Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-05-11
XII KLUx REPRESSION,
Proclamation of the President Con-
oerning the Enforcement of the Ku
F kIux Law
WASHINGTON. MAY q

w ASHlhGTON, MAY Il
The following is "By the Presi-
dent of the United States-A
Proclamation:
Whereas, The act of Congress en-
titled '.An Act to Enforce the Pro-
vision of the Fourteenth amendment
to the Constitution of the United
States, and for Other Purposes" ap
proved April 30. A. D. 1871, being
a law of extraordinary public impor-
portance, 1 consider it my duty to
issue this my proclamation, calling
the attention of the people of the
United States thereto, enjoining up
on all good citizens, and especially
upon public officers, to be Jealous
in enforcement thereof, and warn
ing all persons from committing
any acts thereby prohibited.
The law of Congress applies to ali
parts of the United States, and will
be enforced everywhere, to the ex
tent of the powers vested in the
Executive. But inasmuch as the
necessity therefor is well known to
have been caused chiefly by persis
tent violation of the rights of citi-
zens of the United States by combi-
nations of lawless and disaffected
persons in certain localities, lately
the theater of insurrection and mill
tary conflict, 1 do particularly ex-
hort the people of these parts of
the country to suppress all such
combinations by their own voluntary
efforts, through the agency of local
laws, and to maintain the rights OF
all citizens of the United States,and
to secure to all such citizens the
equal protection of law. -.----
Fully sensible of the responsible
ty imposed upon the Executive by
the act of Congress to which public
attention is now called, and. reluc-
tant to call into exercise any extra
ordinary powers thereby conferred
upon me, except in cases of impera-
tive necessity, i do nevertheless deem
it my duty to make known that l
will not hesitate to exhaust the pow
er thus vested in the Executive
wherever and whenever it shall be-
come necessary to do so for the pur
pose of securing to all citizens of
the United States the peaceful en-
joyment of the rights guaranteed
to them by the constitution and
laws.
1t is my earnest wish that peace
and cheerful obedience to law may
prevail throughout the land, and
that all traces of our late unhappy
civil strife may be speedily removed.
These ends can be reached by ac-
quiescence in the results of the con-
fict now written in our constitution
and by the due and proper enforce
ment of equal, just and impartial
laws in every part of our country.
The failure of local communities to
furnish such means for the attain
ment of the results so earnestly de-
sired imposes upon the national gov
ernment the duty of putting forth
all its energies for protection of its
citizens of every race and color, ,and
for the restoration of peace and or
der throughout the entire country.
In testimony whereof, / have
hereunto set my hand, and caused
the seal of the United States to be
affixed. .... .......
Done at the City of Washington,
this third day of May, in the year
of our Lord, one thousand eight
hundred and seventy one ,and of the
independence of the United States
the ninety fourth. e. S. GRANT.
By the President. .nr
HAMILTON FISH, Sec'y of State.