The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1876-12-13
RECONSTRUCTION.

Immediately on the cessation of hos
tilities the then noble President who had
carried Tie country so far through its
perils, fell a martyr 10 his patriotism at
the hands of an assassin. The Inter
yening time 20 my first Inauguration was
filed up with wrangling between Con.
gress and the new Executive, as to the
hest mode of reconstruction, or to speak
plainly rs to whether the control OF the
Government should be thrown immedl
ately INTO the hands of those who had so
recently and persistently tried to destroy
it, or whether the Yictors should con
tnue to have an equal voice with them
in this control. Reconstruction, rs IL
ually agreed upon, means this and only
this. except that the late slave was en-
franchised giving an increase, as was
supposed, to the Union-loving and
Union supporting voter Ii free in the
full sense Of the word, they would not
dsappoint this expectation; hence at the
beginning OF my first administration, the
work of reconstruction, much embar-
rassed by the long delay, virtually com
menced. 1t was the work of the legisla-
tive branch of the Government. My
province was wholly in approving their
acts. which ! did most heartily, urging
the Legislatures OF the States that had
not vet done so, to ratify the 10th
Amendment to the Constitution.
WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
The country was laboring under an
enormous debt. contracted in the suppress
sion of the rebellion. and taxation was so
oppressive as to discourage production.
Another danger also threatened us-a
foreign war. The last difficulty had to
be adjusted, and was adjusted without
war, and in manner highly honorable
to ali parties concerned. Taxes have
been reduced in the last seven years
nearly $500, 100000, and the national
debt has been reduced in the same time
over S435. 900, 600, by refGndIng the SIX
per cent bonded debt for bonds bearing
and a per cent. interest respectively.
The annual interest has been reduced
from over $3.50. 900, 900. in 1869, to but
little over 500. 600. 600 in 1876. The
balance of trade has been changed from
over $3.50, 600. 900 against the United
States in 1869, to more than Sl2O, O0o,-
200 in our favor liz 1876. 1t Is CONN
IDENTIFY believed that the balance of trade
In favor of the United States W1lincrease,
not diminish, and that the pledge OF
congress to resume specie payments IN
1919 will be easily accomplished, even IN
the absence Of much desired further leg
Eaton on the subject.
TIE INDIAN POLICY.
A policy had been adopted towards
The Indian tribes inhabiting large por-
Ton Of the territory Of the United States,
which has been humane and has substan-
TALLY ended Indian hostilities in the
Whole land, except in portion of Ne
oraska and Dakota, Wyoming and Mon
lana Territories, the Black Hills region
and approaches thereto. HostlItIes
there have grown out of the avarice OF
he white man, who has violated our
Treaty stipulations in his search for gold
me question might be asked why the
"overnment has not enforced obedience
20 the terms of the treaty, prohibiting
ihe occupation of the Black Hills region
~ the whites The answer is simple.
Inc hrst immigrants to the Black Hills
we're removed by troops, but rumors OF
men discoveries of gold took into that
region increased numbers, gold was found
= paying quantity, and an effort to re-
move the miners would only result I'D
TIE deseFtion Of the huIk of the troops