American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1877-12-08


to see, when genuine love of our whole
country, and of all that concerns its true |
welfare, shall supplant the destructive force
of mutual luminosity OF races and of sec
tional hostility. Opinions have differed |
widely as to the measures best cal |
culated to secure this great end. This |
was to be expected. The measures |
adopted by the Administration have been |
subjected to severe and varied criticism.
Any course whatever which might have been |
entered upon would certainly have encoun- |
tered distrust and opposition. These meas
ures were, in my judgment, such as were
most in harmony with the Constitution and
with the genius of our people, and best
adapted, under all circumstances, to attain
the end in view. Beneficent results
already apparent prove that these en-
deavOrs were not to be regarded as
mere experiment, and should sus-
tain and encourage us in our efforts.
Already in the brief time which has elapsed,
the immediate effectiveness, no less than the
justice of the course pursued, is demopstrat-
ed, and I have abiding faith that time
will furnish an ample vindication in the
minds of great majority of my fellow-citi-
zens.
THE WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FROM THE
SOUTH.
The discontinuance of the Army for the
purpose of upholding local governments in
two States OF the Union was no less a con-
stitutional duty and requirement, under
the circumstances existing at the time,
than it was a needed measure for restora-
ton of local self-gOvernment and the
promotion of national harmony. The
Withdrawal of the troops from such
employment was offered diligently and with
solicitous care for the peace and good order
10 of society and the protection Of the property
and person and of every right of all classes
of citizens. The results that have followed
are indeed sufficient and encouraging. All
apprehension of danger from RENTING
those States to local self-government is dis
PEELED, and most salutary change in the
minds of the people has begun, and is in
progress in every part of that section of
country once the theater of unhap-
Ply civil strife; substituting for
suspicion, distrust and aversion, concord,
friendship, and patriotic attachment to the
Union. No unprejudiced mind will deny
that the often fatal collisions which have for
several years been of frequent occurrence,
and alarmed the public mind, have almost
entirely ceased, and that spirit of mutu
al forbearanee and hearty national interest
has succeeded: There has been
general establishments of order and of
the orderly administration of Justice;
instances of remaining lawlessness
have become of rare Occurrences;
political turmoil and turbulence have dis
. appeared, useful industries have been re-
sumed, public credit in the Southern States
has been greatly strengthened,
tween sections of the country lately embroil
ed in civil war are fully enjoyed. Such are
some of the results already attained, upon
which. the country is to be congratulated.
They are of such importance that they may,
with confidence, patiently await the desired
contamination that will surely come with
the natural progress of events.
1t may not be improper here to say that it
should be our fixed and unalterable deter
mination to protect by all available and
proper means, under the Constitution and
the laws,
THE. LATELY EMANCIPATED RACE =
in the experiment of their rights and privi-
leges, and urge upon those to whom here
tofore the colored people have sustained the
Let e -, Al
.tice of humane and liberal local legisIa-
tion with respect to. their education and
general welfare, and firm adherence to
the laws both National and State, as to the
civil and political rights of the colored peo-
pie, now advanced to full and equal citizen
ship. The immediate repression and sure
punishment by the National and local au-
thorities within their respective Jurisdiction
of every instance of lawnessness
and violence toward them is
required for the security alike of both
public opinion Of the country and
of the age. In this way the restor-
alton of harmony and good will, and the
complete protection of every citizen in the
will surely be attained. Whatever authori-
ty rests with me to this end, L shall not hest
tate to put forth. Whatever belongs to the
power of Congress and the jurisdiction of
the courts of the Union, they may confident
ly be relied upon to provide and to
perform; and to the Legislatures,
authorities of the several States, earnestly
appeal to secure, by adequate, appropriate
and reasonable means, within their borders,
these common and uniform rights of
united people who love liberty, abhor OPP
preston, and revere justice. These objects
are very dear to my heart, and shall most
earnestly strive for their attainment. The
cordial cooperation of all classes, of all sec
lions of the country and of both races, is re-
CURED for this purpose, and with these
blessings assured, and not otherwise, we
may safely hope to hand downour free in
situations of Government unimpaired to the
generations that succeed us.
THE RESUMPTION OF SPECIE PAYMENTS.
Among the subjects of the greatest and
most general importance to the people of
this country can not be mistaken, think,
in regarding as pre-eminent the policy and
measures which are designed to secure the
restoration of the currency to that normal
and healthful condition in which, by the re-
sumption of specie payments, our internal
trade and foreign commerce may be brought
into harmony with the system OF exchanges
which is based upon the precious metals as
the Intrinsic money of the world. In the
public judgment that this end should be
sought and comprised as speedily and Sc
cITrely as the resources of the people and
the wisdom of their Government can ac-
complish, there is a much greater degree of
unananimity than is found to concur in the
specific measures which twill bring the
country to the desired end or the
rapidity of the steps by which it
can be safely reached. Upon a most anxious
and deliberate examination, which have
felt it my duty to give to the subject, am
the more confirmed in the opinion which
expressed in accepting the nomination for
the Presidency, and again upon my inaugu-
ration, that the policy of resumption should
be pursued by every suitable means, and
that no legislation would be wise that should
disparage the importance or retard the at
tainmenJ of that result. have no DISPOSE
ton and certainly no right to question the
sincerity or the intelligence of opposing
undervalue the considerable difficulties and
the progress of the Nation toward this pri-
mary condition to its general and perma-
nent prosperity. 1 must, however, adhere |
to my most earnest conviction that any
wavering in purpose or unsteadiness in |
methods, so far from avoiding or reducing
the Inconvenience inseparable from the |
transition from an irredeemable to a re- |
deemable paper currency, would only tend |
to increased and prolonged disturbance in |
values, and, unless retrieved, must end in /
serious disorder, diShonor and disaster in |
the financial affairs of the Government and /
of the people. The mischiefs which 1 APP
pretended and urgently deprecated are con-
fined to no class of the people, indeed, but /
seem to me most certainly to threaten the /
industrious masses, whether their occupa-
them, it seems to me, it is of prime i'm
pOrtance that their labor should be COM
pensated in money which Is itself fixed in
exchangeable value by being irrevocably
measured by the labor necessary to its pro-
ductiOn. This permanent quality of the
moneyeof the people is sought for, and can
only be gained by the resumption of specie