Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-12-15

companying report of the Postmaste
General, exhibits a gratifying increas
in that branch of the public service. l
is the index of the growth of education
and of the prosperity of the people
two elements highly conducive to tn
vigor and stability of republics. With
vast territory like ours, much of i
sparsely populated, but all requiring th'
services of the mail, it is not at presen
to be expected that the Department
can be made selfsustaining but grad
ual approach to this end, from year t.
year, is confidently relied upon, anc
the day is not far distant when the Pos
Office Department of the Government
will prove a much greater blessing tc
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 we'll,
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 all, the efforts to bring people
widely separated into community of
interests, are always benefited by a
MD 1ota EC,1oo41ax,
the groundwork of republican institu-
tions, 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 beenimposed upon the Exc
cutive branch Of the Government the
execution of the act of Congress, ap-
proved April 20, 1871, and commonly
known as the "Ku-Klux law" in q 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, 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 1T tshould 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-
tion was received, from time to time,
that combinations of the character re-
ferreG 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 sufficient
portion of the citizens to control the
local authority, and having, among
other things, the object of depriving G
the emancipated class of the substan-
tial benefits of freedom and of privi-
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,
4l,o ,;ots1 o1, oil
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 disperse 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-
| ling been needed, on the 17th Of Octo-
| ber4 another proclamation was issued,
suspending 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.
tions, 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 1853. Several hundred whose
I criminality was ascertained to be of an
inferior degree, were released for the
I present. These have generally made
confessions of their guilt. Great eau.
tion has been exercised in making test
arrests. Notwithstanding the large mum.
Der, it is believed that no innocent per,
will be held for regular trial in the judi.
cial tribunals of the United States. AS
soon as it appeared that the authorities
of the United States were about to take
vigorous measures to enforce the law
many persons absconded, and there is
good ground for supposing that all oi
such persons have been violating the
lawsE-@A full report of what has been
done under this law will be submitted
to Congress by the Attorney General.
In Utah there still remains remnant
of barbarism repugnant to- civilization
decency and to the laws of the United
States. Territorial officers. however
| have been found who are willing to per
form their duty in a spirit of equity
| and with aduezs sense of sustaining the
majesty of the law. Neither polygamy
1gnor any other violation of existing
Statutes, will be permitted within the
sc JTnitoJ Cfo+oe ! ,