National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-12-08

jet, STATING IDdL on ACCOUNT Ol tue hAuuS anu
forgeries committed at said election, and be-
cause it appears that the returns thereof were
never legally canvassed, 1t was impossible to
tell thereby who were chosen; but from the
best sources of information at my command l
have always believed the present State officers
received a majority of the legal votes actually
cast at that election. l repeat what l said in
my special message Of February %, 1878, that
in the event of no action BY Congress must
continue to recognize the government hereto
fore recognized by me.
RU-KLUx AND WHITE LEAGUE oUTRAGEs.
/ regret to say that with preparations for
the late election decided indications appeared
in some localities in the Southern States of
determination, by acts of violence and intimida-
ton, to deprive citizens of the freedom of the
ballot because of their political opinions.
Bands of men, masked and armed, made their
appearance; White Leagues and other societies
were formed; large quantities of arms and
ammunition were imported and distributed to
these organizations military drills with
menacing demonstrations were held, and, with
all these, murders enough were committed to
spread terror among those whose political
action was to be suppressed, if possible, by
these intolerant and criminal proceedings. In
some places colored laborers were compelled
to vote according to the wishes of their en-
ployers under threats of discharge if they
acteO otherwise, and there are, too, many in
stances in which, when these threats were dis
regarded, they were remorselessly executed by
those who made them.
understand that the fifteenth amendment
to the Constitution was made to prevent this
and like state of things, and the act of Nav
81, 1870, with amendments, was passed to en-
force its proYisions-the object of both being
to guarantee to all citizens the right to vote and
to protect them in the free enjoyment of that
right. EnjOineds by the Constitution ''tO take
care that the laws be faithfully executed"
and convinced by undOubted evidence that
violations of said act had been committed, and
that widespread and fragrant disregard of it
was contemplated, the proper officers were in
structed to prosecute the offenders, and troops
were stationed at convenient points to aid these
officers, if necessary, in the performance of
their official duties. Complaints are made of
this interference by Federal authority, but if
said amendment and act do not provide for
such interference, under the circumstances as
above stated, then they are without meaning,
force, or effect, and the whole scheme of col
ored enfrauchisement is worse than mockery
and little better than a crime. Possibly, Con-
gress may find it due to truth and justice to
ascertain, by means of a committee, whether
the alleged wrongs to cOlOred citizens for polit-
zeal purposes are real or the reports thereof
were manufactured for the occasion. The
whole number of troops in the States of LOuisi-
ana Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina,
3 lEuuCsScby Al hdLodS9
Mississippi, Maryland and Virginia at the times
of the election were 4,0S2. This embraces the
garrisons of all the forts from the Delaware to
the Gulf of Mexico.
ARKANSAS.
Another trouble has arisen in Arkansas.
Article Is of the constitution Of that State
(Which was adopted in 1868, and upon the ap-
prevail of which by Congress the State was re-
stored to representation as one of the States of
the Union) provides in effect that before any
amendments proposed to this constitution
shall become a part thereof they shall be
passed by two successive Assemblies,
and then submitted to, and ratified by
a majority of the electors of the State
voting thereon. On the 18th of May,
1874, the Governor convened an extra session
of the General Assembly of the State, which,
on the 18th day of the same month, passed an
act providing for a convention to frame a new
constitution. Pursuant to this act, and at an
election held on the 50th of June, 1874, the
convention was approved, and delegates were
chosen thereto, who assembled on the l4th
of last July and formed a new constitution, the
schedule of which provided for the election of
an entire new set of State officers in a manner
contrary to the then existing election laws of
the State. On the 18th of October 1874, this
constitution, as therein provided, was submit
ted to the people for their approval or rejec-
ton, and according to the election returns was
approved by large majority of those qualified
to vote thereon, and at the same election per-
sons were chosen to fill all the State, county
and township offices. The Governor elected
in 1872 for the term of four years turned over
his Office to the Governor chosen under the new
constitution, whereupon the Lieutenant Cover
nor, also elected in 1872 for a term of four
years, claiming to act as Governor, and alleging
that said proceedings by which the new con-
stitution was made and new set Of officers
elected, were unconstitutional, illegal and void,
called upon me, as provided in section 4, arti-
Gle 4, OF the Constitution, to protect the State
against domestic violence. As Congress is now
investigating the political affairs of Arkansas,
have declined to interfere. The whole sub
ject of
EXECUTIVE INTERFERENCE
with the affairs of State is repugnant to pub
lie opinion, to the fe cling of those who, from
their official capacity, must be used in such in
terposition, and to him or those who must d.
rect. Unless most clearly on the side of law,
such interference becomes a crime. With the
law to support it, it is condemned without a
hearing. / desire, therefore, that all necessity
for Executive direction in local affairs may be-
come unnecessary and obsolete. l invite the
attention, not of Congress, but of the people of
the United States, to the causes and effects of
these unhappy questions. Is there not a dis
position on one side to magnify wrongs and
OulTaGct anu Ou TIE OIucE Slut U uGLllLlt tu6ul
or justify them! If public opinion could be
directed to a correct survey of what is, and to
rebuking wrong and aiding the proper author
tiles in Furnishing it, a better state of feeling
would be inculcated, and the sooner we would
have that peace which would leave the States
free indeed to regulate their own domestic af-
fairs. believe on the part of our citizens of
the Southern States-the better part of them
there is a disposition to be !aw-abiding, and to
do no violence, either to individuals or to the
laws existing. But do they do right in ignor-
ing the existence Of violence and blOO1shed in
resistance to constituted authority? | sympa-
thize with their PROSTATE condition, and would
do all in my power to relieve them-acknowl-
edging that in some instances they have had
most trying governments to live under, and
very oppressive ones in the way of taxation for
nominal improvements, not giving benefits
equal to the hardships imposed-but can they
proclaim themselves entirely irresponsible for
this condition. They cannot.
VIOLENCE HAS BEEN. RAMPANT
in some localities, and has either been justified
or denied by those who could have prevented
it. The theory is even raised that there is to
be no further interference on the part of the
General Government TO protect citizens within
State where the State authorities fail to give
protection. This is great mistake. While 1
remain Executive all the laws of Congress and
the provisions of the Constitution, including
the recent amendments added thereto, will be
enforced with rigor, but with regret that they
should have added one jot or little to Execu-
tive duties or powers. Let there be fairness
in the discussion Of Southern questions, the
advocates of both or all political parties Civ
ing honest, truthful reports of occurrences,
condemning the wrong and unfolding the
right, and soon all will be we'll. Under eV-
listing conditions the negro votes the Republi-
can ticket, because he knows his friends are
of that party. Many a good citizen votes the
opposite, not because he agrees with the great
principles of State which separate parties, but
because, generally, he is opposed to negro rule.
This is a most delusiVe cry. Trest the negro
as a citizen and VOter-as he is and must re-
mainland soon parties will be divided, not on
the color line, but on principle. Then we shall
have no complaints of sectional interference.
THE REPORT OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
contains valuable recommendations relzting 10
the administration of justice in the courts of
the United States, to which invite your atten-
ton. respectfully suggest to Congress the
prOpriety of increasing the number of judicial
districts in the United States to eleven, Tie
present number being nine, and the creation of
two additional judgeships. The territory to
he traversed by the circuit judges is so great,
and the business of the courts so steadily in
crpasinp that IL Is orOwinp more and mnre i'm,