The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-12-06
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Representatives;
With devout gratitude to the bountiful
Giver of all good, i congratulate you that
at the beginning of your first regular ses
sion, you find our country blessed with
health and peace and abundant harvests,
and with encouraging prospects of an
ealry return of general prosperity. To
complete and make permanent the pac.
ifcation of the country continues to be-
nd,until tits accomplished ,mnst remain
the most important of all our national in
terests. The earnest purpose ofgood cit
iZens generally to unite their efforts in
this endeavor, is evident from the deci
ded expression in the resolutions announ-
ced in 1876 in the National Conventions
Of the leading political parties of the
country. There was widespread appre-
hension that the momentous results of
our progress as nation, marked by the
recent amendments to the Conittution,
werein imminent jeopardy; that the good
understanding which prompted their
adoption in the interest of a loyal devo>
ton to general welfare might prove a
barren truce, and the two sections of the
country once engagedin civil strife, might
be again as widely severed, and disunited
as they were when arrayed in arms
against each other.
The Course to be Pursued.
The course to be pursued, which. in
my judgement seemed wisest in the pres.
ence OF this emergency was plainly in>
dicated IN my inaugural address, 1t
pointed tothe time, which all our people
desire to see, when agenuine love of our
whole country, and of all that concerns
its welfare, shall supplant the destructive
forces of mutual animosity of races, and
sectional hostility. Opinions have differ
ed widel y as the measures best calculat-
ed 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 have encoun>
tered distrust and opposition. These
measures were, in my judgement such
as were most in harmony with the Cons
stitution, and with the genius of our peo
pie, and best adapted under all circum.
stances to attain the end in view. Bene>
ficient results already apparent prove
thatthese endeavors are not to be regard
ed as mere experiment, and should sus
tain 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 de-
monstratrated, and have an abiding
faith that time will furnish its ample vim
dication in the minds ofthe great majors
ity Of my fellow citizens.
Interference Of the Army.
The discontinuance of the use of the
army for the purpose of holding local
governments in two States of the Union
was no less a constitutional duty and re-
quirement, under the circumstances exis~
ting at the time than it was much need
ed measure for the restoration of local
self government, and the promotion of
harmony. The withdrawal of the troops
from such employment was effected de-
liberately and with solicitous care for the
peace and good order of society and the
protection of the property and persons
and every right of all classes of citizens.
The results that have followed are indeed,
significant and encouraging. All appre-
tensions of danger from remitting those
States to local sell, government is dispell>
ed,and most satisfactory change in the
minds of the people has begun and is in
progress in every part of that section of
the country once the theater Of unhappy
civil strife, subsisting on suspicion, dis
trust and aversion, and bring about cons
cord, friendship and patriotic attach
ment to the Union. No unprejudicsd
mind will deny that the terrible and often
fatal collisions, which for several years
have been of frequent occurrence, and
have agitated and alarmed the public
mind have almost entirely ceased, and
that spirit of mutual forbearance and
hearty national interest has succeeded.
There has been general re. establishment
oforder and ofthe orderly administration
OF justice. Instances of remaining law
lessness have become ofrare occurrence.
Political turmoil and turbulence have
disappeared, useful industries have been
resumed, public credit in the Southern
States has been greatly strengthened and
the encouraging benefits of revival of
commerce between the sections of coun
try lately embroiled in civil war are fully
enjoyed. Such are some of the results
already attained,upon which the country
is to be congratulated. They are such
importance that we may with confidence
impatiently await the desired consum-
nation that will surely come with thenat.
ural progress of events.
The COlOred People.
1t may not be improper here to say that
it should be our fixed and unalterable
determination to protect, by all available
and proper means under the Constitution
and laws, the lately emancipated race in
the enjoyment of their rights and privi.
leges, and urge upon those to whom
heretofore the colored people have sus-
tanned the relation of bondmen, the wis.
dom and justice of humane and liberal
local legislation with respect to their ed>
ucation and general welfare. A firm ad-
herence to the laws, both National and
State, as to the civil and political rights
of colored people, now advanced to full
and equal citizenship: the immediate re-
preston and sure punishment, by the
National and local authorities, within
their respective jurisdictions, of every
instance of lawlessness and violence to.
ward them, is required for the security,
alike ofboth races, and is Justly demands
ed by the public opinion of the country |
and the age. In this way the restoration
of harmony and good will, and the COM
plete protection Of every citizen in the
full enjoyment of every constitutional
right will surely be attained. Whatever
authority rests with me to this end shall
not hesitate to put forth. Whatever be-
longs to the power of Congress and the
jurisdiction of The courts of the Union,
they may confidently be relied upon to
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