Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1878-12-03
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

/ 6 YELLOW FEVER
Epidemic, and says the fearful spreaC
of this pestilence has awakened very
general public sentiment in favor OF {
national sanitary administration
which shall not only control quaran
tine, but have sanitary supervision Ol
internal commerce in times of epi'
denies, and hold an advisory relation
to state and municipal health authOri-
ties, with power to deal with what.
ever endangers the public health and
which the municipal and State au-
thorities are unable to regulate. The
national quarantine act approved
April 29th, 1873, which was passed too
| late in the last session of Congress to
| provide 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 otherwise for the pro-
lection of our seaports and country
generally, from this and other epi-
denies, it is recommended that Con-
gress give to the whole subject early
and careful consideration.
THE PERMANENT PACIFICATIoN
OF the country by the complete pro-
lection of all citizens in every civil
and political right continues to be of
paramount interest with the great
body of our people. Every step in
this direction i5 welcomed with pub
lie approval, and every Interruption
of steady aud uniform progress to the
desired contamination awakens gen
eral uneasiness and excite5 speedy
condemnation. The recent Congress
siOnal elections have furnished di-
at Vvn nf 1H
thus far made in the practical estab-
lishment of the right of suffrage Sc
cured by the Con-Ii utiOD to
the liberated race - the South
ern States. All disturbing in.
duences, real or imaginary,
had been removed from all or these
States. The three constitutional
amendments which conferred freedom
and equality OF civil and political
rights upon the colored people of the
South, were adopted by the concurrent
action of the great body of good citi-
zens who maintained the authority of |
the National Government and the in
tegrity and perpetuity of the Union, |
at such cost of treasure and life as a |
wise and necessary embodiment in the |
law and as one of the just results |
of the war. The people Of the former |
ave-hOlding States accepted these re.
suits and gave, in every practicable |
form, assurances that the thirteenth,
and fifteenth amendments, |
aud lays passed in pursuance thereof,
should, in good faith, be enforced rig
idly and impartially, in letter and
spirit, to the end, that the humb-
lest citizen, without distinction of race
Or color, should, under them,
RECEIVE FULL AND EQUAL PROTEC-
TION
IN person and property, and in p0liti-
cal rights and privileges. By these
amendments the South
ern States of the Union obtained q
large increase of political power in
Congress and in the E ectoral College,
and the country justly expected that
the elections would proceed, as to the
race, upon the same cir
of legal and constitutional
freedom and protection which were
obtained in all the other States of the
Union. The friends of law and order
looked forward TO the conduct of these
elections as Cffering to the general
Judgment of the country al important
opportunity to measure the degree in
which the right of suffrage could be
exercised by colored people, aud
would be respected by their fellow
but more general enjoyment
Of the freedom of suffrage by the coll
bred people, and a more just and gen.
erous protection of that freedom
0y communities, OF which they form a
part, were generally anticipated than
he record of elections Giscloses. In
some of those States in which coIored
people have been unable to make their
opinions felt in elections, Ithe result is
mainly due to Influences not easily
or remedied by legal prOtec-
ion; but in tne States of Louisiana
md South CarJlins at large, and in
IOme particular Congressional Dis
ricts outside of those States, the
'ecords of elections seem to compel the
conclusion that the
RIGHTS OF COLORED VOTERS HAVE
BEEN ovERRIDDEN
md their participation in elections in
lections not permitted to be either
,eneral or free. 1t will be for Con-
.ress for which these elections were
leld, to make an examination into
heir conduct as may be appointed to
determine the validity of claims of
members to their seats. In the mean-
While it becomes the duty of theExecu-
i've and Judicial Departments of the
government, each in its province, to
INQUIRE into and punish violations of
avs of the United States which have
occurred.
can but repeat what / sail in this
onnectiOn in my last message, that
whatever authority rests with ms to
his end, / shall not hesitate to put
orth, and I am unwilling to forgo a
enewed appeal to Legislatures,
ourts, executive authorities and peo~
lie of the States where these wrongs
ave been perpetrated to give me their
ssistance towards
To JUSTICE THE OF.
FENDERs,
nd preventing a repetition OF such
rimes. No means within my power
7ill be spared to obtain full aud fair
1vestigauon of the alleged crimes
nd TO secure conviction and just
unish ment of the guilty. 1t ia TO be 1
bserved that the principal apprO" r
for the Department
Justice at the last session con- a
aimed the following clause And for ]
expenses W hich may be in :
urred in the enforcement of the act
pprOved February 2S5h, 1871, enti-
led IAN act to amend an act approved {
lay 30th, 1870, entitled an act to en- n
1rce the rights of citizens of the :.
United States to vote in the several