Eli
II
0 - LIME %V/I.- -NUMBER 35
T II -F.
POTTER 4-011RNAL,
# f
PCBLISIIED BY'
W. IicALARSIET, Proprietor.
KirjDevoted to the cause of Republic:v:lnm, the in
tercels of Agrior.ltnre, the ailvyncement of Education.
- and the bent gaud of Potter county. trwritug no .:aide
exeePli that. of Principle, it will endeavor to aid in the
'work lof more fully Freed_omiziug our Country.
_
liefrAdvertlemeate inverted at the folioWinz rate-:
where specialbarg..inA are made. A ",quare"
is 10 tit-s of nn -vier or Sof Sonparoil E.YI ,
ee 1
sonar!, 1 , n.ertion ........ $1 50
1 agnare.2 or 3 iugertion,,,, '2 00
E. 40, auhAequeot in.ertiunlces than 13•- ,40
square, 1 year • • 10 Go
Ilw-fn.4Cards. 1 year r , 00
4.4miniatrator's or I..".xecotur'i Sotiree lOU
81.4cial aud . Editurial Notices per hoe—.
tramieot adverthunaeati tou,t be paid on
t,ivancy,a. ,4 l nu notice will be taken of Advt. ti e,,y11:-
,fi.um di.t..trkce, u , ,!e-;,.. they are accompanled by thy
trhintry or satisfactory relerenre.
Isr'r.Jub Work, of all kinds, executed with neatneF ,
and II t... 6 patch.
BUSINESS NOTICES.
It. A. DiI.A.IIE. M. D.. ,
P .
11:YFICI AN .1.: SC RG EON, oTeri! hi, services in
!the citizens of thlgplleeani:eimpity and do , i re ,
to inform thorn that he will promyty ter'' , ,tll.l to all
call:. tor prafegsional service=. that. , on )f.:1:, ,tree:.
over,p. F.M.lTining'.4 Jewelry Stoie : ite , i , i. , elioar , c
oppoplte the °ince of the Fom &Ito,' E,tfit.e.-17-'2,
rive and Accepted Ancient York llasuns
IidLALIA LODGE, F. A:IL
iNiee•ingt on the .'.rd and, 4th 'red ref... lay' , of each
nton',h. Finn, in the 3d ,Story of the tdin,ted Block.
3.(.IIISiciLARNET,See. L :IR 11-1 P EE,
JOAN S. MANN.
'TOR - Z , TEY AND COCNSEI.I...tIIi AT LAW.
Coudersport, I's., r,urto
to Ptitt..r, Ca:neron and li:Kean Conntie.4. Ail bus,
lentrnsted this care roc, ice -prompt ntt -n
-:Ion. Office on lfain et root.
EN
,ARTHUR 114. t)i.lisTr.l).
A TTORNEV AND (301,N,1E1.T..E11 AT T,ATV
4-1_ Conder6pare. 11) ..!I
trusted Lo his care will;
ill th 6creOnd 'storey "rt,,,2
. ,
, ISAAC BENSON. .
TToRNEY-AT.LAw. C,u ti,r.port,
attello. 10 :di ttu-ito,E..t 1!::i1,:t1
tool ia-otnittnt , s. Az' . C
t- .I , !j
ties.l o:live on St•e-nd.?.:ret-t t n , to tt, A !...4-I:.y 00'
F. W. it SON
k TTORNEY AND CbtiN,....}:1,1,011 AT LAW
e ri Cou•ierdpurt, w at:v:ld , -kuunz rot
ter 41 . 1 , 1 the 3.lj&n , coilut.e.F..
I.II.ILLER S MeA.I.ARNEY.
•
'~'fpß~El"o•_\l LAW,
Agent. , for tl C I f'Ca:!ri-au:111. , -t 11, ,
toned Stat , , , , tt & Stat - ;11 i'•••
BOu't: y,Arrear, , of PAy,,ke-A5l
R Itj MILLER,
DAN BAH:
. . . ,
pENSIO:s7 ; WitiNTV and WAR CLAIM AGFNCY
i Pensions procured for Solilierd of the pr e sent
NS aiiavho are disabled by reason of woninls received
srdiseasecontrae.:ed o.'ile in the service ~ f :.,‘: L'oiie , 1
Elates ; and pensions, bonnty, and arre lrF of inv id, !
tainisd for widows or heirs of, these who hav•i ' di:••l Cr
been killed while in service. All ;otters at: inquiry I
pro, 4 nptly answered, and on rrcuip, t I it,ill u: . a ntv.i.,-
Merit of the case of claimant, I will - forwardthe ne-
isea.ary pap srs for their sienatiire. F-'es in Peosiob
wee as used by law. Refers to lies. Isiew Pei. son,
A.ci. Olmsted, John S. Mann, iind F. W, Krox, Ls.,
bAd•Zi 11.11 , 7,R11. ' • 1
i
1 JlineS (4 Claim Azent,'C•inderrOort• Pa.
•
M. W. :11c1I.AltNEY.
ESTATE.and INSl:ittSk, — r: AGENT : —
A 1 Land- Booght an Sold, Tam., pad!
Invqsilgated. lllsllros prop.rtv neuin".;he
eonipardes in the Country. and - azaw-d Acci
dents in the Travelers C p . 1` ly 11,r:-
ford. Businese transacted pronlytly
P. A. STEBBINS A: Co.,
liEßCliANTS—Dealen. in Dry
.11_ Good= ; Grocerie..l'rovish , n...Flour.F ,, l.Dork.
and, everything uausilr kept In a g,rud cou..;rs
Pri*Lee bought ~nO. a , .ld 17 23
c n.
E
fi.. a C e ti a
6 1 :•-apleGood..Clothinz. 1 . 1 . 1 ies
Floyar, Feed, Lc, Retailer= Pupplied on liLern: ternp
I- - C. S. tE.A I .
JONES,' prepared, it• brought to their work the cm-
AtERCHINTS—DeaIers in Drnir- Medic;ne , ..T'ulnt . ..F. ~ Derieute .of Ilia confederation, of their
Lit Oils, Fancy Art,c'e... Stai,olier:,, P...., Goot ie.
Groceries, Er.c., Main Street, Coudersport. pa ! several States. and of Other republican
ov ,-, rn in ents!.nlii and.new; but they needed
and they obtained a wisdom superior' tO
experince. and when for its validity it
re4uired the' approval of a people that oc
cUpied a large part of a c4itinent, and
acted separately in many distinct conven
tions, what is'more wonderful than that
11. J. OLMSTED. atter earnest - contention and long discuss
!
ITARDWARE Merenant, and .I),ler in StoveA. 100, all feelings and all opinions were til
l." Tin and Sheet Iroi. , W M
are ain -t_reet,(oila,.,
tiniatelv drawn in one way to its support.
it
twirt, Penn'. Tin and Sheet" Iron W ar,,ndade to i
..., ;toed
0 ...,in etyle, on short nrdico.
i . ,
The Constitution to which life *as thus
imparted contains within itself ample re
its,
sources for own preservation. It has
power to enforce the laws, punish treason
and insure domestic tranquility. Incase
of the usurpation Of the Government of a
COirDERSIOT HOTEL. ! State by one man.l or an oligarchy, it be-
F., .
"1 - GLASS Ntlr.E, ~:opgrr- r w:. Corer eflhin comes a duty of the United States to make
j_j. and S , cw.tl , tteet-i C,,,/dt.,port.l'o::. rC! ra good the guarantee to that State of a ,re-
A Lavery Statile is also .t.nipt in con: ectivn wall thi.,
Hotel. b.uly Staze, lo .‘ll,l from the 1:-.11 :ro ,if, publican form of government, and so main
-1 Potter Jour-Anil Job-Office. I Lain the homogeneousness of ail. Does
1
TT AVlNG‘lntoly ad,led n tine newt it , o4wlincrt of !Ile lapse of time repeal defects ? A simple
IL JOB-TYPE to oar nlt--n.ly . inrL-e a-,urtn.:,...L. ' mode of amendment is provided in the
"i - etwe now prepared to - do all lau de of a ork, ,di 1111'3 -
a:A with taste and neatce-.. Orders ...alicit4-. Constitution itself, so that its conditions
can always be made, to conform to the re
luirewents of adva4cing civilizat.on.
I D. E. ()MISTED. 't
ASERCIT ANTL—DeaI er in DryG, - ,0d:.11. , .. , :012. - -Inftde i
1 Clothing, Crockery, (irotere,=, Fiour. 1 , ,,,1, ,
. - ' , .ik, Provi,toi ,, , &e., ILO n ~ , r,ti, Coo 1,-r, , , , tat. Pa .
COLLINS SMITH.
i 1
Ai E F 7A sT -'lr in D
r 5
G 'ol
Groceries.
- r. r.,21 ,t- , 1 c. , - ar e,
C u • c• „ -
. •
and all Cien , le u•nally found in 1 counlry -tore. 71',11
P 1 3IARISLE YARI). .•
I
IPHE subscriber desires to inform ihecitiy•ns of Po:-
i
i. .., I,yr that he can supply then; %cal,. ail 'J.:nil. , of ,
1.1.1 - 0 7 e. work. as cheap az.d as zoo'', as •.: can he 'Lad ;
tuvif place in the count,-. NiONUMENTS and Ti_iiii3- i
STUN ES of all kind. furnished on :short lis,i.,.
douderAlxirt., :c11.:5'65;y C. Iiti.EUNLE. • 1
1865
PitiladelPhia SL Erie Railre.. .
No room is allbwo even for the thought
VHS eat line traveres the Northern and N , - , -t. , .- i ,
i a-est counties of tralisylvania to the city of Erie ~of a possibility of i 6 coming to an end.
orrlake Erie. It 'ha,. been iea-,d and is opirated by kud these
powers of pelf preservation have
Lb, Prot:is/Ls/m.l RsitnoAr C , NeAri.
f p
Time oassen g er train; at EM ronn - m.
I always been asserted in their complete
LEAVE EASTWARD. integrity by every 'patriotic Chief Magi's-
Erie Mail Tr-tin... 10:12 A. m. Itrllte—Jefferscit and Jackson, pot ,less
Erie E,xpress Train... .1 P..
h 1 M tban by Washington and Madison. The
LEAVE WESTW A RD
parting
Erie Express Train , advice of the ;Father of his C4II:1-
Erie Mail Train . 10:1^_ A. M. . I
z , r , I , m. ry, while yet Presiddrit, toy the people of,
t' assen g ercars ran tbrouzli on the Eri e M a il an d i the 'United States, Was, that "the free
EXpre‘s trains without change h,,th waps bvtween c o /
Philadelphia and Eric. nstitution, n which Was the work, of their'
;
1 NEW YORK CONNECTION: ' hands naigliqbe sacredly maintained ;"1 'and
Leave New York at 6.00 p. m., arrive at Erie.. , ',-; A.ll. i the inau2 nra ! words of President Jefforson
Leave Eric at 1.55 P. M., :were at New York Llf., r 3 ,.,"he1d up "thd preservation of the General
i.
NO CHANGE OF CARS BETWEEN ERIE &. NEW YORK
Governmdnt in its constitutional ,vigor,as
ELEGANT SLEEPING CARS on all Ni g ht trains : the sheet anchor of our peace at home
!or information respetting Pasumze; hti-ine.,,ap I and safety fiblo33. The Coristitutioln is
VS at Comer ot 30th and Market SI.TPeLf., rh11 , 1110:1.t
And for Frei g ht business of the Comnany's Azent t h e work of ihe People of the United
4 ;, :3 ,i,., 11:113;.; : t , m, Jr., Cora loth and Market street, States," and it should be as indestructible
10
'T w. tle t yrio`dF. Eri... as the people.' '
w©. ne.,,, .Air , •ni.. - N C R R, Ealti more.
. 0 3 . R. stors.roN, General Frer , :lt Act. PlVlali3 It is not strange that the framers of
H. IV. GWl:s7.s.: fa, General Ticket A .- tt t PhiLaU -' w hich
A.. L.TYLER, Genera: SJp't, Willissi•part. the Coestittitton had no modal in
1
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I
THE
•• n •
_
The Reconstruction Policy.
SLAVERY IS FOk.EYERIBOLISIED
TRAITORS IVIUST BE TRIED
SECESSION BBANDED as TREASON
THE ti ON INDISSOLUBLE.
Present Coudition of the Country
Tenor-Citizens of t,',e Senate and Muse of`Re-
pre,Fenta'iet - s
To express gratitude to God, ?tt the
name of The people, for the preservation
of the United States, is my first duty itr
addressing you. I Our thoughts next re
vert to . the deatlt of the late President by
an act of parricidalVeason. The grief of
the nation is still fresh ; it finds some sol
ace in the consideration that be lived to
enjoy the higliek proof of its confidence
by entering on the renewed term of the
Chief Ma‘ristra4 to 'which he had been'
elected ; that" he , brought the civil war.
Substainialty to ¢ close; that his loss was
deplored in all Parts, of the Union ; and
that friteig,n nations have rendered jus
tice. tot his memory.' His removal cast
ipuu me a heavier weight of cares than
ever developed upon anyone of his prede
cessors. . I
To fulfill my" trust I need the snpport
Ind confidence of all who are associated
with me in the various department's ,Of
Government, and the support and con'fi
lenee of the people. There is but one
way in which I can hope to gain their
necessary- aid; it is,, to state with frank-
Gess the 'principles which guide my con-1
duct, and their application to the present
Mate of affairs, well aware that the effici
ency of rnyrlabors will,in a great measure,-
depend on Your and their- undivided 4p
probation.
The Union ,of the United States of
Nmetica" was idtended- by its authors to
,
last as I(Jrog as the, states themselves shah I
last. -The Union shall be perpetual" are"
the words oftli f e Confederation. To form"'
a more Perfect, 'Union," .by an ordinance'
of the people , of the United States is the
declared purpose of the ConstitUtion. The ,
hand of divine providence was never more
plainly visible in the affairs of men than
in the framing and the adopting of that
instrument. It is beyond comparison,te
greatest event tit American history; and
indeed is it not of all events in modern
times, the most pregnant with consequen
ces for even' people of the earth ?
tn
The ecnhers of 'the convention" which
t!111.%
L c .r
in
=EI
EEMMIEMI
. 4 -, , ",
11. ~ ~ ,
D ooo ta to ti)° ?t'llioiPles of RV @ol - 106'Vp, anJ fiN bisseinfinglin of 140 ifets.
I ` ;
OUDERSPORT, POTTER COUNTY
the past, should ;tot have fully compre
mended the excellence of their own work.,
Fresh from a struggle against arbitrary
, cower, many patriots suffered from harass.
ing fears of an absorption of the State
.Government by the General Government
and many from a dread that the States
would break away from their orbits.. But I
the very greatness of our country'should
allay the apprehension of encroachments I
by the General Government. The sub
jects that come unqnestionably within its',
jur6dietion are so numerous, that it must
ever naturully refuse to be embarrassed
by quesiions that lie beyond it.
Were it otherwise,the Executive would
sink beneath the burden ; the channels
of . justice would be choked ;
would be i,obstructed by ,excess; so that
there is a j areater temptation to exercise
some of the functions of the General Gov
ernment through the States than to tres
pass on their rightful sphere. "The ab
so'ute acquiescence in the decisions of the
majority" was, at the beginninE of the
century, enforced by Jefferson, as the vi
tal principle of republics" an the events
of the last four years. have established.we
hope forever, that there lies no appeal to
force.
The maintenance of the Union 'brings ,
with it the support of "the State Govern
ment's in all their right; but it is not one I
of the rights of any State Government to 1
renounce its own place in the Union r or to,
nulify the laws of the Union.. The larg- I
est liberty is to be l maintained in the dis
cussion of the acts of the Federal Govern-
ment; but there is`• no appeal from its
laws, except to the various, branches ofi
that Government itself, or to the people I
who grant to the members of the Leg:sla-
tire and of the Executive Departmentsuo
'
tenure but a limited one and in' that man
ner always retain the power of redress.
"The sovereignty of the States" is' the
language of the Confederacy, and not the
language of the constitution. The latter
' contains the emphatic words : "The Con-1
I stitution and the laws of the United States
which shall be made in pursuance thereof
and all treaties made or which shall be
made ander the authority of the United I
Stares shall be the supreme law of the
hod; and the judges in every State shall
be, bound thereby, anything in the Con
stitution or laws of any State to the con
trary notwithstanding.'
Certainly the Government of the United
States is a limited Government; and so
is every State Government a limited Gov-
I ernment. With us, this idea of limita-
I don spreads through furm of admin
istration, G3neral, State, and Municipal,
and rests on the great distingnishincr rrin
, ciple of the recognition of the rights of
man. The ancient republics absorbed the
I individual in the State, prescribed his
religion, and controlled his activity. The
American system rests on the assertion of
the equal right of every man to 111.3 ' liberty
I and the pursuit of happiness; to freedom
lof concience, to ,the culiure and exercise
of all his faculties. As a consequence.the
State Governmen is limited as to the
eral Government in the interests of the
Union, as to the individual citizen in the
interests of freedom.
States, with proper limitations of pow
er, are essential to the existence of the
Constitution of the United States. At
, the very corumencemeut,when we assumed
a place a.moag the powerS ' of the earth,
the Declaration of Indbpendence was
;adopted by States ; so also were the Ara
i cles of Confederation ; and when "the
I People of the United S:ates" ordained and
established the Constitution it was the as
sent of the States, one by One, which gave
•lit validity. In the event, too, of any
. .!areendaient to the Constitution, the prop
' I osition of Congress needs the confirmation
of StateS.
With Out States, one great branch of
the leffi4lative government would be want
ing. 'Nnd, if we look beyond the letter
of the Constitution to the•character of our
country; its, capacity for conaprehending
i
within l ts jurisdtetion a vast continental
empire is due to the system of States.—
The kvt security for the perpetual exist- I
tepee tf t the States is the "supreme au•
thority" of the Constitution of the United
States. The perpetuity of the Constita-1
tution brings with it the perpetuity Of the
States, their mutual relation makes us
what we are, and' in our political system
their connection is indissoluble. 1 The
whole cannot exist without the parts; nor
the parts without the ‘hole. So long as
the Constitution of the United States en
dures,the States will endure, the destruc
tion of the one is the destruction of the
other; the preservation of the one is the
pieservh.tion of the other.
I have thus explained my views of the
mutual,relations of the Constitution and
the States, because they unfold the prin
ciples dn v;hich I have sought to solve
the mbmentous question an — di overcome
the appalling difficulties that net me at
the very commencement or my adminis
tration. It has been my steadfast• object
to escape from the sway' of momentary'
1 passiuus and to derive a healing policy
from the fundamental and unchanging
principles of the Constitution:
, PAt, TUESDAY . DECEMBER 12, 185',
I Lund the States suffering from the :precaution to connect with the clearest
effects of a. civil, war. Resist:nee to the recpgnition of the binding force of the
General Government appeared to have ex-: iawis of the United States, aid an unqual
hausted itself. The United States had I ified acknowledgment cf the great social
recovered posession of their forts and ar- 4 change of condition in regatal to slavery
senals ; and their armies were in the oc-i which has grown out of ihe War. ,
upation of every State which bad attempt-1 The next step which I have taken to
ed to secede. Whether the territory 2 restore the constitutional relations.of the
within the limits of those states should be' St has been An invitation to them to
held as conquered territory, under milita-1 participa e in the high officelof amending
ry authority emanating from the President i Constitution. Every patriot must
as the head of the army, was the first I wi , 413 for a general amnesty at the earliest
question that presented itself for decision.leptich consistent with public safety. For
Now, military governments, established 1 this great end there is need of a concur
for an indefinite period, would have off3red I Noce of all opinions, and tbe l spirit of mu
no security for the early suppression of . tual conciliation. All parties in the late
discontent ; would have divided the peo !terrible conflict ,bust together in
pie into the vanquishers and thevanquish- harmony.
ed ; and would have envenomed hatred, It is not too much to ask, ; in the name
rather than have restored affection. Voce of the whole people, that, on the one side.
established, no precise limit to their con.' 'Ain of restoration shall proceed in con
tinuabee was conceivable. They would t'ormity with a willingness to cast the dis•
have [occasioned an incalculable and ex- orders of the past iritcroblivion ; and that,
laausting expense. Peaceful eudaTatioa :on the other, the evidence of 'sincerity in
to ma i d Irian that portion of the country is future maintenance of the Union shall
one of the best means that crn be thought !be put beyond any doubt• by the ratifiea
of for. the restoration of harmony anti that tion of the proposed amendment to the
emigimtion would have been prevented ; ; Coastitution, l which provides for the Rho),
forlwlhat emaizrant from abroad, what in-; ition of slavery forever within, the limits
duStilious ciiiaen at home would place of our country. So long as the adoption
himself willingly wider military rule ? !of this amendment rs delayed,so long will I
The chief persons who would have fol-! doubt, and jealousy, and uncertainty pre
lowed in the train of the ars.y.would h ave vail. This is the measure which wil efface;
beenidependent of the Ge oral Govern-'the sad meruora' of the past; this is the,
merit, or men Who expecte' p:ofit from measure which will most certainly call
the Miseries of their erring f flow citizens.' population and capital and security to
The powers of patronage a d rule which those parts of the Union that need them
would have been exercise under the: most-
Piedilent over a vast and iopulous and I Indeed, it is not to much to ask of the
wealthy region, are greater than, unless i States which are how resuming their places
unddr exteeme necessity, I should be !in the family of the Union to give this
willing to entrust to any o' e man ; they pledge of perpetual loyalty and peace.—
are such as, for myself,lf, • c uld never,uu- ; Uatil it is done, the past, however much
less .13n occasions of great e ergoncv, cur we may desire it, yin not be forgotten.—
sent to exercise. Ibe wilf I use of such The adoption of the amendment reunites
power.s, if continued throu h. a period of us beyond a power of disruption. It
years, Would have endangerod the purity heals the wound that is still itnperfectly
of the general adruinistrati n a nd t h e lib-, cleiaed a it removes slavery, the element
e4aies of the States which r•mained loyal. which has so long perpbax,:id and divided
Besides. the policy of n3ll tary rule over i the country ; it makes of us once more a
a conquered territory woul have implied united people, renewed and st'iensiaheneli
that the States whose inhibitants may 'bound more than ever to mutual affection ,
have taken part iu the Pouf:llion had by'l and support.
the act of those inhapita i ts, ceased to, The amendment of the Constitution be
exist. Bat the true theirY is that all ;ink adopted, it would remain for the
pretended, acts of secession were from the , States, whose powers have been so long
beginning,
tw
null and void. The States in abeyance,
cannot commit treason, n.r serene the to resume their places in the
o branches of the Nation Legislatare,
individual citizens Who m v have com-; and' thereby complete the work of reste
witted treason, any more Ciao they can ' ration. Here it is for you, fellow citizens
make valid treaties. or enaci , el in lawful of,the Senate, and fo;r, • fellow-citizens of
commerce with any, fore;o 'cower. The ithe
tp see: .t'eed them-'each of
House pf PopreSentatives, to judge.
States attempting
you for yourselves,Of the elections,
selves in a condition where their vitality Ireturns, and valitichtions of your own
was impaired but nit extiormished—their members.
functions suspended, bat net thstroyed.
But if any -State', neglects or refuses to I
perform its offices. there is the more need ; '
that the General Go'verhment sh3uld main- I
tain all its authoritY and, as so n as prac- I
ticable. resume the exercise of all its;
tunctions. On this principle ' have act- I
ed, and have gradually and piietly, and ;
by almost imperceptible steps; sought to I
restore the rightful energy of the 'Gener
al Governmen and of the States. To that ,
end, Provisional Governors have been ap-j
pointed for the States, Conventions called
Governors elected,Legislatures assembled,:
and Senators and Representatives chosen'
to the Congress of the United Stated. I
At tote same time, the Courts ofl the(
united States, as far as could be done)
have been re-opened. so that the laws of I
the United States may be enforced thro '
their agency. The blockade has been re
.1
moved and 'the custom houses established
in - ports of 'entry, so that the revenue of I
the United States d•ay be collected. The
Post Office Department renews its cease
less activity, and the Gvneral Government
is thereby enabled to communicate prompt- I
lywith its o ff icers and agents. The courts I
brine security to' persons and property ; 1
the openina of the. ports invites the re
storation ofj industry and commerce; ,the
post office renews the ,facilities of social
i
' intercourseand business.
,
And is i not happy for us all,l.hat the
restoration it
each one of these functions
lof the General Government brings with
I it a blessing t 3 the States over which they
are extended ? Is it not a sure promise
of harmony and renewed attachment to
the Union that, after all that has happen
ed, the return of the General Government
is known only as a beneficence ?
I know very - well that this policy is at
tended with some risk; that for its success
it requires at least the acquiescence of the
States which it concerns ; that it 'implies
an invitation to those States, by renewing
their.allegiance to the United States, to
rezati3e their functions as States of the
Union. But .it is a risk that must be
taken ; in the choice of difficulties, it is
the smallest risk; and to diminish, and.
if possible, to remove all danger, I have
felt it incumbent on me to assert one other
power of the General Government—the
power of pardon.
As no State, can throw a defense over
the crime of treason, the power of pardon
is exclusively vested in the Executive
Government of the United States. In
exercising, that power I have taken every
The full assertion ~.c the powers m
General Government Irequires the holding
of Circuit Courts of the Upheld States
within the districts Aere their authority
has been interrupted. In the present
posture of our public affairs, strong 1 objec
-1
tions have been urge to holding those
courts in any of the States where the Re
bellion has existed; and it was ascertain
ed, by inquiry that the Circuit Court of
the 'United States Would ' , not be held
within the District of Vir g inia during
the autumn or earl' winter, nor until
Congress should hava "au opportunity to
consider andlaet on the whole-subject." .
To your deliberat Gas the restoration 1
of this branehiaf the civil authority of the
United States is therefore necessarily
referred, with ithe hope that early provi
sion will be made for the resumption - of
all its functions. It is manifest that trea
son, most flagrant in character, has been
committed. Persoes i who are charged
with its commission should have fair and
impartial trials in the highest civil tribu
nals of the country, inorder that the Con
stitution and the laws may be fully yin
licited ;'the truth clearly established and
affirmed that treason is a crime, that,
traitors should be punished and the of
fence made ;iafamoas; and, at the same i
time, that the question may be judicially'
-ettlecl, finally and fmever, that no State
of its own will has the right to renounce
its place in the - Union.
The relations of the General Govern
ment towards tha font' millions of inhab
itaiats whom the war has called into free
dom has engaged my most serious con
sideration. On the propriety of attempt
ing to make the freedmen electors by the
proclamation of the Executive, I took.for
my counsel the Constitution it elf, the
interetations of that instrument by its
authors and their cotempora;ies and re
cent legislation by Congress. frhen, at
the first movement towards independence,
the, Con g ress of tit° Unite& States in
structied the several States to institute
gavel . , meats of thciO own, they left each
State to decide 'for itself the conditions
for the enjoyment of the elective franchise
Darin' , the period of the Confederacy
. •
there, contained t- exist a very great di
versay in the qualifications - of electors iu
the several States; mid even within a
State a distinction cf nualifications pre
,
Jiatied with
regard to the ouictrs who
I were to be chosen. The Constitution of
the United States recognizes these diver-
Isities wheal it enjJlas that, to the drake
e
TEREES.--L5O PER ANNUMi
of the members of the House of Rept&
sentatives of the United States/ "the -
electors in each State shall have the (tale
ifications requisite for electors of the ittlal
numerous branch of the State Legit=
lature."‘ • ' 1
After the formation of the Constitution/
it remained, as before, the Uniform t(sege
for each State to enlarge the body of itsf
electors, according to its own jildgrnetit /
and, under this system, one State after
another has proceeded to increase the
number of its electors until now universal
suffrage, or something vary near.it / is die'
general rule.
So fixed was the reservation 'of point.
in the habits of the people, and so nn:
questioned has been the interpretation Of;
the Constitution that daring the waribd !
late President never harb(7red the par=
pose—certainly never avowed the Far: ,
pose—of disregardin g it; and in'the acne:
of Congress, daring that period / ntithing
tan be found which, during the (solution=
ance of hostilities, much less after theit
close, would have sanctioned any depart':
are by the Executive from a policy whiett
, has so universally obtained.
Moreover, a concession of the eleotive.
franChise to the freedmen, by act of tike
President of the United States, must, tame
been extended to all colored men/wher
ever found, and so must have established
a change of suffrage in the Northern/
Middle, and Western States, not less than,
in ,the Southern'and Southwestern. Such
an, act would have created a new class of
voters, and would have been an assump=
, tidn of power by the-President which!'
nettling in the Constitution or }acts of .
1 the United Skates Would base warranted:
I t; - 2113 the other hand, every danger of
;
co l nflict isl avoided when the settrement
1
; .
of the questioo'!,s referred to the several
!States. They can, each for itself, decide
!on the measure,' and wheteer it is to be
;adopted at once and absolutely, or-intro: •
' dUced c srradnally and with conditions. Iri -
Imy judgment, the freedmen, if they show'
patience and manly virtues, wilFsoonef
obtain a participation in the eleetice Nil:
•ichise through the States than through -
the General Gevernment, even if it had
power to intervene. When the tumult,
of emotions that have been raised by they
suddenness of the chang e shall have.
I • ,
;subsided, it may prove that they will re. ,
I ceive the kindliest usage from some of
those on whom ;they have heretofore' most
closely depended. , ,
But while I have no doubt that novi /
after the close Of the war, 'it is not com
petent fur the General Government id
extend the elective franchise in the sever,
oral States, it is equally clear that =moil
faith requires the security of the freell%sen
in their liberty and their property, theif
right to labor, and their right to claim
the just return of their labor. I cannot
toostrongly urgea dispassionate treatment
of this subject / which should be - carefully
kept aloof from all party strife. We must
equally avoid hasty assumptions of any •
natural impossibility for the two races td:
live side by side,. in a state of mutual
benefit and good will. The exVerinten't
involves us in no inconsistency; let, lie
then, go and make that experiment in
good faith, and not be too easily dis'
, teartened. .
The country is in need of ?Atm, and
the freedmen are in need of employment/
1 culture and protection. While their
right of voluntary migration and expatrid
, ation is not to be questioned, I would dos
ladvise their forced removal and colonizas
I tion. Let us rather encourage them; td
honorable and useful industry, lvfhere it
may be beneficial to themselves and} td.
!the country; and, instead erf hasty antic ,
1 pation-s of the certainty of failure, :let
/there be nothing wanting to the' fair trial
of the experiment. The change in their'
condition is the substitution of labor their`
leentract for the states of slavery. the.
; freedmen cannot fairly be accused of tin:
1, willingness to work, so long as a doubt
1 remains about his freedom of Choice] itt
his pursuits, and the- certainty of his Ire=
covering his stipulated wave..
In this the interests of the employe
and the employed coincide. The emplo
l ' ef
el
desires in his works men of spirit n
alacrity, and these can be permanently ly
secured ( in no other way. And if theeme
ought•to be able to enforce the contract /
so ought the other. The public interest
will be best promored if the several Stated
will provide adequate protection and rem:
edies for the freedmen. Until this is iU
some way accomplished, there is no chance
for the advantageous .use of their labor )
and the blame of ill-success-sill net rest
lon then]. ,
MI
I know that sincere philanthropy is - earnest
for the immediate realization of its remotest
aims ; but time is always ida eleiterft in reform,
It is one of the greatest acts on record to ha % cf
brought four millions oflpeople into free,loca..
The career of free industry must be fairly
opened to them ; and then their future pros
pe.ri ty and condition mlis ,after ell, rest mainly
on themselves. If they fail, ar;Ni en peristf
away, let us tre carefal hat the fatlure shall
not be attributable to any denial of justita:
la all that relates to the'cletsfiny of the freed=
men, ttie must not be too apZiOUS to'read the'
future many incidents which; from• a spec!-
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