The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1878-12-06


unintcresting and dull rs II Is verbose.
II begins by thanking the Divine
Being for the many blessings vouch-
safed to the country, such as peace
with all the world, a stronger public
credit than we have ever enjoyed,
abundant harvests, a revival in manu-
featuring industries and for the gener.
al prosperity that has been so anxious
" looked for, and which is at last
within our reach.
Then he speaks Of the terrible vel
low fever scourge, that visited the
South during the year, estimates the
number of cases at one hundred thou.
sand and the deaths at twenty thou
sand, reckons the loss to the coun-
try by the hundred thousands, and
urges Congress in view Of the fact Of
the fearful spread of the pestilence, to
give the subject Of National Santa
ry administration its careful consider
alton and establish effective measures
by quarantine or otherwise, for the
protection Of our ports, and the coun-
try generally. The solid South next
occupies his attention, and he regrets
to call the attention of Congress to
the fact that the results Of the late
elections do not show that that free
dom of suffrage was guaranteed to the
colored brother that the promises Of
the Southern people and the laws on
the subject led the law-loving people
OF the country to expect. In s. Carroll.
ma, Louisiana and districts Of other
States results compel thebelief that the
rights Of the colored voters have been
over-ridden and that their participation
was not permitted to be general and
free. 1t will be for Congress to exam
inc in to the validity of the claims Of
the members to their seats, while il
will be his duty and thar of the Judi.
ciary to punish violators Of the Uni
ted States laws, and he reiterate his
intention to enforce the laws to the
fullest extent. He suggests further
appropriation to defray the expenses
of the Department of Justice in
the enforcement Of the three Consti-
tuiional amendments, and after ex-
pressing great concern for the rights
of the negroes, closes this part Of his
message with the belief that the ten
dency Of the people is strongly in the
direction of unity Of feeling and re-
ciprocal confidence.
On the great financial questions the
President dovotes but little Of his
space" apparently confident that his
man Sherman is fully competent to
attend to that part Of the business.
He is persuaded, however, that the
welfare of legitimate business and in
dustry of every description will be
best promoted by sustaining from all
attempts to make radical changes in
the existing financial legislation Let
it be understood that during the conf
ing year the business of the country
will be undisturbed by governmental
interferences with the laws affecting
il, and we may consequently expect
that The resumption Of specie pay
ments, which will take place at the
appointed time, will be successfully
and easily maintained, and that it will
he followed by healthful and endu-
ring revival of business prosperity"
In referring to the silver question,
he says that there have been nearly
twenty millions of dollars coined I'M
der the silver act of last February,
that the Secretary's views in regard
to the law under which the coinage
proceeds is unchanged, but that he
will execute the law and give the
measure a iair trial.
The public debt on the LIST day of
November, is stated at %, 024, 200, 0S3
10, showing . reduction during the
gear Of 1923, l50,6l7 SO. From ordi-
nary revenues from all sources for the
fiscal year ending June 3Oth, 1873,
there were received s257, 763,S7s 20.
and the expenditures for the same pc
Rod were 1926, 964, 1926 so.
He strongly urges the prepOnder-
ancy of the Agricultural over any
other interest and quotes largely from
Washington's Eighth Message on the
subject. The value of the agricultu-
raj products is estimated for the year
1873, at three thousand millions Of
dollars, and yet it appears, notwith-
standing OAR advantages of climate
and soil that we import annually, ma