During the same period, the President had by his several proclamations and orders declared the cessation of armed resistance, the restoration
The orders of the
President putting the
civil Government
of the United States
into operation
everywhere.
This was the situation when Congress met on the first Monday of December, and received President Johnson's first annual Message. This
The President's
first annual
Message.
Finally, this paper contained the official notice to Congress that the President had admitted the reconstructed "States"—and that would mean all that had passed the secession ordinance, except perhaps Texas, whose convention did not assemble until March of 1866—to participate in amending the Constitution of the United States. The President concluded his narration and argumentation upon this all-important subject in these words: "The amendment to the Constitution being adopted, it will remain for the States whose powers have been so long in abeyance to resume their places in the two branches of the National Legislature, and thereby complete the work of restoration. Here it is for you, fellow citizens of the Senate, and for you, fellow citizens of the House of Representatives, to judge, each of you for yourselves, of the elections, returns and qualifications of your own members."
It is entirely evident from all this that the President denied the power of the Houses of Congress, either separately or jointly, to prevent the Senators and Representatives from the reconstructed "States" from taking their seats upon any other grounds than defects in the election and return, or in the personal qualifications, of the particular persons under consideration.