The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-12-15


ensuing yesr, are contained in the &C.
companying report of the Secretary of
the Navy.
The enlarged receipts of the Post OF.
flee Department, as shown by the ac-
companying report of the Postmaster
General, exhibits a gratifying increase
in that branch of the public service. 1t
is the index of the growth of education
and of the prosperity of the people
two elements highly conducive to the
vigor and stability of republics. With a
vast territory like ours, much of it
sparsely populated, but all requiring the
services of the mail, it is not at present
to be expected that the Department
can be made self-sustaining but a grad
ual approach to this end, from year to
year, is confidently relied upon, and
the day is not far distant when the Post
Office Department of the Government
will prove a much greater blessing to
the whole people than it is now.
The suggestions of the Postmaster
General for improvements in the De-
partment presided over by him, are
earnestly recommended to your special
attention; especially to the documents
favorable to the consideration Of the
plan for uniting the telegraph system
Of the United States with the postal
system. 1t is believed that by such a
course the cost of telegraphing could be
much reduced and the service as well,
if not better rendered. Itwould secure
the further advantage of extending the
telegraph through portions Of the coun-
try where private enterprise will not
construct it. Commerce, trade, and,
above ali, the efforts to bring a people
widely separated into a community Of
interests, are always benefited by q
rapid intercommunication. Education,
the groundwork of republican institu-
tons, is encouraged by increasing the
facilities for gathering speedy news
from all parts of the country. The de-
sire to reap the benefit of such improve
ments will stimulate education | re-
for you to the report of the Postmaster
General for full details OF the operations
of last year, and for comparative state
ments Of the results with former years.
There has been imposed upon the Exc
cutive branch Of the Government the
proved April 20, 1871, and commonly
known as the "Ku-Klux law" in por-
ton of the State of South Carolina.
The necessity of the course pursued will
be demonstrated by the report of the
committee appointed to investigate the
Southern outrages. Under the provi-
sions of the above act, l issued procla-
nation, calling the attention of the
people of the United States to the same,
and declaring my reluctance to exercise
any Of the extraordinary powers there
by conferred upon me, except in the
case of an imperative necessity, but
making known my purpose to exercise
such powers whenever it should become
necessary to do so for the purpose of
securing to all citizens of the United
States the peaceful enjoyment of the
rights guaranteed to them by the Con-
stitution and the law.
After the passage of this law informa-
ton was received, from time to time
that combinations of the character re-
ferreo, to in this law existed, and were
powerful IN many parts Of the Southern
States, particularly in certain counties
in the State of South Carolina. Careful
investigation was made, and it was as.
certained that in nine counties Of that
State. such combinations were active
and powerful, embracing a sufficient
portion of the citizens to control the
local authority, and having, among
other things, the object Of depriving
the emancipated class of the substan-
tial benefits of freedom and of priv
lege, and the free political action of
those citizens who did not sympathize
with their own views. Among their
operations were frequent scourgings and
occasional assassinations, generally per-
petrated at night by disguised persons,
the victims, in almost all cases, being
citizens of different political sentiments
from their own, or free persons who had
shown disposition to claim equal rights
with other citizens. Thousands of inof-
fensive and well-disposed citizens were
the sufferers by this lawless violence.
Thereupon, on the 18th Of October,
1871, a proclamation was issued. in terms
of the law, calling upon the members
of the combination to dispense within
five days, and to deliver to the Marshal
or military officers of the United States
all arms, ammunitions, uniforms, dis
guises, and other means and implements
used by them for carrying out their un-
lawful purposes. This warning not hav-
ing been needed, on the 18th of Octo-
Der another proclamation was issued,
the privilege Of the writ of
habeas corpus, in nine counties in that
State. Direction was given that within
the counties so designated persons sup
posed, upon credible information, to
be members of such unlawful combina-
tons, should be arrested by the military
forces of the United States, and deliv-
cred to the Marshal, to be dealt with
according to law. In two of the said
counties York and Spartansburg) many
arrests have been made. At last ac-
count the number of persons thus ar
rested was l6S. Several hundred whose
was ascertained to be Of an
inferior degree, were released for the
present. These have generally made
confessions of their guilt. Great eau
ton has been exercised in making test
arrests. Notwithstanding the large num-
Der, it is believed that no innocent per-
son is now in custody. The prisoners