The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-12-07

in tho higher grades greater sficien-
cy,g aud hold out an incentive to
young officers to improve themselves
in the knowledge Of their profession.
The present style of maintaining the
navy, its cost compared with that Of
the preceding year, and the estimates
for the ensuing year, are contained
Ia the accompanying report Of the
Secretary ofths Navy.
Tho receipts Of the
posr OFFICE DEPARTMENT.,
~ shown BY the accompanying re-
port Of tho Post Master General, ex.
hibits = gratifying increase Id that
branch Of the public service. 1t 10
the index of the growth Of education
and Of the prosperity ofLhe people
two slemsnts highly conducive to the
yigor and stability Of Republics.
With i territory like ours, much Of
it spArsely populated, but all reSsair ar.
ing the service Of the mai, lila not
at present to be- expected that this de-
partment can be made self sustaining,
but . gradual approach to this end
from year to year 10 confidently rallied
on, and the day Is not far distant
when the Post Onice Department of
the government will prove a much
greater blessing to the whole people
than it is now. .5oI
The suggestions Of the Postmaster
General, for improvements in the
department presided over by him,
are earnestly recommended to your
special attention, and especially do l
ask favorable consideration Of the
plan for uniting the telegraph
system of the United States with the
postal system. 1t 10 believed that
by such q course the cost Of tele-
graphing could be much reduced and
the service rs well If not better rem
dered. It would secure the further
advantage Of extending tho tele-
graph through portions Of the cnun-
try where private enterprise will not
construct 1t. Commerce, trade, and
shove oil the efforts TO bring q people
widely separated into . community
of interests IRE always benefited BY
q rapid outer-communication. Edu-
cation, the groundwork Of republl-
can institutions. is encouraged by in
creasing the facilities 70 gather
speedy news from ali parts Of the
country. The desire to reap the ben
efts of snch improvements will slim.
ulate education.
refer yon TO the report Of the
Post Master General for full details
of the operation of the year and for
comparative statements of the re.
salts with former years.
THE KuKLux.
There has been imposed upon the
executive branch OF the Government
the execution Of the act Of Congress,
approved April goth, 1871, and COM
monty known as the Kukiux law, in
3 portion Of the State Of South Caro-
lima. The necessity Of the course
pursued will be demonstrated by the
report Of the Committee to investi.
gate the southern outrages. Under
the provisions Of the above act, / is
sued q proclamation calling the At
tention of the people Of the United
States to the same and declaring my
reluctance to exercise any of the
extraordinary powers thereby con.
ferred upon me except in case of an
imperative necessity, but making
known my purpose to exercise such
power whenever it should become
necessary to do SO, for the purpose Of
securing to atl citizens Of the United
States the peaceful enjoyment of the
rights guaranteed to them by the
constitution and the laws.
After the passage Of this law in.
formation was received, from time to
| time, that combinations of the char.
aoter referred to in this law existed
and were powerful in many parts Of
tho Southern States, particularly IN
certain counties in the State Of South
Carolina. Careful Investigation was
made. and it was a~soertained that in
nine counties of that State such CON-
binations were active and powerful,
embracing q sufficient number Of the
citizens to control the local authority,
and having, among other things, the
object of depriving the emancipated
/ class of all the substantial benefits Of
freedom and prevent the free politi-
cal action OF those citizens who did
not sympathiEe with their own views.
Among their operations were scourg-
ings AMI occasional asssssinations.
generally paspet-~A>A-AA-nirht. bv
disguised persons, the victims 10 az
mast all cases being citizens of differ
emit political sentiments from their
own, or free persons who had shown
: disposition to claim equal rights
with other citizens. Thousands Of
~inoffensive and we'll disposed citizens
were the sufferers by this lawless
olence. Thereupon on the 18th of
October, 1871, q proclamation was
issued iu the terms Of the q w,calling
upon "the members of the combina.
ton TO dispense within five days and
to deliver to the marshal or military
officer Of the United Stated oil arms,
ammunition, uniforms, DISCUSSES and
other means and implements used by
them for carrying out their unlawful
purposes
These warnings not having been
needed, on the 18th of October an
other proclamation was issued sus-
pending tho privilege Of the writ Of
habeas corpus ia nine counties in
that State. Direction was given
that within the counties go designa-
ted persons supposed apon credible
Information TO be members Of such
unlawful combination should be ar
rested by the military forces OF the
United States ard delivered to the
Marshal to be dealt with according
to law. In two counties, York and
Spartansburg, many arrests have
been made. AT last account the
number Of persons TINS arrested was
1853. Several hundred whose Grim
inalty was ascertained TO be Of infer
Tor degree were released ior the
present. These have generally made
confessions Of their guilt.
Great caution has been exercised
in making these arrests, and notwlh-
standing che large number, il is BE-