The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Es,lo,c- Citizens of the Senate and House

OF nSpTeScHtuttCeSs EssEg
with devout gratitude to The bountuul
Oliver of all good I congratulate you tnal
at the beginning OF your first regular sss.
sion you find our country bicsseu Mith
health and peace and abundant harFests,
and with encouraging prospects OF an carry
return OF general prosperity.
- no :. eomplete and make permanent the
modification of the country continues 70 DC
and. until It Is fully accomplished, must re,
main the most important Of all our national
interests. }. The earnest purpose OF goou
citizens generally to unite their cnolts ln
tbis endcayor Is evident. 1t found deci9eo
expression in the resolutions announcedih
1919 by the national conventions OF the
leading political parties OF the country.
There was widespread apprehension that
the momcntous results in our progress Us u
tiation, marked By the recent amendments
to the Constitution, were IN lmmlneht
Jeopardy; that the good understanding
which prompted their adoption IN the IN,
tcrest OF a loyal devotion to the general
welfare might prove barren truce ana
that the twH sections OF the country, once
engaged in civil strife. might be again
almost as widely severed and disunitcd rs
they were when arrayed in arms against
each other.
| Judgment seemed wisest in the presence or
| this emergency was plainly indicated in my
| inaugural address. It pointed to time
which all our people desire to see, when a
! genuine love Of our whole country, and OF
| all that concerns its true welfare, shall sup
plant the destructive forces OF the mutuai
animosity OF races and OF sectional hostll-
| ity. Opinions have differed widely rs to
the measures best calculated to secure tins
great end. This was to be expected. The
measures adopted by the Administration
have been subjected to severe ana Variea
criticism. Any course whatever which
| might have been entered upon would GER
tainly have encountered distrust and oppo-
sition. These measures were, IN my luaS-
ment, such rs were most Ill harmony VIII
the Constitution and with the genius OF
our peoplc, and best adapted, under all the
circumstances, to attain the end in view.
Beneficent results, already apparent, prove
that these endcayors are not to be re-
| earded as mere experiment, and should
sustain and encourage lis in our efforts.
Already, in the brief period which has
ELAPSED, the immediate effectiveness, no less
| than the Justice Of the course pursued, is
demonstrated, and I have an abiding falth
that time will furnish its ample vindicatlon
| in the minds of the great majority OF my
| fcllow-citizens. The discontinuancc OF the
use Of the army for the purpose OF uphold
! ing local governments in two states OF the
Union was no less constitutional duty and
requirement, under the circumstances en-
istinc Mt the time, than it was much-nced-
| ed measure for the restoration OF local self
government and the promotion OF national
| harmony. The withdrawal OF the troops
from such employment was Effected delio-
erately, and with solicitous care Tor the
peace and good order Of society, and the
protection OF the property and persons ana
every right OF all classes OF citizens.
The results that have followed are indeed
significant and encouraging. All apprehen-
sion of danger from RENTING those States
to local self-government is dispelied, and Il
most salutary change in the minds OF the
people has begun and ism progress in every
part OF that section Of the country once the
theatre of unhappy civil strife; substituting
for suspicion, diStruSt, and aversion, con-
cord, friendship. and patriotic attacnment
to the Union. No unprecedented NINA VIII
deny that the terrible and often fatal coils
ions which for several years have been OF
frequent occurrence, and have agitated and
alarmed the public mind, have almost en-
tirely ceased, and that q spirit OF mutual
forbearance and hearty national interest
has succeeded. There has been gen.
eral establishment Of order, and OF the
orderly administration Of justice; instances
of remaining lawlessness have become OF
rare occurrence; political turmoil and tur-
bulence have disappeared; useful indus
tries have been resumed; public credit IN the
southern States has been greatly strength
ened; and the encouraging benefits OF a re-
yiyal of commerce between the sections or
the country lately embroiled in civil war
are fully enjoyed. such are some Oh the re-
suits already attained, upon which the coun-
trr is to be congratulated. They are OF such
Importance that we may with confidence
patiently await the desired contamination
that will surely come with the natural pro-
gress of events.
It NAV not be improper here to say that it
should be our fixed and unalterable determl-
nation 10 protect, by all available and proper
means, under the Constitution and the laws,
the lately emancipated race in the ENJOY
ment of their rights and privileges; and l
urge upon those to whom heretofore the
colored people have sustained the relation
of bondmen the wisdom and Justice OF hui
name and liberal local legislation with re-
spect to their education 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 re-
preston and sure punishment by the nation
| al and local authorities, within their respec-
| tive Jurisdictions, Of every instance OF law
Iessness and violence toward them, is re-
quired for the security alike OF both races,
and is Justly demanded by the public opin-
| ion OF the country and the age. In this way
the restoration of harmony and goodwill,
and the complete protection OF every citizen,
| in the full enjoyment OF every constitu-
tional right, will surely be attained. What
ever authority rests with me to this end, l
shall not hesitate to put forth. Whatever
belongs to the power OF Congress and the
| jurisdiction OF the courts OF the Union, they
may confidently be relied upon to provide
and perform. And to the legislatures, the
courts, and the executive authorities OF III e
several States, earnestly appeal to secure
by adequate. appropriate, and seasonapie
means within their borders-these common
and uniform rights Of united people
which loves liberty, abhors oppression, and
reyeres Justice. These objects are very
dear to my heart. shall continue most
earnestly to strive for their attainment. The
cordial cooperation of all classes-of all Sec
| tons OF the country and OF both races-ls
required for this purpose; and with these
blessings assured, and not otherwise, we
may safely hope to hand down our free in
situations OF Government unimpaired to the
generations that will succeed US.
| Among the other subjects Of great and
| general Importance to the people Of this
country, I cannot be mistaken, think, in
regarding rs preeminent 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-