The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-09-10
Condition Of Affairs South.

| The recent bloody TRANSACTIONS III several
Southern States, have provoked prompt and
4 decided measures on the part OF the Govern
ment. The killing Of fourteen negroes at Trcn,,
on Tenn. who were taken from the jail and
anmmarily murdered by masked men, and the
horrid 4 fair at Coushatta, Louisiana, where IA
men were shot in cold blood, five or SIX of them
being tate officers, the stopping of a railway
i train in Alabama, and killing the colored U. s..
Mail Agent the prevalence OF crime, and the
almost daily murder OF citizens i'll Kentucky !;
the turbulent condition Of affairssin South Car
olina. andl some portions Of Texas, have exhaus-
ted the patience and forbearance of the Pres-
dent and his cabnet. With view to enforcing
the laws and teaching the people that the ma
tional statutes must be obeyed, the President adj
dressed the following letter to the Iecretary
of War: M
LONG BRANCH. SEPT. 2, 1872.
General ". ". BelEnap, Secretary Of Var ]:
! The recent atrocities in the South particu-
i larly in Louisiana, Alabama, and South Car
DINA, show disregard for law civil rights,
and personal protection that ought not to be
i tolerated in any civilized Government. 1t
4 looks as il unless speedily checked, matters
must become worse, until life and property
there will receive no protection from the To-
cal authorities until such authority becomes
/ pOWerleSS.
/ ''Ulder such circumstances, it is the duty
| of the government to give all the aid for
the protection of life and civil rights legally
authorized to this end wish you would con-
suit with the Acknowledgement, who is well
Informed as to the outrages already commit
ted and the locality where the greatest dam
ger lies, and so order troops as to be availa-
Bile in cases of necessity. All proceedings
for the protection of the South will be under
the law department OF the government. and will
be directed by the Attorney-Genera in ac-
cordance with the provisions of the enforce
lnent, act No instruction need, therefore
be given for the troops ordered into the
Southern States except as they may be trans
mitted from time to time on advice from the
Attorney General, OF as circumstances may de-
ternine hereafter
! Yoyrs truly, s.ZA u. s.. GRANT. u I
Asa result OF the conference held at. the
War Department, between Secretaries Bris-
tow, Belknap sand Acknowledgement Will
liams, the following circular was issued last
Thursday at 3 O'Clock, to United States attor,
neys and Marshalls 1t has the approval of
i the President, the substantial parts of the
same having been communicated to him dur
Ting an interview with the Attorney General.
T at Long Branch 5ssaa
tat m8i DEPT. OF JUSTICE,
Washington, Sept. 8, 1874. g
SIR-Outrages of various descriptions, and
in some cases atrocious murders, have been
committed in your district by bodies of armed
men, sometimes III disguise, and with the
view, it is believed, of overawing and intimi-
10 Il
deprving them Of the rights guaranteed to
them by the constitution and laws of the
United States. Your attention is directed to
an act OF Congress, passed April 8, 1855, .en-
titled San act to protect all persons in the
United States, in their civil rights, and to fur
nish means for their vindication )" and to an
other passed April 90 1870. entitled IAN act
to enforce the provisions of the Fourteenth
Amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, and for other purposes also to one
passed May 3d. 1870, entitled an act to Ell
force the rights of citizens OF the Tinted States
to vote III the several States OF the Union, and
for other purposes. which, with these amend
ments, make these deeds OF violence and
/ blood, offences within the jurisdiction OF the
general government. consdeicit my duty,
in view Of these circumstances, to instruct you
to proceed with all possible energy and dis
patch. to detect expose. arrest and punish
perpetrators of these crimes, and to that end
YOU are to spare no effort Or necessary expense.
Troops of the United States will be stationed
at different and convenient points iii your dis
trict for the purpose OF giving all needfnl aid
in tile discharge Of your official duty. Yoa UNI
derstand, of course, that no interference N,ar
ever is hereby intended with an political q.
party action not in violat;ol Of law. bat protee-
ton to al classes OF citizens, white aud color
e., the full exercise Of the elective franchise
and the enjoyment Of The rights and privileges
4 tN J., snt, tlf,t1 rtilr