Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-12-12

provisions, tie object Of this being to guar.
antee to all citizens the right to vote and
TO protecttheminthefree enjoyment OF that
| right. EnloiDed by the constitution to take
care that the laws be faithfully executed,
End convinced by undoubted evidence that
violations Of said act had been committed,
and that widespread and fragrant digre-
gard OF 1t was contemplated, the proper
| officers were instructed to prosecute the
| offenders and troops were stationed AZ con
venient points to aid these ofieers If
necessary in their eficial duties. Com
plants are made of this interference by
the federal authority, but if said amend
ment and act do not provide for such in
reference under the circumstAnces as
above stated, then they are without mean
ing, force or effect; the whole scheme Of
cOlored enfranehisement ia worse than
mOckery and little bettsE. than . czine.l
Possibly Congress may find it due TO
truth and justice to ascertain, by means Of
committee, whether the alleged wrongs
to colored citizens foE political purposes
are real, or whether the reports thereof
were manufactured for the occasion. The
whole number of troops in the states Of
Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida,
South Carolina, North Carolina, Ken
tucky. Tennessee Arkansas, Nissis-
sippi, Maryland, and Virgins,
at the time Of the election, was 4,OS2.
This embraces the garrisons Of al tbs forts,
from the Delaware TO the Calf of Mexico.
THE ARKANSAS TROUBLES. =.
Another trouble has arisen in ArkansaE.
| Az l. 4 sl,.F kn ~
which was adopted In 1865, and upon the
approval of which by Congress the state
was restored to representation a. one Of
the states Of the Union, provides in effect
that before any amendments proposed to
its constitution shall become apart thereof
they shall be epsssed BY two successive As
semblies and then be submitted to and rat
fed BY Amajority Of the electors Of the
state voting thereon On the Ilth Of May,
1874, the Governor convened an extra ses-
Gion Of the General Assembly Of the state,
which, oa the 18th of the same month,
passed an act providing for . con Yention
TO frame new eonstit9tion. According
to this act and ct anslection hsld onthe An
Of jane, 1873, the constitution was Sd
proved and delegates were chosen thereto.-
Il assembled on the I4sh Of last July and
framed q neG eoasitatior, the schedule
Of which provided for tie election of an
entire new set Of state officers, in man
ner contrary to ths then existing election
l&Ns Of the state. On the 18th Of Octo4s
ber, 1874. this constitution, Is therein pro-
vided. was submitted 10 the people for
apProTal OF rejection, and ascending to the
election returns was approved BY . large
majority of those qualified to vote thereon,
and ak the same election persons were
chosen to fll all the state, coGnEy, and
township offices. The Governor elected in
1872, foE the term Of four years, turned
over his o6iee to She Governor chosen sun.
der the new constitution, vherezpon the
Lieutenant Governor, also elected n 1879
for term Of four yesrs, claiming to act Is
Governor, and alleging that said proceed
made and . new set Of oficsrs elected Eers
unconstitutional, Illegal, and void, called
upon me, ss provided IN section 4, article
Of the constitution, to protect the state
against domestic violence. A Congress is
now investigating the political affairs of
Arkansas have declined 10 interfere.
wEcU1EE ISTzRgERRcE.
The whole subject Of execatiys inter-
| fefence with the affairs OF state is Fepug-
nant to public OPirior, 10 the feeling Of
those who, from their official capacity,
must be used in such interpezitou, and to
him or those vkO must direct. Unless
most cleaEiy on the sida Of law such inter
teseuce becomes crime, with the Law 30
support Il Thus condemned without =
hearing, desire, therefore, that Al neces.
e.
may become unnecessary and obsolete. /
invite the attention. net Of Congress, bat
Of the people Of the United States, TO the
eapses and effects Of these unhappy ques-
tiOns. l. there not .. disposition On one
side to magnify wrongs and outrages, and
On the other side to belittle them or
Justify themS Il publie opinion could be
directed to correct survey Of what is, and
20 rebuking wrong and aiding the proper
authorities In punishing it. 3 better state
| of feeling would be inealcRted, and the
sooner We would h9ye that peace which
would leave. the states Tree indeed to
regulate their own domestic affairs. I
believe that on the p1rt Of cur citizsns Of
the Southern States, with the better part
Of them there Is . dispositi0a. to be law
abiding and do no violence, either TO indi-
Viduslg or the laws existing bat do they
do right in ignoring the existence of
violence aud Eeo1shed IN resistance to
oonst tated authoritys sympathise with
| their prostzase condition and would do al
in my power 20 relieve them. AcknoRl-
edgiRg That h sens instances theF have
bad mos trying governments 70 Eye
under, and very oppressive ones In the
way Of taxation for nominal improve.
ments-not giving benefits eqnal 70 the
hardships iapossd-bRt can they proclaim
tshsmselves entirely blAmeless foe this con
fition They cannot. Violence haa been
rampant n some Localities, and has rather
been justified OF denigd by those Who could
have prevented It. The theory is raised
that there is to be no further inserfeFsnee
on the part Of the genera goxefnmsnt 10
protect citizsrs within atate where the
state authorities fad TO give protection.
This i q great mistake. While IremAin
Executive all the laws Of Congress and the
provisions Of ,ths constitution, including
the amendments added thereto, VIII Be en-
forced With rigoE, bat with regret that
they should hayefadded one jot or tttbe to
Rxsentive'd0ies and poxers. Lat there
be tairnass IN the discussion Of S0nthsrn
questions, the advocates Of both or all po-
iticsl parties giving honest truthfal re-
RortsA Of occurrencesj eondemning the
Vronga aphslding the right, and so on,
and ell will be VeA Under existing con-
ditions the negro votes the Republican
ticket because he knows his friends are of
that party. Many . good citizen
votes the opposite, not because
he agrees with the great prin-
eiples Of state which separate parties
bat because generally he is opposed TO
negro rule. This is 8 most delusiye cry.
The .neQ1e a q citizen and votes IS his in
terests demand, and mus. and soon par
ties will be divided, NOT on the color line,
bat on principles. Then we shall have no }
complaint of sectional inteEfsrenoes.
DRPAkTMENT OF JUSTICE
The report Of the Attorney General con.
tains valuable Recommendation relating
TO the administration Of Justice IN the
courts Of the United States, to which in |
vite your attention. respectfully suggest
to Congress the propristy Of increasing the |
number of Judicial districts in the United |
States to eleven, the present number being |
nine. The territory to be trsversed by the
Circuit judges iSl so great and the business