The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-08-24
Letter to General Sherman from the
War Department.
Secretary Cameron has written tn
following to General Sherman:

Secretary Cameron has written the
following to General Sherman:
WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON CITY, Aug. 10.
Gen. w. r. Sherman, Commanding u. s. A.:
SIR-The House of Representatives of the
United States, on the 10th inst, passed the
following preamble and resolution, viz:
"WHEREAs, The right of suffrage pre-
scrbed by the Constitutions of the several
States is subject to the 18th Amendment of
the Constitution of the United States, which
is as follows:
"ARTICLE Is, SECTION 1. The right Of
citizens of the United States to vote shall
not be denied or abridged by the United
States or by any State on account of race,
color, or previous condition of servitude.
"SEC. 2. Congress shall have the power
to enforce this Article by appropriate legis.
ton.
WHEREAS, The right of suffrage, so pre-
scribed and regulated, should be faithfully
maintained and observed by the United
States and the several States and the citizens
thereof; and,
WHEREAS, 1t is asserted that the right
Of suffrage is, in some of the States, not
withstanding the efforts of all good citizens
to the contrary, resisted and controlled by
fraud, intimidation and violence, so that in
such cases the object of the amendment is
defeated; and,
WHEREAS, All citizens, without distinc.
ton of race, or class, or color, are entitled
to the protection conferred by such article !;
therefore, be it
Resolved, BY the House of Representa-.
tives, that all attempts by force, fraud, ter.
ror, intimidation, or otherwise, to prevent
the free exercise of the right of suffrage in
any State, should meet with certain, c0ndigD,
and efectual punishment; and that, in any
case which has hitherto occurred, or that
may thereafter occur, in which violence or
murder has been, or shall be, committed, by
one race or class upon the other, the prompt
prosecution and punishment OF the crimi-
nal or criminals, in any court having juris-
diction, is imperatively demanded, whether
the crime be one punishable by fine or i'm
prisonment, or one demanding the penalty
of DEATH"
The President directs that, in accordance
with the spirit OF the above, you are to hold
all the available force under your command,
not now engaged in subduing the savages OF
the Western frontier, in readiness to be used
upon the call or iequisition Of the proper
legal authorities, for protecting all citizens,
without distinction of race, color, or political
opinion, in the exercise Of the right to vote
as guaranteed by the Fifteenth Amendment,
and to assist in the enforcement Of certain,
condign, and efectual punishment upon all
persons who shall attempt, by force, fraud,
terror, intimidation, or otherwise, to prevent
the free exercise of the right of suffrage as
provided by the law Of the United States, and
have such force so distributed and stationed
as to be able to render prompt assistance in
the enforcement of the law. such additional
orders as may be necessary to carry out the
purpose of these instructions will be given
to you from time to time, after consultation
with the law officers OF the government.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
tSigned] j. ID. CAMERON,
Sec'ry of War.