The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-12-17

( II, 1874.
over our vast territory. The rapidit,
with which new sections are being set
tied up, thus increasing the carrying o
mails in more rapid ratio than the in
crease of receipts, is not alarming. Th'
report of the Postmaster General, here
with attached, shows that there was al
increase of revenue in his department il
1873 over the previous year of 81 ,674,
All, and an increase of cost of carrying
the mails, or paying employees of SO, ,041,
467 81.
The report of the Postmaster General
gives interesting statistics of his depart
ment, and compares them with CORES
ponding statistics of year ago, showing
growth in every branch Of the depart
ment. A postal convention has been
concluded with New South Wales, an
exchange of postal cards, established with
Switzerland, and negotiations pending
for several years past with France, have
terminated in a convention with that
country which went into effect last Au-
gust. An International Postal Congress
was convened in Berne, Switzerland, in
September last, at which the United
States was represented by an officer of
the Postal Department of much expe-
rience and of good qualification for the
position. A convention for the establish
ment of an International Postal Union
was agreed upon by the delegates of the
countries represented, subject to the ap-
proval of the proper authorities of these
countries.
/ respectfully direct your attention to
the report of the Postmaster General,
and to his suggestions in regard to an
equitable adjustment of the question
of compensation to railroads for carrying
mails.
Your attention will be drawn to the
unsettled condition of affairs in some of
the Southern States. On the 18th of Sep
tember last, the Governor of Louisiana
called upon me, as provided by the
Constitution and laws of the United
States, for aid in the suppression of
domestic violence i'm that State The call
was made in view of proclamation
issued on that day by ID. B. Penn, stating
thas he was elected Lieutenant Governor
in 1872, and calling upon the militia of
the State to arm, assemble and drive from
power the usurpers, as he designated the
officers of the State Government On
the next day issued my proclamation,
and commanded the insurgents to dis
perse within five days from the date
thereof, and subsequently learned that
on that day they had taken forcible pos
session of the State House. Steps were
taken by me to support the existing rec
Ognized State Governments; but before
the expiration of the five days, the in
abandoned, and the officers of the State
Government, with some minor excep-
tions, resumed their powers and duties.
Considering that the present State Ad-
mihistration of Louisiana had been the
only government in that State for near
ly two years, that it has been tacitly ac-
knowledged and acquiesced in as such
by Congress, and more than once ex-
pressly recognized by me, l regarded it
as my clear duty, when legally called
upon for that purpose, to prevent its
overthrow by an armed mob under pre-
tense of fraud and irregularity in the
election of 1872.
have heretofore called the attention
of Congress to this subject, stating that
on account of the frauds and forgeries
committed at said election, and because
it appears that the returns thereof were
never legally canvassed, it was impOssi-
BILE to tell thereby who were chosen; but
from the best sources of information at
my command, 1 have always believed
that the present State officers received a
majority of the legal votes actually cast
at that election. / repeat what said in
my special message of February Ii,
1873, that in the event of no action by
Congress / must continue to recognize
the government heretofore recognized by
me.
/ regret to say that with preparations
for the late elections decided indication
appeared in some localities in the South
ern States, of determination, by acts
of violence and intimidation, to deprive
citizens of the freedom of the ballot be-
cause 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;
drills, with menacing demon
strations, were held, and with all these,
enough were committed to
spread terror among those whose politi-
cal action was to be suppressed, if posi-
BILE, by these intolerant and criminal
In some places cOlored la
borers were compelled to vote according
to the wishes of their employers, under
threats of discharge if they acted other
wise, and there are too many instances
in which, when these threats were disre-
garded, they were remorselessly exc
cuted by those by whom they were made.
understand that the Fifteenth Amend
ment to the Constitution was made to
prevent this state of things, and the act
of May 81, 1870, with amendments, was
passed to enforce its provisions, the OBJ
ject being to guarantee to all citizens
the right to vote and to protect them
in the free enjoyment of that right en-
Joined by the Constitution, to take
care that the laws be faithfully ex-
ecuted; and convinced by undoubted
evidence that violation of said act had
been committed, and that widespread
and fragrant disregard of it was contem-
plated, the proper officers were instructed
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, butif said amend
ment 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 colored enfranchisement is
worse than mockery and little better
than a crime. Possibly Congress may
find it due to truth and justice to ascer-
tain, by means of committee, whether
the alleged wrongs to colored
citizens for political purposes were real
or the reports thereofwere manufactured
for the occasion. The whole number of
troops in the States of Louisiana. Ala