The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-12-05

niority. This course will secure in the
higher grades greater efficiency, and hold
out an incentive to young officers to inn
prove themselves in the knowledge of their
profession.
The present cost Of maintaining the navy,
the cost compared with that Of Che preced-
ing year, and the estimates for the ensuing
year are contained in the accompanying re-
port of the secretary of the navy.
The enlarged receipts of the Post Office
Department, as shown by the accompany |
ing report of the Postmaster General, eS-
hibits 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 condu-
Give to the vigor and stability Of republics.
With 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 this department can be
made self-sustaining. But gradual APP
preach to this end, from year to year, is
confidently relied on, 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 Gene
raj for improvements in the department
presided over by him are earnestly recon-
mended to your special attention. Especial
| ly do recommend favorable consideration
of the plan for uniting the Geographic sys-
| tenn 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. It would secure the
! further advantage of extending the tele-
graph through portions of the country
where private enterprise will not construct
| it. Commerce, trade, and above all, the
efforts to bring people widely separated
into community of interest, are always
benefited by a rapid REORGANIZATION.
Education, the ground work of republic
can institutions, is encouraged by increasing
the facilities to gather speedy news from all
parts of tho country. The desire to reap
the benefit of such improvements will
stimulate education. | refer you to the re-
port of the Postmaster General for full de-
lails of the operations of last year and for
comparatives statements of results with for
mer years.
There has been imposed upon the Execu-
tive branch of the Government the execu-
llon of the act of Congress approved April
20, 1871, and commonly known as the Ku-
Kux law in portion OF the State of South
Carolina. The necessity Of the course pur-
sued will be demonstrated by the report OF
the committee to investigate southern out
RACES. Under the provisions of the above
act, issued proclamation calling the at
tentlon of the people of the United States
to the same, and declaring my reluctance
to exercise any of the extraordinary powers
f thereby conferred upon me, except in cas-,
of imperative necessity, but making known
my purpose to exercise such power, ano
| whenever it should become necessary to dc
so for the purpose of securing to all citizens
j of the United States the peaceful enjoy
nent of the rights guaranteed to them by
/ the Constitution and the laws. After tho
t passage of this law, information was re
t ceved from time to time that combination:
of the character referred to in this law, ex'
: isted, and were powerful in many parts o
: the Southern States, particularly in certain
: counties in the State of South Carolina
: Careful investigation was made, and it wa
ascertaned, that in nine counties of tina
t State such combinations were active AM
: powerful, embracing sufficient portion o
b tho citizens to control the local authority
i and having among other things, the objec
h of depriving the emancipation class of tn
h substantial benefits of freedom, and of pre-
l venting the free political action of thos
y citizens who did not sympathize with thel
}, own views. Among their operations wer
c frequent scourgings and occasional assass
+, nations, generally perpetrated at night b
y disguised persons, the victims in almost a
cases being citizens of different politics
e sentiments from their own, or freed perso
e who had shown a disposition to claim equ;
= rights with other citizens. Thousands {
inoifensiye and well-disposed citizens wer
&c the sufferers by the lawless violence.
5, Thereupon on the 18th day of Octobe
ii 1871, q proclamation was issued in tern
y Of the law, calling upon the members
OF these combinations to dispense within liz
days, and to deliver up to the marshal {
is military officers Of the Uuited States a
y. arms, ammunition, uniforms, DISCUSSES, al
ut other means and implements used by the
Sc for carrying out their unlawful purposes.
is This warming not having been needed, {
80 the 18th of October another proclamatit
It was issued suspending the privileges OF Il
writ of habeds corpus IN nine counties
OF the State.
r. Direction was given that within the cou
he ties so designated, persons supposed upt
~ credtable information, to be members
a. such unlawful combinations should be a
of rested by the military forces of the Unit
al States, and delivered to the marshal to
he dealt with according to the law. In tv
q of the said counties, York and Spartanbur
ue many arrests have been made. At t
ar last account, the number of persons thu
be arrested was one hundred and sixty-elgf
Several hundred whose criminalty was Q