOHNSON,


President Of the United States


Washington, d. c., Feb. 10Th, 1866.