The Lincoln County herald., 1871-12-07
THE HERALD.
TROY. MO. DECEMBER :, 1871.
The Presidents Messsfe,

The Presidents Message.
Tho Presidents snnuai message is GO
orally looked for eth degree of inte
est and anxiety commensurate With u
polisicai statue Of the country; and ov
ing to the state Of affairs that exists
parts Of the South, the last message va
awaited with probably more anxiety tina
any other Of the present administration
We had intended to publish Il, but it hs
fallen SO far short Of what We antici tod
Or what tho exigcncics Of the times dc
oanded, that wc feel We would be intrud
ing upon the patience Of our readers I,
seproduce IL 10 these columns. 1t is on
Of the weakest documents that ever emo
mated from any one occupying the OK
alted position Of Chief Magistrate of the
country, and compared even with Grants
former messages is decidedly tame. 1,
appears to be mainly an index to the
accompanying documents of the Secreta-
ries, in which ho assumes the role of the
innocent and the instructed, and of ne.
oossity sanctions everything contained 10
them.
That portion Of his .pesssss wL;oh tho
country awaited with 90 much interest,
I. e., his reasons for declaring martial
law in nine counties Of South Carolina,
is as tame as tho other portions Of the
document. Upon u matter Of SO much
Importance, one in which the liberties of
the people are so deeply involved and the
main features of our republican institu-
tions are endangered, it was hoped that
he would devote moro attention than .
nero excuse of his enforcing SO ruiuous o
policy and for the necessity Of the course
pursued" he refers to the report Of the
"committeo to investigate southern out.
RACES" In this connection hc simply
cites that among the operations of the
alleged lawless organizations, there "were
frequent whippings and occasional assas
sinations." and that such organization
failed to surrender themselves and arms
in obedience to bis proclamation of the
18th Of October. The outrages, for
which his proclamation was issued few
days after his suspending the writ of
habeas corpus, according to his attorney
general, were committed last March, and
at the time it was enforced comparative
peace reigned in the sections so outraged.
IF he really had desire to punish crime,
why were not the provisions Of the Ku.
klux bill enforced at an earlier day, snd
why did he wait till the fall elections
were over before executing them? And
why we're the innocent made to suffer all
the rigors of martial law beoause of the
acts Of few lawless men2 And why
was this power, as we'll as that conferred
by the Federal election bill, given him
upon the eve of presidential election by
an organized party that favors his re
election? Grants excuse for his actions
is as shallow as it is groundless. Again
he says that "as soon as it was ascertainet
that the authorities of the United State
were about to take vigorous measures t.
enforce tho law, many persons absconded
and there is good grounds for supposin
that all of such persons have violated tn
law" This is the reasoning of militar
despot. Who ia it that wouldn't ae
from the despotio injustice of martial Law
if able, when innocence is as liable t
to punishment az guilt2 TIL. wonder I
US 10 that the South is not depopulate
by the harsh means that havo been use
against it. But conscious of their limo
ceuce, and 6rm in the hope that the pee
pic will eventually triumph over the de-
potc rule born Of the war, the South hi
bravoly stood its ground and suffered in
suit, injustice and financial ruin. Go
grant that there may yet to "balm
Gilead."
Ose other important feature of Il
message is o Recommendation for gsnar
amnesty. Here the Presidents groune
are we'll taken, but even in this no 0,
hibits cowardly fear of tho people, an
Its wording plainly shows that if the di
abilities included in the Fourteent
amendment embraced the right of Il
ballot, no would hesitate to recommeu
amnesty. This is clearly shown in IL
opening sentence, when be says: I"
may we'll be considered whether it
not now time that the disabilities impose
by the Fourteenth amendment should
removed; that amendment does not eDclu,