The tri-weekly news. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1865-1876, December 08, 1866, Image 1

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TIlE TKI-WERKRY NHWN) A ...-------.-*. -----.----__ mIMImot tihan t en lintes. (fine sgnrtic, ) wvill *i PUDI5IED EVER1( TUESDAY, TIIUILS-U UIADrI'Is th.'I. DAY AND SATURDAY N U,v Gaillard, Desportes & Co. I1z isiU iukd 75cets e, 1 i \Vinnsboro,' S. C., at $6.00 per an- -Lrger advcrlisentuts, when no coufra. nnm_________________________________________ i tde, will be charged in exact pirulw. num, in advance. tiot. filE FAIaFIELD ERALD,le I'1[E F[I F(ED BEItLD, of rlt, honor or trust, 311).00. Mtringe, Obiary Noties, ,c.c,yiill nt l Uit.ISIEPD EVERY {YEDNESDAY MORN" . as..-.CILager adveti vt ien no chen Inc, AT $3.00 PER ANNUM. VUI,. IV.] WINNSBOPO S. C., SA''UIWAY. DECEMBER S, 1866. 4. over tett rues, and Intt:t he paid for thett handed in, o tlicy will r o . MESSAGE OF THE '1lESIDENT'OF THE U. STATES TO THE Two Houses of Congress. at the Com mecuomont of the Second Session. Fellow-Citizens of the Senats aud House of Relpresentativcs. After a brief interval the Congress of the United States resumes its an nual legislative labors. An all-wise and. merciful Providence has abated the pestilence which visited our shores loaviu& the calamitous traces upon 8ome portions of our country. Peace, order, tranquility, and civil authority have been formally declared to exist throughout the. whole United States. In all of the States civil authority has superseded the coercion of arms, and the people, by their' voluntary action, are maintaing their governments in full activity and complete operation. The enforcement of the laws is no longel' "obstructed- in any Stato by combinations too powerful to be sup pressed by the ordinary course of judi cial proceedings ;" and the animosi ties engendered by the war are rapid ly yielding to the beneficent influences of our free institutions, and to the kindly effects of unrestricted social and conme}cial intercourse. An en tire restoration of fraternal fooling must be the 'arnest wish of every pa triotic heart ; and we will have ac complished our grandest national auhievement when, forgetting the sad events of the past, and remembering only their instructive lessons, we re sume our 'onward career as a free, ~prosperous, and united people. In my message of the 4th Decm bor, 1865, Gongross was informed of the measures which had been .nstitut cd by the Executive with a view to the gradual restoration of the States in which the insurrection occurred .to their relations with the General Gov ernment. Provisional Governors had been appoitod, Conventions called, Governors elected, Legislatures as sembled, and Representatives chosen to the Congress of the United States, Courts had been opened for the en forcoinent of laws long in abeyance. The blockade had been removed, cus ton-houses re-established, and the in-. ternal revenue laws put in force, in order that the peoplo might contrib ute to the national income. Postal operations had been renewed, and e$t fo:'ts were being made to restore them to their former condition of eflicioney. P The States themselves had been asked to take part in the high fune tion of amending the Constitution, and thus sanctioning the extinction of African slavery as one of the legiti mate results of our internecine strug gle. Having progressed thus far, the Executive Department found that it had accomplished nearly all that was within the scope of its constitutional authority. One thing, however, yet remained to be done before the work of restoration could he comploted, and that was the admission to Congress of loyal Senators and Representatives from the States whose Ileople had re belled against lawful authority of the General Government. This question devo ed upon the respective Houses, whie by the Constitution, are made .th ngo of the elections, return., 5and quahiOcations of their own mem beri .ar its consideration at once enI e attention of Cong~ress. Inte meantime, the Executive Dephartment-no other , plan having been proposed by Congress-contin Snqd its efforts' to perfect, as far a~s was practioble, the restoration of the pro per relations between the citizens of the respective States, the States, and the Federal Government, extending, ~from time to time, as the public inter oefte seemed to require, the judicial, ;reven. i, and postal sy'stemia of the couuatry. With the advice and gon saonto.of the S enate, the necessary offi eoms were appointed, and appropria tiens made by Congreis for thie pay; meat of their salanies. The- proposi tion to amend the Federal Constitu tion, so as to prcvent the existence c slavery within the Ilnited States o any place subject to their jurisdictioi was ratified by the requisite nubntle of States ; and on the 18th day of De comber, 1865, it was officially declau ed to have becomto vAlied as a part c thd Constitution of the United State. All of these States in which the insut rection had existed pr,'iptly amende, their Constlt.itiotls, so . to make thei conform to the great change thus ' fected in the organic law of the land declared null and void all ordintance anid laws of secession ; repudiated al pretended debts and obli:ations crea ted for the revolutionary purposes a the insurrection ; and proceeded, ii good faith, to the'enaetment of tmea. arcs for the protection and ameliora tion of the condition of the colorec race. Congress, however, yet hesitai ed to admit any of these States to re presentation ; am{tl it was not until tih close of the eighth month oi' the se" sion that an exception was made in. fa vor.of Tennessee, by the admission c her Senators and Itepresentatives. Ideem it a subject of profound rc gret that Congress has thus far faile to admit to seats loyal Senators an Representatives from other State, whose inhabitants, with those of Teti nessee, had engaged in- the rebellior Ten States-more than one-fourth c the whole numhor--remain withou representation ; the seats of fifty mom bers in the House of Representatlve and of twent7 members in the Senat are yet vacant-not by their own con Pen.t, not by a failure of election, bu by 'the refusal of Congress to accop their credentials. Their atd mission, I is believed, would have aocomplishe much towards the renowal an, atrengthoning of our relations as on people, and removed seriot.ca,o,fo discontent on'the part of the inhabi tants of those States. It would hav accorded with the great princilu enunciated in the Declaration pf Atue rican Independence, that no peopl ought to bear the burden of taxatiot and yet be denied the right of repr tentation. It would have been in con sonance with the express provisions c the Constitution, that "each State shal have at least one Representative, .td "that no State' Wit'.out its consent 3hall be deprived of its equal sufrag in the Senate." Those provision wvere intended to secure to every State ald to the people of every State, th right of representation in each Ilous )f Congress; and so important was i leemed by the framers of the Consti ution that the equality of the- State in the Senate should be preservet hat notcven by an anenddment of th Donstitution can any State, withou ts consent, be denied a voice in tha branch of the Natio'nal Logiolature. It is true, it has been assumed tha he existence of the States was terni iated by the rebellious acts of thei nhabitants, and that the itsurrectio1 aving been suppressed,, they wer ;henceforward to be considered merel is conquered territories. The Legia ative, Executive, and Judicial De )artmonts of the Government have iowever, with i great distinctness an inifirnt consistency, refused to sane ion an assumption so incompatibl with the nature of our republican sys emtand with the professed objects u he,ar. Throughout the recent legis a1tioin of Congress, the undeniabl not imakes itself apparenlt, that thies ~on politicail commlunities are nothin ess thtan Statps of this Union. A hie very commnencemnent of the rebel ion, each IHouse dleclaredl, with unanimity as remarkable as it was sig aificant, that the war wAs not "wageod upon our part, in any spirit of opprem tion, nor for any purposo of conque or subjugation, nor purpose of over throwing . interfering with tile right or established institutions of tros Btates, but to defond and maintal the supremacy of the Conmstit:ution An all lawsa made in pur uance therco andI to preserve the Union tvith all th dignity, equiality,. and rights of th several States unimpaired; and the as 800n as these obioota" woro k'aoco plished the war ought to cease." In f sote instances, Sclaators were permit r ted to continue their legislative func , tions, while in other inetnnces Repre r sentatives were elected tid i dmitted to seats after their States had fornally declared thcir right to withi-raw from f the Union, and were endeavoring to Maintain that right by forcn of aruts. All of the States whose peoP(c were In a insurrection, as States, wgrt included n idi the apportionment of tht! direct tax of twenty millions of doliats annually laid upn the United Sta$es by the e act approved 5th August, 18 11. Con I gress, by the act of March 4, 1862, - and by the apportionment ofrepresen f tation thereunder, also 'ecognized a their presence as States in t1 Union; and they have, for judicial. urposes, . been divided into districtsAa{ States _ alone can be divided. .* 'li ojsnine re cognition appears in thb r4 t legis. - .lttion in reference to Tenniee, which evidently rests upon the fao% that the ftinctioas of the State were no destroy - ed by , the rebellion, but int ly sus f pended ; and that principle is of course applicable to those States witiph, like Tentessee, attempted to renounce tb. ?r places in the Union. t J The action of the Executive :epArtment of the Governaent. upon this subjuct hap been equally dhfinite and uniform; and tho purpose of the war was speifioall .stated in (he l'roeldnation issued by my ede:es, sor on the 22d day of Sept enber. 62. It t wis then solemnuly proclaimed and deolared that '"hore:ftor, as heretofore,.the *ar will be prosecuted for the objuot ofpratlcally restoring the constitutional relation -be tw en the United States and eaofof the States and the people thereof, in:.which ,t States.that. relation is or may be ulpende4 t or disturbed," t Tho recognition of the States by the Ju dicial Department. of the Governtase;has also- beenc clonr and- conclusive in slltro ceedings tfceting them na Stats - Iird in 0 the. Suprbas, irgsiu. nd4 aDit06i 111. r In the admisfon of $na{ors and Iterre. . sentatives front any and all of the States, there chn be no justgroutul of apprehension tlia. persons who are disloyal will be cloth o el with the powers of legislation; for this could qot happen when tie Constitution o and the laws are enforced by a vigilant and faithful Congress. Each House is made tle "judge of the elections, ieturns. and qualifidations of its own members," and tmay, "with ehe concurrence of two-tllirds, excel a netnber." When a Senator or 1 Representative presents his certificate of ' election, he may at mnce be admitted or rajected ; or, should there be any question as to his eligibility, his credentials may ba e referred for investigation to the appropri 8 aio committee, it admitted to a seat, it , must bE upon evitlence satisfactory to the H louse of which he thius becomes a member, e that possesses the .requieiuu constitutional and legal ganlifieations. If rgfused admis sion as a meotber for wautof due allegiance - to rhie (overnwent, and' returned to his s constituents, they are admonished that none but persons loyal to the United States t will be allowed a voice in the Legislative C.innils Oof tlo Nation, and the political power and moral intluence.-of Congrestr are t thus effectively exerted in tie interests of loyalty to the Governument - and fidelity to the Union Upon .this 'qnestion-, so vitally affecting the restoration6of the Union and the premanoncy of one present for of r gove"rnm ent, my convictions, heretofore i expressed, have undergone uu change; but, en the contrary, thpir correceuss has been cunfirmaed by relection and tine.. Ifthe admaission of loyal members to seats in the respective houses of Congress was wise and - expedient a year ago, it is no less wise and expedient now. If this anomalops condition 1 is right now-if, in the exact time, it is lawful to exclude thet from representation, I fu not spe t hat the question will be chang 0 ed by the ef}lux of tii;e. Te'n years hence, - if these States reinain as they are. the rixht. f of representation will 6e no stronger-the right of exclusion' will be no weaker. i.. T.he Constitution of the. United tal s a makes it the duty of-the President to recemt mend to the -contsideration of .Congress ' '-such mneasured as lie shall judge necessary t or* expedientt." .I knto' or no measure wore - imnperatively denianded by every conaldera a lion in national interest, soutnd policy, and .equal justice: than (ihe alimission of loyal .members from the now unt'epresented SSt aes This wouhit consummateo the work of resteration, and ekert a most salutary In. t (luence in. thme re-establishment of peace,bar -mony, and fra'lrnal feelinig. It wottid Stend gre.atly to renew the coundence of the eAmerican people, in the' vigor and stability of their mnsttutions. It, would bind us n more closely togethpr aa santiint, .and d enable us to show to theworld the Inherent I', and reduperative power' of a Government e founded upon the will -of the , people, and' est abmlisl upon the principles of liberty. 0justice, 'and Intelligence. Our increased strength and enhance I prosperity wiould L., irrfagLni.ly demonstrata u-.ha fallany of the' arguments against free institutions, drawn froni our recent national disorders, by the enemies of republican government The admission of loyal members from the States now excluded from Congress, by allaying doubt and apprehension, would turn capi tal, now awaiting an opportunity for invest ment, into tIhe channels of trade and indus" try. It would alleviate the present troub led condition of those States, and, by induo ing emigration, aid in the settlement of fertile regions now uncultivated, and lead to an increased production of those staples which have added so greatly to the wealth of the nation and the commerce of the world. New fields of enterprise would be opened to our progressive people, and soon the devastations of war would be repaired, and all traces of our domestic differences effaced from the minds of our countrymen. In bur efforts to preserve "the unity of Government weich constitutes us onme peo ple," by restoring the States to the condi. tion which they held prior to tLe rebel10on, we should be cautious, lest, having rescued our nation from perils of th:eatened disinteg. ration, we resort to consolidation, and in the end absolute despotism, as a remedy for the recurrence of similar troubles. ''he war having terminated, and with it till occat sion for the exercise of powers of doubt faIl constitutionality, we should hasten to bring legislation within the boundaries prescrib. ed bp the Constitution, and to return to the ancient landmarks established by our fat h.. ersfortheguidanceof succeedinggoneralions "The Constitution which at any time exists untileihanged by an explicit and authentic act of the whole people, is sacredly obliga tory upon all." "It, in the opinion of' the people, the distrilttiou or modification of the donstitutional powers be, in iny particular, wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment ia the way in which the Consti tution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for" "it is the cus tomary weapon by which free Governments are destroyed." Washington spoke these words to his countrymen, when, followed by their love and gratittude, he volautnr-ily retired .rom the cares of public life. "To keep in all things within the pale of our oonetitutional powers, and cherish the Federal Union as the only rock of safety," were prescribed by Jefferson as rules of action to ejtJear tq his "countrymen the tre principles of their Coastitution, and. promote, a union of sentiment and action squally auspicious to their happiness and safety." Jackson held that the action of the General Government should always be stricty confined to the sphere of its appro priate duties, and justly and forcibly urged hat our Government is not o be maintain. ed nor our Union preserved 'by invasions of the rights and powers of the sevorPl States. In thus attempting to uiake our Qeneral Government strong, we make it weak. Its true strength consists in leaving indisiduals and States as much as possible io themselves; in making itself felt, not in its power, but in its protection ; not in binding the States more closely to the cen Ire, but leaving each to move unobstructed in its constitutional orbit.'{ These are the teachings of men whose deeds and services have made them illustrious, and who, long mince withdrawn from the scenes of life, have left to tlreir country the rich legacy of their exaumple, their wisd.im, and t heir patriot+ism. Drawing fresh inspration from their lessons, let us emulate them in love of country and respect for the Constitution and the laws. The report of the Secretary of the Treas ury affords much information respecting Lite revenuc and commerce of time country. His views upoti the currency, and with reference to-a proper adjustment of our revenue system, internal as well as impost, are commended to t,he careful consideration of Congress. In my- last annual message I, expresed my general views upon these subjects. I need now only call attention to te necessity of carrying inte every depart ment of the Government a system of rigid accountaleility, thorough,retrenchment, and wise economy. With no except'onal nor unmusual expenditures, the oppressive bur dens of taxation can be lessened by such a modification of our revenne law$ as wil4 be consistent with the public faith, and-the le gitimate and necessary wants of the Govern tment: The report presents a mcht more sat isf'actory condition of our fiuance~s than oneo year ago pho most eangtuinie cotuld have anticipated. Durimng tiht tiscal year etnding the 30t.h Junoi, I1865, Limo last, year of the war, time publip debt wvas ini creased $941,902,537. and oni the 31st of October, 1865, it amounted to $'2, 74d,854,650. Ot4he 3lsmt of October 1106, it, hmad been reduced to $2,25i9. 310,006, the diminution, during a period of fourteen months, coimmnencing Seup toNmr 1, 1866, and ending October 31, 1860, having been $206,379,665. Inm the last annual report an tihe state oftC ho finances, it was estimated.that during t.hfe three-quiartm-s of tihe niocal year endhi-ng the 09th of -Junte last, the.de'bt, would be increased. $112,194,947. During t hat period, however, it, was .teduced $31,' 1916,387,, the seceipts of.the ye*; having a diLturoe 100,529,2:5 Iess than the P.Si mates. Nothing conl imore elc:arly indicate than these stateinents the ex tent. and availabilitV of the national . resource. and the rapidit v anol safery with which, uinder ouir foe mI of !"oven i ment , great nmilitarv a.1 tiaval es':t, lishmenits can be disbanded. :ndi exlpe:.. ses reduced from a war to a peace iot mug. . Diing the fiscal year ctui lteoih of June, 1:86t, the r"-'tilpt: w1i"8:lc 032,020, and thc: expecn<itinres 65'11 750. 10, leaing:l an avlail.I! le sorpih;o of $37,281, ;80. It is ctirm- -d that tLe receipts for the fiscal year:n ending t! t" 30th e nne, 1807, will. he a 175,u( I .:;Ht:, at!d- that the Iexpendtitutre w;till ren, 1 thu mii of $310, t2a,ll78, :vimri' in till T'reasurv a surllus of M18;,,::;,i. For the fiscal year ending June ::Ori, 18t;8, it is estimiated that. thn n-eir)s will alonlt, to %1: 1,000,000, and t i t the xpendtiies Vill be S50,24i,. I1, -showiing an ex'cess of *85,75'-.2,36;a in favor of the .Uoverline"nt. Th'es, eti. mated recei:,ts may ,b" .h"inisi,hed by a redtei0on ofN Ci e 'd import. dnt.ie:, bt, after all n('Cessary rednetion., shall have bett mni:d" lie rev'nne of th(; pe'(!:aent and of f'}llowing, year:; w11 do,ubtless he snfleit!nt to covrr :1i lrglti imate charge.: nn th e Trea.Tsury, and leav a ge a nnual ,urphis t( ho a p. pled -o the payment of the principal of the debt. ltre sit"S11 now to bu no good reason wiy taxis ttay not he re duced:i as the conntry :!tlvances in popln lation and wealth. and vet the It ht. h1 extingnished witti'l the next qartl'ter of a century, 'hie report of the Secretary of W-ar furnishes valiable and important, infor niatioin in referentce tt the operat ions of his Department, dolingi the pa , year. Few volunteers now remain in th sr. vice, and they are beinig tli.ct gi;:ed a.; rapidly as they can he replaced by regit. lar troops. The amnly has hi. en prinp3y . - paid, carefuly 'provide,i withi nitl':I treat 1ient, Wvelf sheltered and 'sihsici, and is to be inr nislied with breech load. tug small arms. Th itlitary strentgihb of the nation h:s been nWimpaired lby the dist harge of vol ulnteers, the dispost i lion of tnserviceible or perishahle ,it ores. aied the entreint;hin'ent of exi-enihlture. Sufl'eient war mrateri:lI to ineet atlv emeigency liar bec'n retainmed, a11d, froutn the" hisuded r~olintecrn standling retady to rvspoti to the ntional call, -hitage: armiiea can be r.1p tlly o,rrInio",. (Iyny pctd, ttid Contcenl raie-d. l '', t ilicai iona , n the coast and (frontier have recieiivd. or art! htniig ji t':Njred In' I 111 ' p.,weI flI arnmamnts ; like sit rtys an i har, r id111 river iinprvttieit. tre in c~rti:e of ellefge tt it prOSecitt iun, l'repar:al ionls hay! htentlmti e Ori II t ay niulent, ttf i hi tIddi tional boitn1ties al(1.9.,izedi dillriht thte recent s.asiun of t ',nge ," 1)nd1, ,neh r'gulations as will pre,leet Ih(" (Govern ment frot fraud and meo':Ire to 1he honorabIly discli g,l mtoldier the we'l. earned reward of IIhA f.,ithfe.duess an:d galhinty. Moro than six tiouiaali,l maimed soldiers i:avi reeived ' rtilinutI litbaand other surgical n1 a plarteit, ;i.d fortyone natiotlal ielitrits, centaininlg t,be remains of 104,320 Union aulier., have itlready been estblished. Im total estimate of itilitary aplrolTriation; is *25,205,6609. It is stated im the r(p)rt-of t. Secretary of the N tvy that, tte'- tnavi force at, this t.imo connits of two hun dred. aid sovent.y-eight. vess"", arnA fifty-oa.o guns. Ofi th'tse, onei httnd:i I A. andt flten vessels. en try itng onet thlOm. rutns. I'The tnub'r of' tmeti itt ihe aervit:e pla.,etd by all th IopmdIiittr,a an t3c heir mtovet,met!3s hav~e beenot j uctin.-]y a nd eIlieiontly arrutnged in sucah matnner as . wou,ild best1 promiott et A mer'licani commt rer'e * andi protect.tdrigh:ts n .< inu re; s of our utintdnymniI slbroad. * T.iin v,'s e; :iempltoyed are undergt'ing repam,~ or gre lidoi unt i li hr se'rvices may be h reqmrel'td. Mosm. of the iron-c'al . ii at . Lea'.guet Islandl, in the. viemnily of Pi'da' rcs,--Jna m, m.CnT PeAt(.