earnest attention. I will not now suggest plans by which this object may
be effected, but will, if necessary, make it the subject of a special
message during the session of Congress.

At the March term Congress by joint resolution authorized the Executive
to order elections in the States of Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas, to
submit to them the constitutions which each had previously, in convention,
framed, and submit the constitutions, either entire or in separate
parts, to be voted upon, at the discretion of the Executive. Under this
authority elections were called. In Virginia the election took place on
the 6th of July, 1869. The governor and lieutenant-governor elected
have been installed. The legislature met and did all required by this
resolution and by all the reconstruction acts of Congress, and abstained
from all doubtful authority. I recommend that her Senators and
Representatives be promptly admitted to their seats, and that the State
be fully restored to its place in the family of States. Elections were
called in Mississippi and Texas, to commence on the 30th of November,
1869, and to last two days in Mississippi and four days in Texas. The
elections have taken place, but the result is not known. It is to be
hoped that the acts of the legislatures of these States, when they meet,
will be such as to receive your approval, and thus close the work of
reconstruction.

Among the evils growing out of the rebellion, and not yet referred to,
is that of an irredeemable currency. It is an evil which I hope will
receive your most earnest attention. It is a duty, and one of the
highest duties, of Government to secure to the citizen a medium of
exchange of fixed, unvarying value. This implies a return to a specie
basis, and no substitute for it can be devised. It should be commenced
now and reached at the earliest practicable moment consistent with a