Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-12-14

Ii was ascertained 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 depriying the emancipated class of the
benefits of freedom and of privi-
lege, and the free political action of those
citizens who did not sympathlzc with their
own views. Among their operations were
frequent scourgings and occasional assassiIa-
tions, generally perpetratcd at night by dis
guised persons, the victims, in almost all
cases, being citizens of different political
sentiments from their own, or freed persons
who had shown a disposition to claim equal
rights with other citizens. Thousands of
inoffensive and well disposed citizens were
the sufferers by this lawless violence.
Thereupon, on the 18th of October,
1871, proclamation was issued, in
terms of the law, calling upon the mem
bcrs 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, disguises, and
other means and implements used by them
for carrying out their unlawful purposes.
This warning not having been needed, on the
18th of October another proclamation was
issued, suspending the privilege of the writ
of hdbedS corpus in nine counties in that
State. Direction was given that within the
counties so designated persons supposed,
upon credible information, to be members
of such unlawful combinations, should be
arrested by the military forces of the United
States, and delivered 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 account the
number of persons thus arrested was 16S.
Several hundred, whose criminality was as
certained to be of an inferior degree, were
released for the present. These have gem
orally made confessions of their guilt. Great
has sol hoe
arrests. Notwithstanding the large number,
it is believed that no innocent person is now
in custody. The prisoners will be held for
regular trial in the judicial 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 of such
persons have been violating the law. A full
report of what has been done under this
law will be submitted to Congress by the At
torney-G General.
THE MORMoNs.
In Utah there still remains remnant OF
barbarism repugnant to civilization to decen-
cy and to the laws of the United States. Ter
ritorial officers, however, have been found
who are willing to perform their
duty in spirit of equity, and with a
due sense of sustaining the majesty of the
law. Neither polygamy, nor any other vio.
ldllOn Vi tAlsllHS Sltlllcs. VIII pClnlibltu
within the territory of the United States
1t is not with the religion of the self-styhd
"saints" that we are now dealing, but their
practices. They will be protected in the
worship of God according to the dictates of
their consciences, but they will not be per-
mitted to violate the laws under the cloak
of religion. 1t may be advisable for Con-
gress to consider what, in the execution of
the laws against polygamy, is to be the sta
tus of the plural wives and their offspring
The propriety of Congress passing an en-
abling act, authorizing the Territorial Leg
islature of Utah to legitimatize all children
born prior to time fixed in the act, might
be justified by its humanity to these inno-
cent children. This is a suggestion only,
and not n recommendation.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The policy pursued toward the Indians
has resulted favorably, so far as can be
judged from the limited time during which
it has been in operation. Through the ex-
ertions of the various societies of Christians
to whom has been entrusted the execution
of the policy, and the Board of Commits
sioners authorized by the law of April 10,
1869, many tribes of Indians have been in
duced to settle upon reservations, to cultivate
the soil and perform productive labor of va
rious kinds, and to partially accept civ
iliZation. They are being cared for in such
a way, it is hoped, as to induce those still
pursuing their old habits of life to embrace
the only opportunity which is left them to
avoid determination. L recommend liberal
appropriations to carry out the Indian peace
policy mot only because it is humane, Chris
tian-like and economical, but because it is
right. L recommend to your favorable con-
sideration, also, the policy of granting a ter
ritorial government to the Indians in the
Indian Territory west of Arkansas and
Missouri and south of Kansas. In doing so,
every right guaranteed to the Indians by
treaty should be secured. Such a course
might in time be the means of collecting
most of the Indians between the Missouri
and Pacific and south of the British Posses
sions, into one Territory or one State, and the
Secretary of the Interior has treated upon
this subject at length and / recommend to
you his suggestions.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
i renew my recommendations that the pub
lie lands be regarded as heritage to our
children, to be disposed of only as required
for occupation, and to actual settlers. Those
already granted have been in great part dis
posed of in such way as to secure access to
the balance by the hardy settler who may
wish to avail himself of them, but caution
should be exercised, even in attaining so de
sirable an object. Educational interests may
well be served by the grant of the proceeds
of the sale of public lands to settlers. / dc
not wish to be understood as recommending
in the least degree, a curtailment of what j:
being done by the General Government fol
the encouragement of education.
THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary of the Interior
submitted with this, will give you informa
tion, collected and prepared for publication
in regard to the census taken during TIA,
year 1870; The operations of the Bureau o
Education for the year; the Patent Office
the Pension Office; the Land Office; and tn
Indian Bureau.
AGRICULTURE.
Tl,a - Of ha of ACrri
culture gives the operations of his depart
ment for the year. As agriculture is th
groundwork. of our prosperity, too mucl
importance cannot be attached to the labor
of this department.. 1t is in the hands of al
able head, with able assistants, all jealousy
devoted to introducing into the agricultural
productions of the nation all useful pro
ducts adapted to any of the various climate
and soils of our vast Territories, and to Civ
ing all useful Information rs to the methot
of cultivating the plants, cereals, and othe
products adapted to particular localities
Quietly, but surely, the Agricultural Bureau
is working a great national good. and if lib
orally supported, the more widely its in
fluence will he extended, and the less de
pendent we shall be upon products of for
cign countries.
COMPENSATION OF CERTAIN OFFICIALS.
The subject of compensation to the head
of bureaus, and officials holding positions o
responsibility, and requiring ability and char
acter to fill properly, is one to which your at
tention is invited. But few of the official
receive a compensation equal to the respecta
BILE support of a family, while their dutie
are such as to involve millions of interest
In private life, services demand compensa
tion equal to the services rendered. A wis
economy would dictate the same rule in tn
government service.
ESTIMATES.
have not given the estimates for the sur
( port of the government for the ensuing yeaI
/ nor n comparative statement for the yea
/ just passed, and the one just passing, b,
/ cause all these figures are contained in tn
accompanying report, or in those presente
directly to Congress. These estimates hav
my approval.
REMOVAL OF DISABILITIES.
More than six years having elapsed sine
B the last hostile gun was fired between tn
armies then arrayed against each other, tn
| one for the perpetuation the other for tn
| destruction, of the Union, it may well b
considered whether ii is not now time tha
the disabilities imposed by the Fourteent
! Amendment should be removed. This
amendment does not exclude the ballot, bu
only requires the disability to hold office {
certain classes. When the purity of the ba
lot is secure, maiorities are sure to cleo
officers rejecting the views Of the majorit,
do not see the advantage or propriety {
excluding men from Office merely becaus
they were, before the rebellion, of standin
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