The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
cred at the Opening of the First
Regular Session Forty
Fifth Congress.
INTRODUCTORY.

good L congratulate you. AT the be
ginning of your first regular session
you find our country blessed with
health and peace and abundant har.
vests, and with encouraging prospects
of an early return of general prosper
ity. To complete and make permanent
the
PACIFICATION OF THE COUNTRY
continues to be our aim, and until fully
accomplished, must remain the most
importan of all our national interests.
The earnest purpose of good citizens
generally to unite their efforts in those
endeayors is evident. 1t found decided
expression in the resolutions announced
in 1876 by the national conventions of
the leading political parties of the coun-
try. There was q widespread appre-
hension that the momentous results in
our progress as a nation, marked by the
recent amendments to the constitution,
were in imminent jeopardy; that the
good understanding which prompted
elCli adOPllOu VIC lhIClCoU VI IL Ivy III
devotion to the general welfare might
prove barren farce, and that the Sec
tions of the country once engaged in
civil strife might be again almost as
widely severed and disunited as they
were when arrayed in arms against
each other. The course to be pursued
which in my judgment seemed wisest in
the present emergency, was plainly in
dicated in my inaugural address.
Any course whatever which might
have been entered upon would certainly
have encountered distrust and opposi-
tion. These measures. were in my
judgment such as were most in harmo-
ny with the constitution and with the
genius of our people, and best adapted
under all the circumstances to main
tain the end in view. The beneicent
results already apparent prove that
these endeavors are not to be regarded
as mere experiment, and should sus-
tain and encourage us in our efforts.
The discontinuance of the
USE OF THE ARMY
for the purpose of upholding local gov
ernment in two states of the Union
was no less a constitutional duty and
requirement, under the circumstances
existing at that time, than it was
much needed measure for the restora-
tion of local self-government and the
promotion of national harmony. The
withdrawal of the troops from such
employment was effected deliberately
and with solicitous care for the peace
and good order of society, and the pro-
lection of property and persons and
every right of all classes of citizens.
The results that have followed are in
deed significant and encouraging; all
apprehension of danger from remitting
those states to local self government is
dispelled, and a 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 theatre of
unhappy civil strife.
1t may not be improper to say that it
should be our fixed and unalterable de-
termination to protect by all available
and proper means under the constitu-
tion and the laws,
THE EMANCIPATED RACE
in the establishment of their rights and
privileges, and 1 urge upon those to
whom heretofore the colored people
have sustained the relation of bonds
men, the wisdom and justice of humane
and liberal local legislation, with re-
spect to their education and general
welfare.
I cannot be mistaken, think, in COM
mending the policy and measures which
are designed to secure the restoration
of the currency to that normal and
healthful condition in which, by the
RESUMPTION OF SPECIE PAYMENTS,
our internal trade and foreign COM
merce 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 this end should be
sought and compassed as speedily and
as securely as the resources of the peo-
pie and the wisdom Of their govern
ment can accomplish.