The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-12-13
THEPRESDENI'S 5 MESSAGE
PAclFlcATloN OF THE COUNTRY.
SPECIE RESUMPTION.
FOREIGN MATTERS.

FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AM
House OF REPRESENTATIVES, with grea
gratitude to the Bountiful Giyer Of all good
] congratulate you, at the beginning of you
first regular session. You find our country
hafvests, and with encouraging prospects oi
an early return of general prosperity.
THE PAcIFIcATIoN OF THE COUNTRY
continues, aud until it is fully accomplished
must remain the most important of all oul
National interests. The earnest purpose ol
good citizeus generally TO unite their efforts
in those endeavors is evident. 1t found de
cided expression in the resolution an,
nounced in 1876 by the National Conven,
tions Of the leading political parties of the
country. There was widespread apprehen.
sion that momentous results in our progress
as a nation marked by the recent amend.
ments to the Constitution were in imminent
jeopardy, that the good understanding which
prompted their adoption in the interest of q
loyal devotion to the general welfare might
prove barren truce, and that the sections
Of the country once engaged in civil strife
might be again almost SIS widely severed
sud disunited as they were when arrayed in
war.
The course to be pursued, in my Judgment
the wisest in the presence of this emergency
was plainly indicated in my inaugural ad-
dress. Il pointed TO the time, which all our
people desire to see, when genuine love Of
our whole country and of all tina. concerns
its true welfare, shall supplant the destruc.
tive force Of mutual animosity of races and
Of sectional hostility. Opinions have diff.
fered widely as 10 the measures best cal.
culsted to secure this great end. This was to
be expected. The measures adopted by the
Administration have been subjected to
severe and varied criticisms, and any course
Whatever which might have been entered
upon, would certainly have encountered
distrust and opposition.
These measures we're, in my judgment,
such as were most in harmony with the Con.
stitution, and with the genius of our people,
and best adaDted, under all the circum.
stances, to attain the end in view.
The benefcent results already apparent
prove that these endeayors are MOTTO be re-
garded as mere experiment and should
sustain and encourage US in our efforts. Al
ready, in the brief time which has elapsed,
the Immediate effectiveness, no less than the
Justice of the course pursued, is demon
strsted, and have an abiding faith that time
will furnish its ample vindication in the
minds of the great majority of my fellow
citizens.
The discontinuance of the use of the army
for the purpose of upholding local govern
ments in two States OF the Union was no less
q constitutional daty aud requirement un-
der the circumstances existing at the time,
than it was needed measure for the restor-
alton OF local self-government and the pro-
motion of national harmony.
The withdrawal of the troops from such
employment was effected diligently, and
with soIicitous care for the peace and good
order of society and the protection of the
prosperity and every right of persons of all
classes Of citizens. The results that have
followed ara indeed significant aud encour-
aging.
All apprehension of danger from remit
ting those States to local self-government is
the minds of the people has begun, and in
progress in every part sof that section of
country, once the theater of unhappy civil
strife, substituting for suspicion, distrust
and aversion, concord, friendship, and pat
riotic attachmentto the Union.
No unprejndicsd mind will deny that the
eften fatal collisions which, for several
years, have been Of frequent occurrence,
and have alarmed the public mind, have
almost entirely ceased, and that spirit of
mutual forbearance and hearty national
interest has succeeded. There has been a
general establishment of orderly admin
istration Of Justice. Instances of remaining
lawlessness have become OF rare occurrence.
Political turmoil acd turbulence have
disappeared. Useful industries have been
resumed; public credit in the Southern
States have been greatly strengthened, and
the encouraging benefits Of q revival of
commerce between sections OF the country
lately embroiled in eisil war are fully en-
ioyed.
Such are some Of the results already at
A,s-
graduated. They are of such importance
that we may, with confidence, patiently
await the desired consummation. that viii
esurely come with the natural PROCESS OF
events.
It may not be improper here to say that
1t 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 privileges
and urge upon those TO whom heretofore
the colored people have sustained the
relation OF bondmeo, the wisdom and Jus.
tice OF humane and liberal local legislation
with respect to their educational and general
welfare. A firm adherence to the laws,
both National and State, as to the civil and
political rights of the colored people now
advanced to full and equal citizenship; the
immediate repression and sure punishment
by the National and local authorities, within
their respective jurisdictions, of every in.
stance of Iawlessness and violence toward
them, is required for the security alike OF
both races, and is justly demanded by the
public opinion of the country and the age
In this way the restoration of harmony and
good viii, and the protection Of every eiti
zen in the full enjoyment of every constilu
tional right, will surely be attained. What
ever authority rests with me TO this end ]
shall not hesitate to put forth. Whatever
belongs to the power of Congress and the
Jurisdiction of the courts of the Union. the,
may confidently be relied upon to provide
and perform; and to the legislatures, tn,
courts, and the executive authorities Of tn,
several States earnestly appeal to secure
by adequate, appropriate, and REASONABLE,
means within tneir borders, these common
and uniform rights of united peopl,
which loves liberty, abhors Oppression. AM
reveres justice. These objects are yer,
dear to my hea. {, and I shall most earnestl;
strive for their attainment. The cordial co
operation Of all classes, of all sections O
the country, and of both races, is REQUIRE,
for this purpose, ard with their blessine q
assured, and not otherwise, we NAV safeI,
hope to hand down cur free institutions o
government uuimpared, to the generation
that will follow US.
THE FINANCIAL QUESTION.
Among the subjects of the greatest an
most general importance to the people o
this country cannot be mistaken, L thinl
in regarding as pre-eminent the policy an
measures which are designed to secure th
restoration of the currency to that norms
and healthful condition in which, by the r,
sumption of specie payments our interns
trade and foreign commerce may be brougt
into harmony with the system Of EXCHANGE
which is based upon the precious metal 4
the intrinsic money of the world. In tn
public judgment that this end should b
sought and compassed as speedily and s.
curely as the resources of the peopIe an
the wisdom of their Government can Al
complish, there is a much greater degree I
unanimity than is found to concur in tb
SPECIFIC measures which will bring In
country to the desired eud or the rapidit
of the steps by which it can be safel
reached. Upon most anxious and deli
crate examination, which have felt it m
duty to give to the subject, am but tt
more confirmed in the opinion which 1 e;
pressed in accepting the nomination for Ii
Presidency, and again upon my inaugur
tion, that the policy of resumption s6oul
be pursued by every suitable means, ar
that no legislation would be wise that shoul
disparage the importance or retard the 4
tainment Of that result. Jhave no disp
sition and certainly no right to question Il
sincerity or the intelligence of opposll
opinions, and would neither conceal n