Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-12-12
Affairs nf the Aatiom.
The PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Fellow. Citizens Of the Senate
,J uo,oo of Po,,roeo,,fuf1,

TSttVW SHISoho " 1'e o9's"'o
and House Of Representatives: :
Our heartfelt gratitude is due to the d.
vine Being, who holds in His hands the des'
TIMES 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 perhaps, now stronger than ever bef"re.
Abundant harvests have rewarded the labors
of those who till the soil, our manufacturing
industries are reviving and it is believed that
general prosperity, which has been so long
auxiously looked for, is at last within our
reach.
The enjoyment of health by our people
generally has, however, been interrupted,
during the past season, by the prevalence of
fatal pestleuce, the yellow fever, in some
portions of the southern States, creating an
emergency which called for prompt and ex-
traordinary measures of relief The disease
appeared as an epidemic at New Orleans and
at other places on the lower Mississippi, soon
after mid summer 1t was rapidly spread
by fugitives from the infected cities and
towns, and did not disappear until early in
November. The States of Louisiana, Msss.
sippi and Tennessee have suffered severely.
About one hundred thousand cases are be.
lieved to have occurred, of which about
twenty thousand, according to intelligent es-
Inmates. proved fatal. 1t is impossible to esti
mate, with any approach to accuracy, the loss
to the country occasioned 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 al
parts of the Union. Physicians and nurses
FASTENED from every quarter to the assistance
of the afflicted communities. Voluntary con-
tributions Of money and supplies, in every
needed form, we're speedily and generously
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 purpose being given in the confident
expectation that this action of the Executive
would receive the sanction of Congress.
About eighteen hundred tents, and ratons
of the value of about twenty-five thousand
dollars, were sent to cities and towns which
applied for them, full details Of which will be
furnished to Congress by the proper Depart
ment.
awakened very general public sentiment in
favor of national sanitary administration,
which shall not onl control quarantine, but
have the sanitary supervision of internal COM
merce in times of epidemics, and hold an ad'
visory 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 29, 1878, which was passed
too late in the last session of Congress to pro.
vide the means for carrying it into practical
operation, during the past session. is a step IN
the direction here indicated. In view of the
necessity for the most effective measures, by
quarantine and otherwise, for the protection
OF our seaports and the country generally,
from this and other epidemics, it is recomend-
ed that Congress give to the whole subject
early and careful consideration.
The permanent paci6catiou of the country
by the complete protection of all citizens III
every civil political right, continues to be of
paramount interest with the great body of
our people, Every step in this direction is
welcomed with public approval, and every in
terruption of steady and uniform progress to
the desired consummation awakens general
uneasiness and widespread condemnation.
The recent Congressional elections have fur
nished direct and trustworthy test of the
advance thus lar made in the practical estab-
lishment of the right ofsuffrage, secured by
the Constitution to the liberated race in the
Southern States All disturbing influences,
real or imaginary, had been removed from all
of 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 citizens Tho main
tanned the authority of the national govern
ment and the integrity and perpetuity of the
Union at such cost of treasure and life, as
wise and necessary embodiment in the organic
law of the just results of the war. The peo.
pie 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 impartially, in letter
and spirit, to the end that the humblest citi-
z-n, without distinction Of race or color,
should, under them, receive full and equal
protection in person and property, and in po-