The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-08-24
WAR DEPARTMENT,


Gen. W. r. Sherman, Commanding United
States Army:
SIR: The House of Representatives. on the
10th instant passed the following preamble and
resolution, viz:
Whereas the right of suffrage prescribed by
the constitutions OF the several States is subject
to the fifteenth amendment of the Constitution
Of the United States, which is rs follows:
ARTICLE XIV.
''Section l. The right Oft citizen of the United
States to vote shall not be denied abridged by the
United States or by any State on account of race,
color or previous condition OF servitude.
.'Sec. g. The Congress shall have power to enforce
this article by appropriate legislation" And where
and regulated should be faithfully maintained and
observed by the United States and the several States
that the exercise Of the right Of suffrage is in some
Of the States, notwithstanding the efforts OF all good
citizens to the contrary resisted and controlled by
fraud, intimidation and violence, that in such
cases the object OF the amendment is defeated and
whereas all citizens without distinction of race. or
class or color, are entitled to the protection con
ferred by such article; therefore
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives.,
That all attempts by force fraud, terror intin ida
ton otherwise to prevent the free exercise ofsu
frage in any States should meet with certain, con-
dign and effectual punishment and that in any case
which has heretofore occurred or that may hereafter
occur in which violence murder has been OF shall
be committed by one race or class upon the other
the prompt prosecution and punishment OF the
criminal or criminals in court having iurisdc-
ton is imperatively demanded whether the crime
be one punishable by fine or Imprisonment or one
demanding the penalty OF DEATH
The President directs that, in accordance
with the spirit of the above, you arc to hold all
the available force under your command Wot
NOW engaged in subduing the savages Of the
Western frOntier) in readiness to be used upon
the call or reqnistion of the proper legal all
thorites for protecting all citizens, without
distinction of race, color or political opinions,
in the exercise of the right to vote as euaran-
tccd by the fifteenth amendment, and to assist
in the enforcement OF certain, condign and ef-
fectual punishment upon all persons who shall
attempt by ''force, fraud, terror, intimidation
or otherwise to prevent the free exercise of the
right of suffrage rs provided bv the law of
the United States, and have such force so dis
tributed as to be able to render prompt assist
ancc in the enforcement of the law. Such adj
ditional orders as may be necessary to carry
out the purposes of these Instructions will be
given from time IN time y flor conSultation wifi,
the law officer OK the Government.
very respectfully, your obedient servant.
j. ID. CAMERON,
Secretary OF war.
The following in connection with the above
order. was teleoranhcd to thn Ci,c;nnot; IA.
uauo =. ,,,a 1ot,s'
zete OF the 18TH:
WASHINGTON. Aug. II,
Active measures ale being taken by the At
tOrney- Generals office to strictly enforce all
the provisions of the National law. not only in
the South, but in every part of the country.
Great care is to be taken in The selection of
Supervisors, ana all the officers OF the United
States responsible in any degree for nsurino
quiet, and enforce fair election. are to re-
ceive specific instructions through the Depart-
ment of Justice. circular IN the cnhiect
to be at once instituted in Alabama AGAINST
those who perpetrated frauds in the late State
eie:l!ol' anu otners VINO were prominent IN eN-
narts II the Statn Snnc;al Council havn al.
ready beer appointed to assis. in the work.
and arrests and trials will take place at an
ety u'y o.eps are aeso 10 DC taken iinlaui,
States MarshaI,s Office in several Of the Sonth-
ern States. Some changes OF principals and
quite number among the deputies have been
"'"e''".
sno"ioi orn f WI. NOV az present. issue any
directions of Yesterday. f,,rIhrr than tn nnhish
that in the regular orders for the information
ana guidance OF all concerned. NO changes OF
South nor NIL, 49, h y, .., 'uoPs IL, 'e
seem necessary in a precautionary sense, to
prevent a iurtner recurrence OF the state Of af-
thcir rcsolntion Cor Shar,,a a ~ o SA'sI nt
great care will be taken that no rights of the
States are invaded, and that every step taken
~ .he military a''thortles Is strictly within
not take an active rart :, nv u ,'sa'S Mias
called upon in regular form by the proper civil
officers OF the United States or those of the
otatcS.
- >------
"o oois icssioliil' oal-
""Ne'i 'oplu' anu c'fc'''ar announcing
'''. "'"''''''s III 'Ac ar. o'i lhufsaay last
:. .''''' "''' eca''c'eo over tne stfeets sta
'''e '.'''is ''ao Carried V i've olt OF the SIX
=, 0' .'o" u. "'eo'c' ana shortly afterwards
''''''ltl ''ie''ll'i'i Lie people were IN
~ "'c" '''''' ferfal' was Grcche's choice.
10y s'o' another circular appeared reaillrnl-
"s '''o s''''e,.e'''s Oh the iifst AND speaking
-. l''A'e e' u shc seeoia.
' d. We ''''' 'e''li' t''e dc'es@ates CHOSEN
A''"' '"c several co"ilties TO tc nominating
~ are us loiiows:
,,"' """"o''-iiiifis unanimous:
uo''c'''','u-iia unanimous.
~. .i"'''s' 'e'tal'i' one aolbt-
', o''1 ~ 'uo''''e'' VI feffi'l.
H''','' S'''e.i'e'''- from Goochlaha gives
10 INV 't''u ''ilec against nm.
Tor cannot be relied on. The Harris men claim
one thing and the anti-Harris another. One