Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1871-12-12

graphing could be much reduced, aud tn
service US well, il not better, rendered. l
would secure the further advantage Of extend
ing the telegraph through portions of thC
country where private enterprise will not con
struct it. Commerce, trade, and above all the
efforts to bring people widely separated intt
q community Of Interest, arc always benehIted
by rapid intercOmmuuicatiOu.
Education, the ground work Of Republican
institutions, is encouraged by the increasing
Of tho facilities to gather speedy news from
all parts Of the country, aud the desire to rCap
the hcucits Of such improvements will stlmu~
late education, refer you tn the report of
tho Postmaster General Tor full details Of tho
operations OF last year, uud for comparative
statements Of results with former years,
There has been imposed upon the Executive
branch Of the Government tho execution of
the act Of Congress approved April 2Oth,
1871 aud commonly known rs the ku Nlux
law, in portion Of tile State Of South Carolina.
The necessity Of the course pursued will be
demonstrated BY the report Vi tho COMMITTEE
10 Investigate Southern Ou,ruges. Under the
provisions Of the aboye act, issued u pr1cla
nation calling the attention Of the people Of
the United States to the same, ind declaring
my reluctance to exercise any Of the extra
ordinary powers thereby conferred upon me,
except in cases Of imperative necessity, but
making known ny purpose to exercise such
power whenever 1t should become necessary
t. do SO for the purpose Of securing to all
citizens Of the United States the peaceful en-.
joyrlcnt Of the rights guaranteed to them by
the Constitution Hnd the laws.
Alter the passage Of this Law information
was received from time to time, that Combi.
natIOns Of tho character referred to in this
luw existed aud were powerful IL many parts
ut the Southern States, particularly in certain
counties Of the State u South Carolina. Care
fnl invr,t,gaton was uade, and it was nsccr.
raiued that in nine counties Of that Ststc
such combinations were active and powerful,
embracing sufficient portion OF the cit zeus
to control the local authority, and having
among their objects that Of depriviue the
cmancipatci class Of the substantial benefits
OF freedom, mud of preventing the free pOiti
cal action Of those ct zens who did not SYN
puthIzl with their own views. Among their
operations were freQuen, scourging aud occa>
sionaI Assault, generally perp,tratsd at night
by disguised Persons, tho victims, in almost
all cases, being citizens Of different political
sentiment. from their own, or freed persons
who had shown disposition to claim equal
rights with other citzens. Thousands Of in
offensive and well disposed citizens we're the
sufferers by this Iawe,S violence.
Thercupon, On the l2th Of October, 1871,
proclamation vas issued in terms Of law call.
in. upon members Of those combinations to
dispOrse within i've days, aud tn deliver to the
Marshal or military officers of the United
States nll nrm', ammun tons, uniforms, dis,
gui-Gs aud other means aud implements used
BY them TOR carrying out their unlawful pur.
poses. This warning not having been needed,
on the 18th Of October another proclamation
was issued, snSpending the privilege Of the
writ 0t llabcas corpus in nine counties in that
STATE, Direction was given that within the
counties so designated persons supposed upon
credible information t' be members Of such
unlawful combinations should be- arrested by
the military forces OF the United Srntes and
delivered to he Marshal, 10 be dealt with nc
cOrding to law.
In two or said counties, York and Spartan.
burg, many arrests have been made. At the
last account the number Of persons thus ar,
rested wasunc hundred aud sixty eight. Sew.
eraI hundred. whose criminalty was ascer-
tanned to be Of un inferior degree, were re-.
leased for the present.
Those have generally madO confession of
their guilt Great caution has been exercised
in making these arrest, md Notwithstanding
the large number, it is believed that no iunO,
cent persons arG now in custldy.
Tho prisoners will be held for regular trial
in the judicial tribunals or the United States.
As soon rs it appeared tha. the authorities Of
the United States were about o'akc vigorous
measures to enforce the law many persons alb
seconded, aud there il good ground for sup>
posing that all Of such persons have violated
tho law.
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, rcpusnant to civilization, to de-
cency aud to the laws Of the United Stntc5.
Territorial officers, however, have been found
who are willing to perform their duty in a
spirit Of equity and with due seusc OF sus.
tanning the mujcsty Of the law. Neither
pOIygamy nor any other violation Of existing
statutes will bG permitted within the territory
Of the United Sites,
1t is not with the religion of the FCllsstylcd
saints thnt wo uro now dealing, but with their
practices.
They will be protected in tho worship Of
God according to dictates of their own con-
sciences, but they will not be permmittcd Ia
violate tho laws under the cloak Of religion.
II may be advisable for Congress to consider
what, in tho execution OF tho laws ugains,
roygamy, is to bo the status Of plural wives
und their offspring.
The propricry Of Congress passing an ena'
bling act authorizing tho territorial LegiSln'
ture of Utah to Iegitamize all children borr
prior to time fixed in the act, might be jus
tilted by its humanity to these innocent chill
drcn.
This is u suggestion, only, aud not recon-
mCudatiOn.
Tue policy pursued tovarls tho Indian
has resulted ihvoraby, SO far AS eau be judge
from the limited tins during which it la
been in operation.
Through tho exertons OF tho various So
Cie;ics of Christians to whom was entrusted
tho execution Of the policy, and the Board o