The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-02
Third Edition
Presidents Message
Fellow-citi.ens OF the Senate and House of Rep

Fellowcitizens OF the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives:
Our heartfelt gratitude is due to the Divine Be-
ing, who holds in His hands the destinies OF
nations, for the continued bestowal during
the last year, of countless blessings upon our
country. -..
We are at peace with all other nations. Our
public credit has greatly improved, and is, per-
haps, now stronger than ever before. Abundant
harvests have rewarded the labors of those who
till the soil, our manufacturing industries are re-
viving, and it is believed that general prosperity,
which has been so long anxiously looked for is at
last within our reach.
The enjoyment of health by our people gener-
ally has, however, been interrupted, during the
past season. by the prevalence of fatal pestilence,
the yellow fever in some portions of the southern
States, creating an emergency which called for
pIompt ana extraordinary measures OF relief The
disease appeared as all epidemic at New Orleans
and at other places on the Lower Mississippi, soon
after midsummer. 1t was rapidly spread by fugi-
tives from the infected cities and towns. and did
not disappear until early in November. The
States OF Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee
have suffered severely. About one hundred thou
sand cases are believed to have occurred of which
about twenty thousand according to intelligent
estimates, proved fatal 1t is impossible TO esti-
mate with any approach to accuracy the loss to the
country occasioneu by this epidemic. 1t is to be
reckoned by the hundred millions of dollars. The
suffering and destitution that resulted, excited
the deepest sympathy in all parts of the Union.
Physicians and nurses fastened from every quar-
ter TO the assistance of the afflicted communities
Voluntary contributions of money and supplies,
in every needed form, were speedily and gener-
ously furnished. The Government was able to re-
spond in some measure to the call for help, by
providing tents, medicines and food for the sick
and destitute, the requisite directions for the pur
pose being given in the confident expectation that
this action of the Executive would receive the
sanction of Congress. About 1900 tents, and ra-
tions of the value of about $25,O0O were sent to
cities and towns which applied for them, full de-
tails of which will be furnished to Congress by the
proper department.
The fearful spread of this pestilence, has awak-
ened very general public sentiment in favor of
national sanitary administration, which shall not
only control quarantine, but have the sanitary
pervision of internal commerce in times of cpl
denies, and hold an advisory relation to the State
and municipal health authorities, with power to
deal with whatever endangers the public health,
and which the municipal and State authorities
are unable to regulate. The national quarantine
act approved April Goth, 1878, which was passed
too late in the last session of Congress to provide
the means for carrying it into practical operation
during the past season, is step in the direction
here indicated. In view of the necessity for the
most effective measures, by. quarantine and other
wise, for the protection of our seaports, and the
country generally, from tfis and other epdemCs
il, is recommended that Congress give to the whole
subject early and careful consideration.
| The permanent pacifcation of the country by
the complete protection of all citizens in every
civil and political right continues to be of para
mount interest with the great body of our people
Every step in this direction is welcomed with pub
lie approval and every interruption of steady and
| uniform progress to the desired consummation
aWakens general uneasineSs and widespread con.
demnation. The recent Congressional elections
have furnished direct and trustworthy test OF
the advance thus far made in the practical esab
lishment of the right of suffrage, secured by the
Constitution to the liberated in the Southern
States. All disturbing influences, real or imagin.
| ary, had been removed from all of these States
| The three constitutional amendments, which
conferred freedom and equality of civil and po,
ltical rights upon the colored people of the South
were adopted by the concurrent action of the great
| body of good citizens who maintained the author
ity of the National Government and the integrity
and perpetuity of the Union at such cost OF
treasure and life, as wise and necessary embodi
ment in the organic law of the just results of the
war. The people of the former slaveholding
States accepted these results, and gave, in every
practicable form, assurances that the thirteenth
| fourteenth and fifteenth amendments, and
laws passed in pursuance thereof, should
in good faith, be enforced, rigidly and i'm.
partially in letter and spirit to the end that the
| humblest citizen, without distinction of race OF
color, should, under them, receive full and equal
rights and privileges. BY these Constitutional
| amendments the southern section of the Union
obtained large increase of political power in
Congress and in the Electoral College, and the
county justly expected that elections would pro.
| eeed as to the enfranchsed race, upon the same
circumstances of legal and or Institutional freedom
and protection which obtained in all the other
States of the Union. The friends of law and or
der looked forward to the conduct of these cleo
tions, as offering to the general judg-
ment OF the country an important oppor.
tunity to the degree in which the right oil
suffrage could be exercised by the colored people
but more general enjoyment of freedom of suf
| frage by the colored people, and more just and
| generous protection OF that freedom by the com
munities of which they form part were gener
ally anticipated than the record of the elections
discloses. In some of those States in which the
colored people have been unable to make theii
opinions felt in the elections, the result is mainly
due to influences not easily measured or remedied
by legal protection; but in the States of Louisiana
and South Carolina at large, and in some particu
lar Congressional Districts outside of those States
the rec rds Of the elections seem to compel the
conclusion that the rights of the colored voter
have been overrdden, and their participation il
the elections not permitted to be either general o.
| free.
IL VIII De 10r the congress Tor which these cleo
| tons were held to make such examinations int
| their conduct as may be appropriate to determine
| the validity of the claims of members to theil
seats. In the meanwhile it becomes the duty o
| the Executive and Judicial Departments of tn,
| Government. each in its province, to inquire int
and punish violations of the laws OF the United
| States which have occurred. | can but repea
| what said in this connection in my last message
that whatever authority rests with me to this enc
/ shall not hesitate to put forth, and am unwll
ing to forego renewed appeal to the legislatures
| the courts, the executive authorities, the peo
! pie of the States where these wrongs have beer
perpetrated to give their assistance towards bring
ing to justice the offenders and preventing repe
| tition of the crimes No means within my powe
will be spared to obtain full and fair invtstiga
| ton of the alleged crimes, and to secure the con
vctOn and just punShm ent of the guilty.
| 1t is to be observed that the principal appropria
ton made for the Department of Justice at TIN
last session contained the following clause: "Ant
for defraying the expenses which may be incurred
in enforcement of all act approved February 2Sth
| 1871. entitled An act to amend an act approved
May 30h, 1870, entitled An act to enforce tn
rights of citizens of he United States to vote in th
several States of the Union, aud for other pur
poses or any acts amendatory thereof or supple
mentary thereto"
! 1t is the opinion of the Attorney General tina
the expenses of these proceedings will largely ex
ceed the amount which was thus provided and