~--_
PRESIDENTS ; INISSAGE
'l ^
Felloon•Ciiiirma of ISo &nal* and Holm of
Repratentalivea:
The continued Aisorgenisetion of the
, Union to which the President has Jo often
1 4,
lied the attention of Cloven, is yet a
subject of profound and patriotic concern
. We may, however, find some relief from that
anxiety In the reflection that the painful
political 1111Ust100, although untried by our
selves, is not new in lin experience of na
tion',
Political science, perhaps as highly per
fected in our own time and country as in
any other, hag not yet disclosed any memos
by which civil wars can be absolutely pre
vented ; an enlightened nation, however,
with a wine and beneficent Constitution et
free government, may diminish their fre
quency and mitigate their severity. by di
reeling all its proceedings in accordance
with its fundamental law. !Then ~ civil war
has been brought to a aleeedi is mandeetly
the first interest and duly of the Stale to
repair the injuries Install the war has inflic
ted, and to secure the benefit of the lessons
it teaohes, as fully and ate speedily as pos
sible Tble duty pen, upon the termination
of the rebellion, ' promptly incepted, not
only by the Elm:move Department, but by
the insurrectionary Staten themselves, and
restoration in the first mooned of peatie,win
believed to In se (tiny and certain as it wee
iudiepaneable,
The egepeetations, however, then so rea
sonably and confidently entertained, were
disappointedly intention from which I to It
constrained, by my obligations to the Con
stitution, to withhold my assent, It te,
therefore, a mourn of profound regret that
in complying with the.obligaiion imposed
upon the President by the Constitution, to
give to Canyon from time to time informa
tion of the state of the Union, I am unable
to communicate any definite adjustment
satisfaetory to the American people, of the
questions which, Bloc* the close of the re
beilion,hav• •ginted the public mind. On
the contrary. candor compels me to declare
that at this lime there he no Union as our
fathers understood the term, end me My
meant it to be understood by tie. The Un
ion which they established can cunt only
where all y t: Stales are repesented in both
Houma ogres., •where one State is as
free as another to regulate tie internal cot:-
terns scoordiog to its will." antrwhere the
laws of the central government, strictly con
Bed to matters of national jurisdiction, ap•
ply with equal force to all the people of
every section
That such is sot the p "stale of the
Union"- is a melancholy fact, and we all
..must Acknowledge that Abe restoration of
the Stateis to their proper legal relations.
with thie Federal Government. and with
one another, according to the terms of the
original compact, would be the gralest tem
poral ?Being which God, in his kindest
proreld oft, could bestow upon this ration.
It b hitmlit our Imperative duty to consid
er whether or not It le impossible to effect
this molt desirable consummation, The
Union and the Constitution are inseparable.
As long as one Is obeyed by all parties, tae
other will be p d ; and if one is des
troyed, both mull perish together. The
destreetion of the Constitution will be tot:
lowed by other and still greeter calam i effp.
It was ordained not only to form a niche
perfect Union between the Stales, but to
"establish justice, insure domestic I mogul I-
Ay, provide for the common defence, pro
mote ibegeneral welfare, and eeoure the
blessingsoaf liberty to ourseleep and our
posterity." Nothing kut implicit ; obethitnoe
to its requirements, in' all parts °Tibet:wee
ny, will atmomplish these great ends, With
out that obedience we can look forward
only to continue! outrages upon individual
rights, incessant breaches of the public
pesos, national weakness, finsnaial dislion
or, the total loss of our prosperity, the gen
eral oorruption of morals and the final ex
thiation of popular freedom. To save cur
country from evil@ so •palling as theme, we
should renew our efforts again and again.
To me the proem of restoration tweed,
perfectly plain and • simple. It consists
merely in a faithful application of the Con
siltution and the lows. The execution of
the laws is not now obstructed or opposed
by Opens' force ; there is no military or
other necessity, real or pretended, which
can prevent obedience to the Cone titution
either North or South. All the rights and
all the obligations of Stand and Individuals
an be protected sod enforced by meant,
perfectly consisioni with be frintiameniel
law. The courts may be everywhere open
and, if open, their process would be un
impeded. Crimes evilest the United Stain
as be p ted or punished by the proper
judital authorities in a manner entirely
practicable and legal.
There itt7therefore, no reason why the
Constitution should not be obeyed, unless
those who exercise its powers have deter
mined that it shall be dieregarded and •io
lated,l The mere naked will of this
Government, or of home one cr more of its
branches, hi the only obeteole that can ex
iit to a perfect Union of all the States. On
this momentous question, and some of the
measures growing out of it. 1 have bed '
the misfortuee to differ from Congress, end
bane expressed my Consiolion• without re.
verve, though with becoming deference to
the opinion of the Legislative Department
Those convictions are not only unchang
ed but strengthened by subsequent events
and further reflection The transoendent
importance of the subject will be a toulB
linen excuse for oiling your attention to
some of the reasons e w nth have so strongly
influenced my cow ' dgement The hope
that we may all fine concur In a mode of
settlement isomiistatit or once with our true
interest, and with our sworn duties to the
Conetitution, is too natural and too just
to be easily relinquished
It Is clear to my apprehension that the
States lately in rebellion are still members
of the National Union. When did they
cease to be sot The .fOrdinanoes of Se-,
siespion" adopted by a portion—in most on
them a very small portion—of their thine@
Were mere nullities. If we admit now That
they were valid and effectual for She pur
pose intended by their authore, we will
sweep from under our feet the whole ground
upon which we justified the war. Were
thole States afterwards expelled from the
Union by the war? The direct contrary
wee averred by this government to be its
purpose and was so understood by all those
who gavetheir blood and treasure to aid in
its prosecution.
It cannot be that a successful war, waged
Yor the p lion of the Union, bad the
legal effect of dissolving It. The victory of
.thenesion's arms wao not the disgrabe of
'her policy; the defeat of Secession on the
Riaielip-figig was not the triumph of its law
less principles; nor could Congress, with,
or without die consent of the Execaitiveja
anything which would haws ; the effeCt
rectijr or indrectly,of sepergiieg the States
fragLoank other. To dissolve the Union le
to repeal the Cenatilution whigh holds ft
together, and thine a power which dose
not belong to any department of this ion' ,
velment, or to all of them united.
Pile is so plain that it has been atiknowl
tidied by all branches of the Federal Gov,
ernment. The Beintilira, my predeeesso7.
am well se myself, and the heads of all the
departments have uniformly acted upon the
principle that the Union is net only undis
solved, but indissoluble. Congress submit
aid an amendment to the Constitution to be
ratified bi - the Southern States, and scoop.
ted their acts of ratification as a neon,
nary and lawful exercise of their highest
fent:floe. It they were not Slidell, or were
.fitifirs out of the Union, their consent to
a obeemr.ln the fundamental law of the
Union would bare bead nugatory, and Con
gress in asking it committed • ;political eh
surdit y.
TbeJudisiary has also glven the solemn
smoke* of iii authority to the same view of
the GAMS. The Judges of the Supreme Court
bays Indulged lbw Southern States in their
c Intuits and they are eunstantlY . bone
sod glee where, exercising jarisdiett lon
which doe. not belong to them. union
those States are Slates of the Union. If
the Southern States are component parts of
the Vision, the Constitution is the supreme
law for them, as It la for ail the other
States. - They are bound to obey It. and so
Sr. wo. .The right of the Federal G overn
meat, which is clur and unquestionable, to
enforce the Constitution upon them, Implies
the oorelatlea — obligetion on our part to O
nuse its limitailotteind entente warranties,
Without the Constitution we are nothing;
by, through and coder the Constitution we
terp wised it makes use.
We Slay 'if - taint the wisdom of the law t
we may net approve of Its provisions, but
we osmotic violate it merely because it sumo
tgallinalle wt'-powers within limits narrower
Sipa Obsowlil wish. It is not a question
efladividnal, or slam, or sectioned interest
midi toss of party prodowliaboo, but of
. .
Vo althniaw .
"STATZI RIGBTB AND PEDEZAL UNION."
. -._.
•
VOL.XII. iL.r---t-
duly—of high and sacred duly—which we
are all sworn in pVeform, If we cannot
support the Constitution With the cheerful
alacrity of dines who love end believedafh
it, we must give to it. nt least, the fidelity
of pantie servants who act under solemn
obligations and command, which they dare
not dist egerd. Tine constitutional duty is
not the only one which requires the Staten
to be restored , there is another considera
tion, whisk, thoggh of minor importance,
{met of great weight.
00.11 CT OF LATH Wsn
On the 22.1 tiny of July, 18(11, Congress
declared, by an almost unanimous rote of
both llourre,tbat the war should be conduit
ed solely for the purpose of p leg the
Union and maintaining the supremacy of
the Federal Constitution and laws. without
Impairing the thgtoiy, equality and righir
of the States or of individuals, and that
when this was done the war should cease.
I do not say that aim declaration is per
sonally binding on those whojoined in mak
ing it, any more then individual members
of Congress are personally bound to pay a
public debt created under a law for which
they Toted But it was a solemn public
official pledge of the national honor, and 1
cannot itnngitie upon what grounds the re
pudiation of It it to 110 justified.
If it be maid that we are not bound to
keep faith with rebele,let it be remembered,
this promise was not made to rebel. only.
Thousands of true men in the South were
drawn to our standard by it, and hundreds
of thousand. In the North gave their lives
in the belief that it would be carried out.
It was made on the day after the that great
battle of the war had been fought and lost
All patriotic and intelligent men then saw
the necessity of giving such an assurance,
and believed that without lithe war would
end in disaster to our coupe. Having given
that assurance in the extremity of our peril
lice violation of it now, in the day of our
power, would be a rude rending of that
good faith which holds the moral world to
gether. Our country would cease to have
any claims upon the con/deuce of men. It
would make the war not only a failure but
a fraud.
Doing sincerely convinced that (heel
views are correct, I would be unfaithful to
my duty if I did not recommend the repeal
of the acts of Congress which place len of
the, Southern States under the domination
of tut lite?* mast ens. If calm reflect ion shall
satisfy a majority of your honorable bodies
that the mots referred to are not only a vio.
lation of the national faith, but in direct
conflict with the Constitution, I dare not
permit myself to doubt that you will imme
diately strike them from the statute book.
To demonstrate the unconstitutional char.
acter of those acts, I need do no more than
refer to their general provision..
It must be amen at once that they are CU-
Ihorned. To dictate what alterations shall
be made in the constitution. of the
States ; to control the elections orate State
legislator. and State officer., members of
Congress and electors of President sod Vice
President by arbitrarily declaring wboshall
vote anti who shall be etcluded from that
prising. ; to dintolve State legislatures or
prevent therm from Assembling ; to dl..
mice jndges and other civil funellonitries of
the State and appoint others without re
gard to Slate law ; to organize and operate
all the political machinery of the States ;
to 'egoista the whole ethninistratiou of
their domestic and local affairs according to
the mere will of strange and irreeponell le
agents bent among them for !hot purpose.
These are powers not granted to the Fed
eral Uovernment,or to any one of its branch
es ; not being granted, we violate our trust
by amitunlog them as palpably as he would
by noting in the face of a positive interdict,
for the Coosiitutiou forbids ua to do what
ever it does not affirmatively. authorize,
even by expre.s words or by clear implica
tion. If the authority we desire to use
does not come to us through the Constitu
tion, um can ezerci•• it only by usurpat ion,
and usurpation is one of the moat danger
-01121 of political crimes By thal„eritme the
enemies of free government in all ages have
worked out their designs again nubile lib
erty end private right. It lied, directly
anti immediately to the estsibllatiment of ab
nolute rule ; for undelegated power is •I
ways unlimited and unrestrained.
The sets of Congress to question are not only
objection& le for their mrsumption of uogranted
power, but May of their provisions are in con
filet with the direct prohibitions of the Coast..
wain. The Comtitution commands that c re
publican form of government shall be guano
tied to nil the States ; that no permit, Asti be
deprived of life, liberty or property, without due
process of law ; arrested with out a judicial
vrarrent, or punished without a fair trial before
an impartial jury ; that the privilege of Amber.
corpus shall not be denied in time of peace, and
that no bill of attainder shall he passed even
against a single individual. Yet the system of
measures established by these net. of Congress
does totally .obvert and dearly., the form no
well as the sobetance of republican government.
In the ten. Stales to which theyapp.y I i.t binds
them hand and foot in absolute slavery, and
subject. them to a strange and hostile power
more unlimited and wore likely to be slimed
than any other now known among civilised
men.
It tramples down all those rights In which the
...nee of liberty consiste, and which a free
government is •Iways most careful to protect.
It denies the Ana.. .rpm and trial by jury-
Personal freedom, properly and life, if usalied
by the pension, the prided!ee or the rapacity of
the ruler, have no aecurity whatever It haa
the effect of • b ill of attainder, or bill of pains
and pecalties, not upon • few individnale, but
upon whole =some, inalndhlg the million. who
inhabit the subject States, and even their ma
imed eh ildren. Them wrongs being espresely
forbidden, cannot be constitutionally Inflicted
upon sty portion of our people, no matter how
they may have come within our jarmdration,
end no matter whether they live In State., Ter
riturie. or District.
I bare no desire to save from the proper and
just consequelicee of their great mime those
who engaged in rebellion scaled the govern
ment but as • mode of punishment, the mew.
cures under consoleretion ate the newt unrea
dable that could be invented. Many of those
persons are perfectly Innocent. Many kept
their fidelity to the Union untainted to the lent.
Many were incapable of any legal offence. A
large proportme even of the persons able to
bear arms were forced into rebellion agalut
their will, and of those who are guilty with
their own minuet, the deg... of guilt are
various as the shades of their oberaeter and
temper.
Bat them seta of Congress oonfound them all
together to one common doom. indleariminam
vengeance upon alums, loots, and petite, or
upon whole oommunities for °femme committed
by a portion of them against the governments
to which they owed obedience, we. common in
the barbarous age. ofthe worl d. But Christi
anity and els ili.tion have made snob moire.,
that remount. to a punishment so cruel and ad
just would meet with tun condemnation of all
unprejudiced and right-minded men. The
punitive justice of this age, and especially of
the, -country , does not could In 'tripping
whole State. of their liberties and radioing all
their people. without dlstination, to the condi
tion of slavery. It deals iteparately with each
confines itself to the forms of law,
and vindicate. Ile own purity by au impartial
examination of every case before a competent
jud Mud tribunal .
If this does not satisfy all our desires with
regard to Southern rebels, let us console our
selves by reflecting that a free Conetitution,
triumphant in war and unbroken to peace, Is
worth far more to di and oar children than the
gratification of any prevent Atelier.
I am aware it Is unlined that this 'Mem of
government of the/loathers Eitateilis-not to be
perpetual It is tree Ode military government I
Is to be only pros htionel, bat it ie through this
temporary evil that a greeter evil is to be made
perpetual. If the guaranties of the Conti.-
lion can he broken provisionally to serve e
temporary purpose, end In part only of the
country, we can dmtroy them everywhere, and
for all time. Arbitry measures often change
but they generally change for the worse.
It I. the Mule of &spottiest that It has as
,halting pia.. The !outstared wrote. of Ito
'power Isriap_so seas. nearly to lac
'Jens. for they An sewer know what man they
Will be t 1 pd upon to update whim it red right
head Is to plainwthema apish Nor. ielt
possible to Juror* hew or whom paws alt.
minion by law may 'sok its sash TWWIS.
The States that an WU tree may be sabred
at any moment, for if the Constitution does not
protect all, it prditeota none.
It is manilemly and avowedly the object of
then law, to confer upon negroes the privilege
of voting, and to diefranchire such a number of
while citizen. a will give the former • clear
majority at all elections in Southern Staten.
Tit is, to the minds of some pardons, is ea ill.
port.. t, that a violation of the Conetitution is
Justified •e • means of bringing It *bout
The morality is always fain which exeunt in a
wrong heron., It propene to accomplish • de
e irable end. We are not perm sited to do evil
that good may mime. But in that nee the end
Iteelf is en la wall as the mettle. The subju
gation of Staten to negro domination would be
worn than the military despotism under which
they are now etdrering It was believed before
hand that the people would endure an" amount
of military opprenton for any length of time,
nth, than degrade themselves by cubicalon to
the negro race. Therefore they bane been left
without a rho in.
Negro suffrage was established by set of Con
gress, and the military sfficero were commanded
to super intend the process o fclolhm g the negro
sane with political pri•ileges torn from white
w.
men•
The blacks of the South. pre entitled to be
well and humanely governed, end to have
the protection of just laws for all their
rights of penmen cod property. If it were
practicable al this time le give them a gov
ernment exclusively their own,under which
they might manage their own affairs in
their own way, it would become • grave
question whether we ought to du no, or
whether common humanity would not re
quire us to save them frcm themselves
But, under the circumstances, thin is only
a epeculattee point It is not propose!
merely that they shall govern themselves,
but that they 811.11 r tile the white race.
make and administer State laws,elect ]'resi
dents and members of Cpogress, and shape,
to a greater or lees iriteift,the futuredeettny
of the whole country. Would ;mob a trust
and power be safe in such hands The pa
culler qualities which should characterise
any peoplq, who are itt to decide upon the
management of public affairs for a great
State, have seldom been Aombined.
It is the glory of white men to know they
have ICad these qualities In sufficient meas
ure to build upon this continent • great po
kapott fabric, and to preserve its stability
for more than ninety years, while in every
other part of the world all similar experi.
meets have failed. But if anything can be
proved by known facts ; it all reasonig up
on evidence is not abandoned it must be ao
knowledged that in the progressed nations
negroes have shown less capacity for go.
ernment than any other moo of people. No
independent government of any form has
ever been successful in their bands. On the
contrary' wherever they have been left to
their own devices they knee shown a con
stant tendency to relapse into barbarism.
In the SouthernBtates,however,Cougress
has undertaken to confer upon them the
privilege of the ballot. Just released from
slavery. it may be doubtful whether, as •
class, they know, more thantheirancestorn,
bow to organise sod regulate civil society
Indeed, it is ddmiqd that the blacks of the
South are not poly regardless of the rights
of property, but to utterly ignorant of pub
lic affairs that their voting can consist in
nothing more than carrying a ballot to the
place where they are directed to deposit it
I need slit remind you that the exercise
of the elective franchise is the highest at
tribute of an American citizen, and that
when guided by virtue, intelligence anal
triotiem, ands proper appreciation of our
free institutions, it constitutes the true ba
sis of • Democratic form of Government, in
which the sovereign power is lodged in the
body of the people A trust artificially
created, notfor its own sake,but solely as a
of means promoting the general welfareote
Influence for gond must nee ..... ily depend
upon the elevated character and true alle
giance of the elector , it ought, therefore,
to be reposed in none except those who are
fitted, morally and mentally, to administer
it well, for if conferred upon persons who
do not justly estimate its value,oud who ere
toditlerent as to its result., it will only
Insane of placing power In the bands
of the unprincipled and ambitious, and
moat eventually end in the complete de•
struction of that liberty of which it should
be the most powerful conservator. I have,
therefore, heretofore urged upon your RV
tuition the great danger to be apprehended
from an untimely esteemon of the elective
franchise to any new elase in our counoy,
especially when the large majority of that
alas., in wielding the power thus placed in
their hands. cannot be expected correctly
to comprehend the ditties and reeponsibili
ties which pertain to suffrage. Yesterday,
as it Were, four millions of persons were
held in a condition of slavery that had exis
ted for generations To-day they aro free
men, and dre assumed by law to be citizens
It cannot be presumed from their previous
condition of servitude that as a glass they
are so well informed ae to the nature of our
government as the intelligent foreigner who
makes our land the home of hie choice.
In the case of the latter, neither • resi
dence of five years nor the knowledge of
oar institutions which it gives, nor attach
ment
to the principles of the Constitution
•re the only conditions upon which he can
be admitted to cititenship. Ile must prove
in addition, a good moral character, and
thus give reasonable ground for the belief
that he will be faithful to the obligati°n■
which he &seemee as a Citizen of the Re
public Where a people, the source of all
political power; speak Joy their eufirages
through the instrumentality of the ballot
box, it must be carefully guarded against
the control of thane who ere corrupt in
principle sod enemies of free institution.,
for it can only become to our political and
social system a safe conductor of healthy
popular sentiment when kept free from de
moralising influences Controlled through
fraud and usurpation by the designing. an
archy and despotism must inevitably follow
In the hands of the patriotic and worthy,
our government will be preserved upon the
principles of the Constitution inherited
from our fathers.
It follow., therefore, that in admitting to
the ballot box a new oleos of voters, not
qualified for tho exercise of the elective
ft anchise, we weaken our system ofgovern
arnment instead of adding streagth and du
rability.'
I yield to no one in attachment to that
rale of general suffrage which distinguish
ea our polio? sea nation. But there is a
ob d bitherto,whieh makes
the ballot a privilege and a trust which
requires of some ol 00000 a Hoe suitable for
probation and preparation. To give it in
diecriminately to a new oleos, /wholly on.
prepared by previous habits 01 opportuni
ties to perform the trust which it demands,
ie to degrade tt, and finally destroy its pow
or, for it may be safely •ssumect that no
politioal truth is better establikher them
that such Indiscriminate and all-embracing
extension of popular suffrage must end at
last in its overthow and destruction.
I repeal the expreseion of my willingness
to join in any plan within the scope of our
constitutional authority which promises to
better the condition of the negroes in the
South, by encouraging 0300 in industry,
enlightening their minds, improving their
morale and giving protection to all their
just rights as freedmen. But the traooferf
of our political Inheritance to them, would
In my opinion, be an abandoment of • duly
which be owe 'ZIA' to the memory of our
fathers end, life righti of our ablidren.
The
, hatelf Fretting the Southern States
wholiy,oand the General Government parti
ally, into the bands of negroes, Is proposed
at a time peculiarly unpropitous. The
foondatiousrof society have been broke. up
by civil war. !minim, must be reorganis
ed, just's* vt-establlshed, public credit
maintained, and order brought cut of con
fusion. Te sesotiailieh Vises ends would
require all the wisdom and virtue •f the
great men who formed our institutions *rig
loony. I sonildeittly believe that their de
co dents
them w i;l l .
but
a i r
i 5 . 1 .1 L i t bee than ardu arduous i . a e s a k .
1 ,
te :sapt that negroes will perform it
far
as vil mkt wit to ask their sr
BELLEFONTE, PA., FRIDAY DECEMBER 13, 1867
sislance until we despair of our own cam
petency.
The great differTnee between the lii .,,s
.
races in physical, nltintnl and moral chnr•c
lerislies will prevent an amalgamation or
ic
fusion of them loge •in one homogeneous
mane If the inferil Übtams the riseenden•
cy over Ilia other, it. I goveraitith refer
ence only to its own terests--for it still
recognize no common Interest—and create
such a tyranny as this Conti Perilll , 9 never
yet witnessed Already the negrne are in
fluenced by promises of confi4ention soil
plunder ~ they are taught to regard as nit
enemy every while man who has oily re
spect for the rights of his own race
If•this continues it must become worse
and womb, until all order will hosulierrtell,
all industry cense, and the fertile field. t 4
the South grow tip into . wilderness 01
all the dangers which our nation line yet
encountered, none are equal to tho4o which
must result front the 111.10C14111 of the effort
now making to Africnnize the half of our
country
I w..tild not put considerations of money
in comet mon with justice and right. illll
the espenses incident to reconstruction Ott
der the system adopted by Congress aggra
vale what I regard as the jntrinmo wrong
of the measure itself- It has coot 1111.0111-
ed mtlliona already. and if persisted in will
add largely to the weight of taxation iilready
to oppressive to he borne without Just coin
plaint, and may finally reduce the treasury
of the nation to a condition of bankruptcy
We must not delude ourselves It will re
quire a strong standuig army, and probably
more than two hundred millions of dollars
per annum to maintain the oupromacy of
negro governments after they are establish
ed The sum thus thrown away would if
properly used, form a sinking fund large
enough to pay the whole national debt to
lee. than fifteen years It is vain to hope
that negroes will maintain their .....viidoncy
themselves. Without military power they
are wholly incapable of boltimg in eubjee
lion the while people of the South. I nub
mit to the judgment of Congress whether
the public credit may not be injuriously af
fected by a system of measures like this
With our debt,and the vast private interests
which are complicated with it, me .canoot
be too cautious of a policy which might by
possibilityjmpair the confidence of the
world in our government. That confidence
can only be retained by carefully inculcat
ing the principles of justice and honor en
the popular mind, and by the most esrupu
lone fidelity to all our engagememenis of
every sort. Any serious breach of the or
ganic law, persisted in for a considerable
lime, cannot but oreiVe fear' for the etabili•
ty of our institutions. " habitual violation
of prescribed rules, which we bind aureate
.ea to observe, Must demoralize the people.
Our only standard of civil duty being set
at naught, the sheet andhor of our political
morality is lost, the public conscience
swings from its m•oringe and yields lo ov
er, impulse of passion and interest. If we
repudiate the Constitution we will not he
expected to care much for niece pecuniary
obligati°.
The violation of such a pledge se we made
on the 2.2.1 of July, 1801,-wilassureilly di.
mietsh the market value of 'Mir promises ;
besides, if we now acknowledge that the na
tionaldebt wan created not to hold the
Stele; in the Union, as the tax-payers were
led to suppose, but to expel them from it
and band them over to be governed by De
grees, the moral duty to pay it may seem
much less clear. 1 say it may seen] so. for
I do not admit that this or •ny other argu
ment in favor of repiadmuon can be enter
tabled impound ; hut its influence on imnie
classes of mind. may well be apprehended
The 612111101111 honor of a great commercial
nation, largely indebted, and with a repub.
bean form of government administered by
agents of the popular choice, is a thing of
such delicate ten tire,atl the destruenou of
it would he followed by such unepeaasble
calamity, that every true patriot must de
sire to avoid whatever might expose it to
the slightest danger.
The great interests of the country require
Immediate relief from these enactments
Business in the Souib is paralyzed by a
sense of general insecurity, a terror ul 000-
640111100 and the dread of neyro numeintcy.
The Southern trade from which the North
have derived so great a profit muter," got
ernorent of law, still Moguls... mitt cnu
never re revived until to ceases iolit fetter
ed by the arbitrary power which pokes all
its operat 300 01111/111, That rich
the richest in nottounl resources the world
ever sow, iv worse Mau lost. if it he Out
soon placed under the protection of a free
conantunon In.trad of IL being as it
ougnt to be, a source of wealth and power,
it will become an intolerable burden upon
the rest of the nation.
.. •
Another reason for retracing our steps
will doubtless be mien by Congress, in the
late manifestations of public opinion tipon
this subject We live in a country where
popular will always enforces obedience to
itself, sooner or later. It is vain to Molt
of opposing it with anything abort of a
legal authority, backed by overwhelming
foree. It cannot have escaped your alien
Lion that, from the day on which Congress
fairly and formally presented the proposi
tion to govern the Southern States by mil
itary force, witha view to tbe ultimate es
tabilebinent of negro supreinaoy, every ex
pression of the general sentiment has been
more or less adverse to it. 'the affections
of this generation cannot be detached from
the institutions of their amours Their
daternonation to preserve the inheritance
of free government in their own hanus, and
transmit it undivided and ugampaired,"\lo
their own posterity, is too strong to be sue
easefully opposed. Every weaker passion
will disappear before that love of liberty
and law for which the American people are
distinguished shove all others in the world.
flow for the duly of the President "to
p , protect and defend the Constitu
tion" requires him to ga on in opposing
au unconstitutional act. of Consresa, is a
very serious and important question, au
which 1 have deliberated emelt and felt ex
tremely anxious to reach a propor conclu
sion. Where an not has been passed so
cordpg to the forms of the Constitution, by
the supreme legislative authority, nod
regularly enrolled among the public statues
of tae country. executive resistance to it,
especially in time of high pasty crake.
meat, would he likely to produce violent
oolliaion between the respective adherents
of the two branches of the government.
This would be simply civil war, and civil
war must be resorted to only as the last
remedy for the worst of evils. Whatever
might tend•to provoke it should be most
carefully avoided. A faithful and Googol
callous magistrate will concede very much
to honest error and something even to per
verse omit., before he will adopt forci
ble measures, or such no might le .d to force,
as long as those which are p ble remain
open to him or to his o . pnatituents.
It is true that oases may occur In which
the Executive would be compelled to stand
on its rights, and maintain them regardless
of all consequences. If Congress should pass
an act lamb is not only in palpable con
duct with the Coustitution, but will,certatu
ly, if carried out, produce immediate and
irreparable injury to the organic) simmer'
,•f the government, and if there be neither
udietal remedy for the wrongs it *Mew,
nor power in the people to protect Nam
selves without the official aid of their elect.
ed defender ; U, for inetanee, the Legisla
tive Department should pass an act. even
through all the forms of law,to abolish a co
ordinate department of ibe government, io
snob a sass the President must take the high
responsibilities of his office, and save ote
life of the nation at all bawds.
The so-milled Beconetruallon acts, though
as plainly uncenetiantlonal w Soy that lien
be imegulea, were not believed to be within
the elms hot coutedidosidr Ohs people were
net wholly dlearesiii of die power of self
defence. In all the Northern Stales they
stilltheld lit their bands the d rightief
the ballet,, It was sate to helices that In
due time they woad some is the 'rem' of
SI
their own magnotiorm. It gives mepleita
mre to odd that the appeal In our cottons
constltuancelvas not token in en in, and that
my confidence in then a isdom and v trine
seem, not to bite been ratoplieed
It to well and publicly known that roar
mono frau 14 it toe keen rerpotranal on the
Treasury. and thou coloinal fort once have
been mode at the piddle c'tpen,; Oil, spe
cies of corruption line inereliard, of Ince-3a
mg. turd Il iml tlitoon-1.31, will wont bring
1/3 11110 10110 tuirt nod d i.tgl a ;a The ion', lie
creditors nod the Pat payers are alike inter
cried in an bony, tillointoratton ol hr ti—
itance, nod neither elm, wtll long endure
Ihe high Immhol robberies that have recent
ly occurred For thin illecreditable 01011' of
'bingo there are merestiiisee Santo of
the inae4 ate so !old as to prevent au iire
instable tr..pl 11 Jun tO evade pay 01.111 The
grc slllll4 l ay will by (town,
0-11100 at frond, efellle a pre truce WIII It 1.1
more than the virtue of ninny can with, ltd
nail there nun be tto donhi lbai Ihe Opl.ll d
regord at coast iiiit tonal übligal tons toward
by sonic lit the Itighe3l and ino3l. 101111:1111111
Men 111 the .111111 y, h. greatly we Ott lied
the motal sense of those who reeve in viih
or aloof.. lit tor.
The ex 11(.1141 , 4 01 the Untied 81a1e4 inelo11•
nig intere•l li 1 the I oblie 110,1, as t• , re
than etx [means much 01 t'pe trete tt• seri
years ago To collict and disburse 1,13
Waal amount require, esreftil 311pervibion lie
well nn ..3,trotatie vigilance The ot,
never perfected, was attach iholtrglinlved by
the •••1 mime of Office'bill. ' which 11, tl
moot destroyed official needtntiabilu3 The
Premslent may bo thorongh iy .1.10(1
!hal no 105Cer is local/ thle, alehtmeat 01111
111111111hful to the Como itutnin, under
the law which I have named, the attar, he
can do IS to eoloplato 10 'he Senate, and
ask the privilege of supplying his place
with o better meo. Illhe Senate Ito regar
ded an personally or politioally hostile to the
Prestilent. it II natural itti4 not altogether
unreasonable fiwAlie officer to eapect trot
It will take his Fad as far an possible, e
store b un to lits'place, and give him n Ire
urph over h. Executive superior.
The officer bee other chances of impuni
tyr arising from acentental dereets at evi
dence, the etude of investigtiling it au•l the
secrecy of the hearing ItTs not wonder
ful that official malfeasance should 111,01110
bold in proportion as the delinquent,. I.• nn
to think themaalica safe I inn entirely
pereunded that under notch a role the 1'; es
dent cannot perform the great duty
eil to him of neetug the laws faithfully ex
ecuted, and that it disables him most es
pecially from enforcing that rigid account
ability which is necessary to tlio due; scot
don of the Revenue laws
The Constitution tercets the President
with the authority to decide whether •a re
moral should be made In any giver. ease ;
the act of Congress declares no rul.t toce
thus he shall only accuse bUCLI as he nap•
pones to be unworthy of their oust. 'l•he
Conntitutiop makes hßn the sole judge is
the premises, but the stMlite lakes away
hinjurisd mime, transfers it to the Senate,
and leaves him nothing but the odious, and
nometimen impracticable duty of becoming
a prosecutor. The prosecution is to ho con
duct before asttbutial whose members arc
not, like him, responstble to the whole peo
plc, but to separate constituent bodies, and
who may hear his gemination with great
disfavor. 'rho Senate is absolutely without
any known standard of deciltiou applicable
In such a (.1140 tie judgment Clllllloi be
Onlkotpatent, for it is mit governed by ally
rate
The law does not define what shall be
deemed good . came ft r remoml; is is im
possible even to conjeoture what may or
May not be so coneidered by the-,Senatir.—
The nature el the subject lot Inds dicer
proof. " If the charge be mate:icily, what
evidence will support ii? Fidelity to the
Constitution only he understood us mi•tin
derstood in it thousand different ways, null
by violent pnrty own, 111 Ifloifut party
time, unlititlitulness to the Con/until tun Igmy
even come to be oOntlidered ineritortails. If
she olhcer he atcused of dtslionesty, how
shall it he made wit' Will It bit inlet red
hunt ads uneutiLecied with public duty,
from vitae history, a 110111 geoes 11 rpe
onion • Or must the President Anal! the
CIIIIIIIIIsbIOII of e 1 uctitsi mitdeineana 111
Mime Shall he, In the weeellitie. 1101. the
shame to and tamest of the 111111011
tioutls at men to Whom he 001,1101 giro his
cutatidease-e.etNitml. he tabs it hot COIIIIIII 1,11
the iiitschiet 1 done and cannot lie
prevaited • It lits rent In the public ter
viee should impel him to stillapa"le the
tv t act, must be move tit the !will of ho
nag tried hornet! tut the offence 01 sl 11. 11
tug hts - -subordinate" In the Jo Litt tit r
Coloviallees ell the euuntineliame one tot al
he held rtsponsible tor official lleholiortiey
of every Lind It IS exit einely
say whole that tesponcibility should ho
thrown, if It lie not lett whew it bus been
&need by the Coustitution. Cut alt Just I
mon will admit that LA President ought to
be entirely relieved from awl, rope:Jetfoil
ty, if he cannot ineet It by reason of le
ntrictions placed by 'ow drum In.
The unrestricted paste IA removal Irmo
often is a very great one to he trusted even
to a magistrate chosen by the geultral cuff
rage of the whole people, end neeelintahle
directly to them for Ins acts. It Is 011
doubtedly liable to abuse, and at some pO
- of our history perhaps has been alms
ed If it be thought deniable and const
tutioual that it ehuuld be so limited as to
make the Prandent merely a common infor
mer against other public ngents, he should
at leant bo permitted to act in that cease'-
'y before sonic opeu tribunal, indepcuilent
of party polities, ready to investigate the
merits of every mum, furaehed welt the
mesas of tab lag evidence, and bound to
deotde according to the established Talcs
This would guarantee the safety of the an
cuter wberi be acts in good faith, and at
the saute lime secure the rights of the oilier
party. l'apeak of course with all proper
respect for the present female, but it dues
not seem to me that any legislative body
oan be so constitution as to insure tie fit
anis for these Notions.
It to not the theory of thin Govet !intent
that publurothoes are the property of those
who hold them. They are given merely us
a trust for the public benefit, soutctimel for
fixed period, sometime during good
hurter, but generally they are liable to be
terminated at the pleasure of the appoint-
I tog power, whioh represente the collective
majesty and speaks the will of the people.
The forced retention In office of a stogie
dishonest persotipsy work great injury to
the public interests The danger to the
pbbito service some, not from the power
to remove, but from the power to appoint.
Therefore it was that the framers of the
Constitutton left the power of removal un
restricted, while they gave the Bennie a
right to reject all appolntments which, in
its opinion. were not fit to be made .4
little reflection on this subject will proba
bly satisfy all who have the good of the
country as heart that our best course is to
take the Constitution fur our guide, walk
in the path marked out by the founders of
the Republio, and over the rules made ea.
area by the observance of our great pro•
deoessors.
The present conditiou of our floonc4.and
circulating medium is One to which your
early constsimasiott to turned.
Tue proportion which th'ecurreney of any
country should bear to the whole value et
the mutual produce cumulated by its 1.1.1111
tea questlou by which political mainututsis
have toot agreed. Nor can it be controlled
by legislation, but must be left to the frre•
vocable laws which everywliete regulate
commerce and ,trade. The circulating roe
alum will ever irresistibly flow to those
points where it is in greatest demand. The
law of demon n and supply is as utierring
se that which regulame the tides of atm
°ovum ; and indeed °amenity, like the tides,
has Its ebbs and flows throughout the com
mercial won Id
At the beginning of the rebellion the
bank note oitotatotion of the eountryatuoun.
thd to not numb more thou two hunclood
ro , 'ltons of dulluts now !he cticulat ion if should by I ice be excluded from citculation,
'Ciiiional Binh not. s owl 0 so Loos, so that !he people ince bare the benefit and
legal linden.' to !twirl? seven hundred convenience of st Fold and silver currency
1111111011 i 11 h .ie 11 IM urged by sonic that I which in at I their bunions tronsootions will
11.1.4 1.11..001 010111.1 b.• mere teed whets be 111,1erun ro 'raho or hotrAs nod abroad ",
contend that s deeded ...heft.. i s cb s ol- Peers into of properly or industry.
the Levi in,eretin of ihe every nisi. who desires to pre•erve whit! la
country Inwren of tliecedt•ersenpinionti, honestly posvecses or to obtain what hr
it may be 111 . 4,..11111F1 the ...al iliac ul oin bunchily ehrn. hits a direct 'Wryest in
our I raper 1-• tins, when .nips rd with it, moult Lining a snip cliculniing Illetillill)-
111.1r11..e or 1 •1111. rithle currency For this such nuolnirn its shall hereof nod totbsion
purpose let •
oh iutiotir how intuit gold and toil. rift 'labia to vibente with opinions net
ethet eutt'll porclhat.ed by the ,ret
ht.tolted joillobos of Top. r 111011 41 1101 V IF
orcul ,Proh ihiy m,7 mote tine lie?
the ttothoott oldie hitter— .Lowing thot whet
out pe pr r i• cnm rt ii,l with gold
strol Pipet ceintorrenal solos re eitiopres
sitti ud, ilitee hundred nd tiff) m Poole
111
11114 •I,lkolg ties !tidies it the ttlivions din )
115 the Government. ne early only he
C•t1 , 1811l111 with the priocoples of sound pod.
nit,' economy, to lids° tuck measures no
will ennltle of isn notes and thien
of the N 111111, to tourist thein w ins
out Ittes, into spent.• or its rinienleril A
re lintlitoi of 011 piper eireulsistig inetliutai
net tl ttniteessoinlyltillow 'l•h ts,howr err
would depend upon the liiw of di:ingod and
euppl). though it should be bitrne m mind
title fly mating legal tender Ault hank 001,
cotlieif 11110 Cii.ll or its etiolvelent, (heir
present .pec.e klue the 1111.:8 Ui ILcu
hollere %Tuella be euimucell one Lwwrrd
pre cent
ot for the tsecomphshment of 0
result so d s ruble I 9 demanded by t behtglt-
e... 1 I oldie conondeiatiunx 'fhe Coionitutiou
rootemplater that the etreolxiing medium
of c mntry shall be nnifmin in quality
and valiw At the time of the forniation of
that monument, the co uulry laid hurt emer
ged from the war of iho Itevolution, and
WWI buffering, from the effects of a redund
ant and worthless paper currency. Thesages
of thitt period were anxious to protect their
posies it, from the evils which. they them
selves had experienced. Hence, in pro•td•
lug a circulating medium, they conferred
upon Congress tiro power to coin money and
regulate the value ihertof, nt the same time
prultibiting the States from making any
thing but gold and silver o tender in pay
merit of debts.
The anomalous conditiou of our currou
cy is la striking contrast with that which
was originally designed Our circulation
BOW embraces, first, notes of the National
Ilanks, which arc made receivable fpr all
dues to the Government, excluding imposts,
nod by all its creditors, except log in pay
ment of iutertst upon its bonds end the se
cm uses themselves; second, legal-tender
notes, issued by the United States, and
which the law requires shall be received its
well in paymeut of all debts between cut
rens as of all Government dues, excepting
mitosis, and third, gold and silver coat
Ity the operation of our present system of
finance, however, the unetallto currency,
when collected, is reserved only for ono
class of Governtnent creditors, who holding
its bonds, 0.4'111 annually receive their in
terest in coin front the National Treasury.
They arc thus made to occupy nu invidious
position, which mny be used to strengthen
the arguments of shone who would bring
tote disrepute the obligations of the nation.
In the pity meat of all its debts, the plight
ed faith of the Government obould be invi•
Moldy inuinteined. Ilut while it acts with
fidelity toward the bondholder who loaned
his money that the integrity of the Union
ought be prenervedat absould et the yams time
observe good faith wit the great masses of
the people, alto, hatringlrescued the Union
front the perils of a rebellion, now hear the
burdens of tonally:l4l,ot the Government
miry be ado to ful its engagements.—
There as flo re 1500 which will be accepted
us satisfactory by tile people why those
who tleteoll us on the land and protect us
un the-sen , the pensioner upon the grati
tude of the oar oil. t warring the return nod
wooed receaed w lade in its sere nepub
lieTerrnilts In the Tot ions Depoittnentit of
the Germ einem, the farmer who NO pulley die
soldier...if the army and the suitors of the
navy, the aritran who toil, to the 11 , 111011 . 11
' trot Laltop., or the tilechnitic. owl laborer!.
who build its edifices and constittet lie
tarts and vessels at war —rliould to pny
meet ot the. Jura and hard earned
11111.., 'cerise depreciated paper, whim nu
°Gut elate of their rountlynit 11. Ile more
deneirme, ere p tot in cunt of gold nod nil
sir rapoul and exact justlce Ii quiren flint
all the ei editors of the Goveiritneut abould
be punt in acurrency possessing a uniform
• doe This eau only be nee ~ JJJ irvLed by
the t,•torat 14111 o f the curt rimy to the stan
dard euntilisited by the Constitution, and
by ibis 111,111'1 we would remove a 1.11!CrIIIII
-11:111011 which terry, it it Ins VW already
dune ro, cleats II prejudice ilutt may be
e-1111C deep-rooted and wide spread, and on
pet il the national credit.
The feasibility of snaking our currency
cot n"pond with the constitutional standard
may he seen 6y rftferenec to a few facts
del itud florin 011 r cutumercall statistics,
production of precious metals in the
I oiled Suites front IRIS to 1857, inclusive,
amounte to $579.000.000; from 1858 to
111111, inclusive, to $187,600,000. and from
181.1 to 1867, inclusive, to $157,000,000
oinking the gulodnggregato of product
Eine. 1819, $1,171,000,000 Tho amootit of
specie coined from 1849 to 1857, inclusive,
mos $ 711,000,000 ; from 1858 to 1800, in
clusive, $125,000 000, and from 1861 to
1807, inclusive, slllo.ooo,ooo—making Ole
total Aolougo since 1849, $871,000,000
From 1819 to 1857, inclusive, ihe net ex
po] Is of spectinmounted to $271,000,000;
from 1858 to ISO, iivolusive, in $118,000,-
1/00, and from 1861 to 1867, inclusive,
s322,ooo,ooo—inaking the aggregate of not
exports mime 1810, $741,000,000. These
figures show an excess of product over net
exports of $133 000,001 There are in the
Trenstry $111,00040 in_ coin, something
more shah $10.000,0 in circulation on
the racific coast, and a few millions in the
I 0 ttonal sod other Banks—in all *bout
$100,000.000 This, however. taking Into
account the apeole In the country prior to
1810, leaves more than three hundred mil.
bons of dollars which have not been ad
counted for by exportation, and therefore
may yet remain in the country.
These are important faots. and show how
completely the inferior currency will en
percale the better, forcing it from circula
tion among the masses, and causing it to
be escorted as a mere siotiele of trade, to
add to.die money capital of foreign landtt.
They slip the necessity of retiring our
paper Balmy; that the return of gold and
silver to theaveuue of trade, may be invi
ted. and a demand created which will cause
the retention at home of at leant so much
of the productions of our rich and inex
haustible goldbearmg Gelds as may be suf
ficient fur purposes of circulation. It iv
unreaeouable to expect a return to a sound
culgency en lung as the Government, by
coffinning to issue Irredeemable note.,
fide the channel,. of circulation with depre
ciated paw. Notwithstanding a coinage
by our minis, since Ivo. of sight hundred
nut seventy-four millions of dollar., the
peoplo are now otrangero to the currency
which wits designed for their 11., and bene
fit, sod specimens of the preoious mmuls
bearing the national device aeeoellom seen,
except when produced to gratuity the inter
est caviled by their novelly If depreci
ated paper is to be continued as Gm perma
nent currency of the country. and ■ll our
twin is to become a mere article of traffic
and speculatiou, to the enhancement ix
price of all that is intitspetteible to the
comfort of the people. it would be wise
economy to abolish our mints, thug erring
the nation the care and expense Incident to
ouch eotabllshMente, and let our precious
metal, be exported in bullion The time
has come,Loweeer.when the Government and
Notional Smite should bo required to take
the most elboienveleps and make all newts
airy gements for a resumption of ape
ele payments et the misellest practicable
per led. Specie p.ymenlh Laving been one,
resumed by the Government and banks, all
notes or bills of piper leaned by either of
a lets denomination than twenty dollar,
NO. 49
.4111 rot to }to blown up or down by tit
breadthi f epeculaiton, but to be mad, flu
the and ~vitae. dinordered currency I
I trio of the groniont pohncal actin It un
derototem the virtu, neccesary for ;be pup
port of the social system, and encourager
prom nottiev deettuctive of its happinies,
it wars again.° industry, frugolit), and
economy, and ii fosters the evil splrim of
eztioiagance anti•peculation ' It bas been
4
antertell by one of our irofound sod most
gifted statesmen. the!. W f ell the contrive!,
.ces for cheating the Nioring oisevet of
mankind. 11101 c has been km, effectual than
that whieli ileilykriFe in tittliaper money.
This is tho in st—x clue] of heennong to
fertilise the rich miss'. fields' y the sweat
of the pier man's brow Ordinary tyran
ny, oppresoion, excessive taxation—these
bear lightly nil the happiness of the mass
of the community compired with n fraudu
lent currency, and the robberies committed
by &wee mica limper Our (inn history
Lnr ree,ndell fur "ur lowiluction enougb,
and more 011111 enough of the demoralismg
tendency, the injustice and the intolerable
opprestion On the virtuous and well dispos
ed of a degraded paper currency, author•
ized by law or in any Ivey countenanced by
the Government," It is one of the moss
successful devices. in tirno of peace or war,
expatiatene irr revulsion., to accomplish the
transfer of all the precious metals from the
great !nese of the people into the blinds o r
the few, where they are hoarded in secret
placeS or deposited in strong boxes under
bolts and bars, while the people aro left to
endure all the incon•enlence. sacrifice, and
demoralization resulting from the use of a
depreciated and worthies. paper money
The condition of our finances and the op
erations of am revenue syetem are set forth
snit
ad fully expl'attied in this ableond inetruo-
❑OO report of the Secretary of the Treneu
r). 011 the 30th 1.1 Juno, I SCG the pubhat
debt amounted to $^_,7834^_3,870;0n chit
39th of June last, it wee $2,692,199.215,
glowing a reduction during the fiscal year
i 91,226,604. During the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1867, the receipt. were
$490.631,010, anti the expenditures $346,-
729,129, leaving an available surplus of
$143,904,550. It is estimated , that the
receipts for the fiscal year ending Juno 30,
1868, will be $117,1111,928,aud that the ex
penditures will roach the sum of $393,209,-
226, leaving in the Treasury a surplub of
$28,802,70:2 For the fiscal year sliding in
June 110, 1869, it is estimated that the re
ceipt') will amount to V 81,000,000, end that
the expenditures will be s372,ooo,ooo,show
ing au excess of $9,090,009 it favor of the
G overnment.
The attention of Congress is carefully
invited to the necessity of a thorough refl.
Ilion of our revenue system. Our internal
revenue laws and impost systems should
be 80 adjusted as to bear most heavily on
articles tit luxury, leaving the necosearms
of life as free from taxation as may ho con
sistent with the real want of the Govern
ment, economically administered Taxa
lion would not then fall unduly on the man
of moderato means, and while 0000 would
be entirely exempt from assetmient, all, 10
pi•oportion to their .pecuniary abilities,
would contribute toward" the support of the
Stale A modification itt the internal rev
enue aystetn, by a largo 'eduction in the
number of articles now subject to tax,
would be followed by results equally ad
vantageous to the citizen and the Govern
ment It would render the execution of
the lair lets expensive and more certain,
remove obstructions to Industry, tenon the
templet.)us to evade the law, duninirlb the
violations and frauds perpetrated upon its
pre•ibious, nark° its operas in. lees inquis
itorial, atr
greatly reduced to numbers the
army of t agailierers created by thb ',p
ion, who •inks from the mouth of the hon
est laborer the bread it has earned " Re
trenchment, reforest and economy should be
carried into every branch of the public
service, that the expenditures of the Gov
mamnt may be reduced and the people re
lie•ed form oppressive taxation, a sound
currency should he restored, and the public
faith in regard to the national debt sacred
ly observed The accomplishment of these
important results, together with the resto
ration of the Union of the States upon the
prmeiples of the Constitution, would in•
spun confidence at home and abroad in.tho
stability of our ineitutione, and bring to
the nation prosperity, peace, and good will,
Tho report of the Secretary of War ad inter
-0/3 oxhaut the operations of the army and of
the scioral Bureaus of tho War Depart
ment. The aggregate etrensth of milita
ry force on the 30th of September last, wit
50,31 J. 'foe total estimate for the military
appropriation Is $77,124,707, Including a defi
ciency in last year. appropriation of $13,000,-
nue. The payments at the Treaany on ac
count of the service of the War Department
from January 1 to October 29, 1807—a period
of ten months—amounted to 8109,807,000.
The expenees of the military .tablishment as
well as the number of axe army, are now three
tune. al groat ae they "have ever been in time
of pence; while the discretionary power is
vested in the Executive to add million, to this
expenditure, by an Increase of the army to the
maximum strength allowed by law
The menacing attitude of seine of the war
like bands of Indians Inhabiting the dletnet
of countryjhetween the Arkansas and Platte
rivets, and mortions of Dakota Territory, re
quired the presence of a large military force in
that region. 'mitigated by real or imaginary
grievances, the Indtans oecasionally commit
ted arts of barbarous violence upon emigrant.
and our froatier settlement.; but a general In
dian war has been providentially averted. Th.
Commissumere under the act of the 20th of
July, 1907, were Invested with full power toad-
Just existleglliffioulties, negotiate trestles with
the disaffected bands, and select for them reser
ved°ns remote from the traveled routes be
tween the Mississippi and the Palma°. They
enterted without delay upon the execution of
their trust, but have not yet made any official
report of their proceeding.. It is of that im
portance that our distant territories should be
exempt from Indian outbreaks, and that the
eqnstruction of the Define Ltailroad, an object
of nation.' importance, should not be inter
rupted by hostile tribes. These objects, as well
as the material interests and the moral and in
tellectual improvement of the Indians, can be
most effectually livered by concentrating them
upon portions of it lUltri set apart for their un
clothe use, and located at points remote from
our highways and encroaching white settle.
meats
Since the commencement of the second 1111.•
affin of the Thiuy ninth Congress, five hun
dred and ten mile/ of road have been contitruet-
od •n the main line and branc,bos of the Paci
fic Railway. The line from oMilia is rapidly
approaching the eastern beep of Rocky Moun
tains, duet the terminus of the last session Of
constructed road in California, accepted by
the tiovernment on the 24th day of October
last, was but eleven miles dlstent from the
sawmill of the Sierra Nevadis. The remarkable
energy evinced by the oodEpardes offer. the
strongeet murales that the completion pf the
road Iron Sacramento to Omaha will not be
lung de'erred.
During the last decal year seven million or.
ty one thousand one hundred and fourteen
acres of public lands were disposed of, and the
eash reselpui fromfietalee and lees aseeded by
uoe half million dollar. the sum realised from
Oleo sources during the preceding year. TIM
amount pat 1 to penconers, including expenses
at disbursements, was $18,619,966, and thirty
ais thousand four hundred and eighty•lwe
names were added to the rolls. T-e share
ndinber of pensioner. on the the Enth of dope
lent was one hundred and fifty-fire thousand
lou :hundred and seventy • four. Eleven thou.
mind eta hundred and fifty five patent. and de
eigos went Wood during the year using Sept.
30, 1067, ohd at that date the balance in this
Tmeury to the credit of the patent resit was
$286,007.
The report of the Secretary of the Navy
elates that we been eaten nearest' aatieLdj
sad jud teem yemployed. ender alletelg
able swum...der, in protecting the pewits pod
properly of Amedueettilmritimirtehdhf tad
dignity and peeper of the'Oeveriraident, and
promoting the common And hashaien folniniets
.f oar coaster...a In every pert of the *field.
Of the two handed and thletymsight weenie
communing the presort navy of the Hatted
States, mauler fire bemired mid
seven gone, are is aquadron woke. De.hig
Ltt.7.. l 47l= ' t. r t or v"" eri b d lbes. are tilt-
Mee less on @quadrat duty One them Were at
the date of the but report. A large unliittir of
newels wen commuted gad la the 11111.114 of
ronetraction•lehen the who teembented, End
although Cengreme hid eh& the meiteseery
app rep...Mt/one ler their emelphition, thelheleart.
mime him either supended we* apse them WV
limited Gormley oempletlea Of timeliest Vehlestfir
se as to meet the contreeta for unichlentry aide
with private erielelidiseenta The total *rpm
ditures of the Navy Department for the Owed
year ending Jane 10, 1867, were $61,024,011.
No appropriation, have bees made er requited'
eincikthe clue of the war for the conipmetton
and repair of Teased& for gum eneetrisery, evil
nonce, provisions and elothing, feel, heap, *A:,
tr,. baloones ender th• .everet heads hoeing
been more than seheimit far earteot expendi
ture.. It ahnold also lo stated, te the credit;
of the Depirtment, that bemdatuthig de sr -
propriations for the above °Wee% (or the last
two you", the Bunter, of the Navy, on the
30th of September tut, in aceordenee with the
act of Ilay 1, 1.820, reminded the Secretary of
the Treater, to ours to the ample. food the
slim of $85,000,000, being the moons motored
from the sale. of vessel. and other war proper
ly. and the remnants of former appropriation.
The report of the Podgiest.. General *were
the busi iest. of the Post-office Departatenil sad
the condition of the postal mdse in • reryfaver
able light. and the attention of CODlffilif
called to its practical reseelmendation. •
rcoeipts fur the Department for the year en g •
Jou 30, 1867, ineludiag all special a
lions for sea nail land service find for few it
matter, were 610,978,699. The etpeaditures
for all purposes, were $111,1116,183, learting
u*t.Pedded balAttee la Wog of the-Deprial...
meet of 1I41".10, which can be applied towards
the ripeness of the Department for the cannot
yeer., The increase- of postal lade
pendent of .podia appropriations. for the
year 1087, over that of 1968, woe $850,040.
The increase of' revenue from the sale of damps
and stamped envelope. wee $783,404. The la
ere.o of expenditures for 1867, over those of '
the previous year, was owing chiefly to the ex
tension of the land and ocean mail wavier.
During the put year new postal conventions
have been ratified and exchanged with the
United Kingdom of Grut Britain nod Irelartd,
Belgium, the Netherl Switserland, the
North German Union, Italy and the Colonial
Government at Hong Kong,redoeing very lusty
the rate, of ocean and land postage to end from
and within these countries.
The report of the Acting Commissioner of
Agriculture concisely presents the condition,
wants and progress of en interest emleently
worthy the futesieg cam of 0110111411114 111111.111".• -
hibits a large meacure of unto' result/achieved
during the year to whlchit refer..
The re establishment of peace at borne, and
the resumption of extended ,trude, travel. and
commerce abroad bare served to 111011.0.11 the
numbir and variety of unwitting in the De
partmeet for Foreign Again. None of theme
question., however, have eerious/y disturbed
our relations with other Slates.
The Republic of Mexico, having been relieved ,
from foreign interveetion, I. earneetly engaged f
effort. to re establish her conet.tu time' rye
of government. A pod andentandies
Unties to exist between our Governmeekend
the republics of Hayti and feta Domingo, md
our cordial relations with the Central and South
American States remain uneltariged. The
tender, made In conformity with a moieties of
Congress,o f the good ofßeee-of the Gowefotowwf,
with w view to an amicable &Outmost of peace
between Brun end her allies, on one side, end
Paragon on the other, and lbettrren Chile end
her alllee, on the one eide,Tlgrsd Spain on the
other, though kindly mooted, hew la neither
NUM been folly accepted by the bell:gerenta.—
The war to the Valley of the Parana is still
vigorously vonintidned. Oa the ether hand,
actual hostilities between the Neill° States and
Spain hare been more than a year suspended.
I shall, on any proper wombs that may twiner,
navel, the conciliatory recommendation whieh
hare been already made. Brasil, with enlight—
ened sagaeity and compreheoeive statesmanship,
opettell the groat ahwub of tbe Ammon
sod its tribu•ariu to universal common. One
thing more sums sluff& to azure a tepid and
choorisseprogreas to South Americo. I rider to
those peaceful habits without which States and
Nations cannot, in this accord! expect malarial
prosperity or social advaneement.
The Exposition of unlverul Jadedly at
Paris has passed, and seems to have realised
the high expectations of the PreneheoveraMeet.
If due allowance he made for the recent point•
cal derangement of Industry here, the part
which the U. B.bas borne In the exhibition of
Invention and art may be regarded with very
high antlefactioa. During the Exposition a
conference was held of delegates from eeverel
nations, the United States being ene, In which
the inconvenience of amnion:eland muds] Inter
course revolting from the diverse dander is of
money value were folly disowned, sad plans
were developed for establishing, by universal
consent, • common principal for the coinage of
gold. These canfereneee are expected to be
renewed. with tligottendanas of way foreign
States not bitrelto-represented. A report of
them interesting proceedings will be enburftted
to Cog*imp, which will nedonin lastly apprr
elate the great object, and be ready to adopt
any rummers width may tend to facilitate Its
ultimate accomplishment.
On the 25th of Pebruag, 1862, Congress
declared by law that Treasury note without
interest, authorised by that ant, aboald be Iqd
tender in payment of .11 debts, public and
private. wlhlta the United States. Au annual
remittance of $30,000, len stipulated expense.,
accrues to olaimants under the Convention made
with Spain in 1814. Thee* remittances, since
tits passage of that act have been paid In such
notes. The abetment, insist that the Government
ought to require payment in coin. The subject
may be deemed worthy of your attention.
No arrangement hoe as yet been neehed for
the seUlement of our claim. for Britieh dope•
dation, upon the Comm.... of the United State..
I hare felt it my duty to dailies the propeoillooN,
of arbitration made by her idedeety'a °overdue', t
because it inn hitherto been •aeoompanted by
remerVialotr and limitations incompatible with
the right., intereot and honor of our oountry.
L .. _ _ . .
not to be epprehended that Orest Britain
persist In her rebind to satisfy these Jost
id reasonable claims, which layette the sawed
ps Ino .00 of non-hi terrlindol3— , ll principle
henceforth not more important to the United
States than to sll commeroial nation..
The Weal India 'elands wore Wiled and col
onised by Barone= BtatM eimaltaseensly with
the sottlemont and colonisation of ti. Amert-
•
can eontinent. Mod of the eolooles pleated
here became Independent asthma tape elegy el
the hut and the bechtoing of the patent sesta.
ry. Our own eouotry slums, oosunanitios
which, at ono period, woe* colonies of Groat
Britian, Prating, Booln, Holland, Sweden and
. Tho people is the West Indies, with
!option of thou, of the Inland of Hay ti,
2122
have neither attained nor arrpfred le Inman
donee. nor hare they become prepared for self
defence. Although p Juansin` considerable corn •
mere lei value. they have been he d by the
oral Earopears States 'thirs trolonised ar at
some time conquered than, shindy for *wrist*
ornsrlitary and naval strategy to outing out
European polio, and designs in marl to this
roatioent. In our itarolationary War, ports
and harbors In the West balls lolanda wOl4ll
used be our enemy, to the great iniory and
embarassusentof7 . Ba ll ad plata. We had
the acme oaperien In our wood war with
Great Britian. T s same Ilknopean pulley for
a long tla4aseludodu trq hew *O4 with
the Weut reellechah Ittzto were 14 T..* with
all nations. Ia our iiaiiat e 1•11 ihr, the rebehu,
sad Unit piratleakpOod elookade brooking sly -
WM, found lac ammo ports for the
workortuch they too smoessfdlly aocomplished
etiolating sod !Mounting tho mammas oh lois
we Are sow soma It 4 robytildsag• Ws LOAM
mpeclatly under this disadvantage—UM Surer
ems steam coml., miloyod by oar mieusisik
found friendly shelter, prelemtbsa, mad euppliee
id West Indian ports, whit. nor one Mimi
operations wore necomrlly asUTikd bb item em
own distant shone. Tim 1W e . that a nolvor
sal feohog o f wa nt an adrasood smog
outpost hatoosp the Atiantio mint and AM*
Th. duty of obtalolog gook ' Mtpoirt yam
fully and lawfully. 'ldaho sot l dots` Der
menacing injury to other States, moistly en
gaged the attoutiou of the Itentotin Dopalt
mot before the ohne of the war. ad IS has net
bee, lost sight of sin.. that tlme. /I not en
tirely dWimllar naval not menial Mott
during the =Ma period on the looal, :
The nunhood foothold theolline 's
oured by our lit* trebly Milk the Am of '
Russia, and it mow sets. tallorstivi abs 'the ' nr
more obOuss molosaltios 91 lbs Atlantis oseM
should not ba Is.. oarefully provided kW, X
good sad couvouleat port ad harbor abpib • t 1.1 I
af may defemo, wilt supply - thet - ninit With
lbsp Pr. APIA ,PtalloaPtUstiMt
o ther we nor my mbar
*qua lonierno+nlbetell lopri m e "Owe
fourrom say 1014.4 te ese 1 . 14 10 0 "WV
early elnts tltt.
naturally env Henn Itij nit 'Olt
ultimately to to oltiorSoll tho Aptamoifiii •.
a ß ir tts i rlt i = rats tlerstig h kf
absorption to this /Walla of 1111011101 i plea aal nu,••
gravimion• Tits ~Wselde
der Joblea. w lob oolistnefe et
Galled Virgin Mande, 7 1111;;111“/ • t'
owes leasponiatolt doellakilemblis At t rtg •
Eldon eou Id se e la liorsany
Ortnelplot nairitilef lase 1111140111. , IA Int*" • • •
ha, tioestbrua boa ourellAnStM
Illooratit tor
vi la moo: "it,
win I» zoo i ""•
Ilm.
,11 •ip kgriikplermatAlaU `.•
Oulic" * L r 77; • •••1 mode
(ertlkid'en on 6 .h 6.1
• 11.11 1 • ennt
lill2