The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-12-11
PRESIDENTS S MESSAGE.

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the Divine Being, who holds in Hi
hands the destinies of nations, fol
the continued bestowal, during th,
past year, of countless blessings up
on our country.
We are al peace with all other ma
ltions. Our public credit has greatly
improved, and is. perhaps, now
stronger than ever before. Abund
ant harvests have rewarded the la
bors of those who till the soil, onl
manufacturing industries are reviv-
ing, and it is believed that general
prosperity, which has been so long
anxiously looked for, is at last with
in our reach.
THE SOUTHERN PEsTILENCE.
The enjoyment of health by oui
ps ople generally, has, however, been
interrupted, during the past season,
by the prevalence Of fatal pesti-
lence, the yellow fever, in some per,
tions of the Southern States, creating
al emergency which called for prompt
and extraordinary measures of relief.
The disease appeared as an epidem-
ic a, New Orleans, ard at other pla.
ces on the lower Mississippi, soon
after mid summer. 1t was rapidly
spread by fugitives from the infected
cities and towns. and did nos disap-
pear until early in November The
States of onisiana, Mississippi, and
Tennessee have suffered severely
Abcut one hundred thousand cases
are believed to have occurred, of
which about twenty thousand, ac-
cording to intelligent estimates. prov
ed fatal. 1t Ia impossible 10 estimate
with any approach to accuracy the
less to the country oecssioned by this
LepIdemic 1t is TO be reckoned by the
hundred millions of dollars The
suffering ard des,ituiion that resulted
excited the deepest sympathy in all
parts Of the Union. Physicians and
nurses FASTENED from every quarter
to the assistance Of the afflicted COM
muni.ies. Voluntary contributions
of money and supplies. in every need
ed form, were speedily and gener-
ously turnished The Government
was able to respond in some measure
to the calls for help by providing
tents, medicines, and food for the
sick and destitute, the requisite di-
rections Tor tie purpose being given,
il the confident expectation II st this
action Of the Executive would re-
ceive the sanction Of Congress
About eighteen hundred tents, aud
rations Of the value of about $25, 900
were sent to cities and towns which
applied for them, full details of which
will be furnished to Congress by the
proper Department.
The fearful spread of pestilence
has awakened very general public
sentiment in favor Of national sani'
tary administration, which shall not
only control quarantine, bat have the
sanitary supervision of internal COM
merce in times of epidemics, and
hold en- advisory relation to the State
aud municipal health authorities,
with power to deal with whatever en-
dangers the public health, and which
the municipal and State authorities
are unable to regulate. The Nation
al Quarantine act, approved April
30, 1873, which was passed too late
in The last session of Congress to
provide the means for carrying it in-
to practical operation during the las:
season, is 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 9TH
er epidemics, it is recommended that
Congress give to tee whole subject
early and careful consideration.
THE SOUTHERN QUESTION.
The permanent pscification OF the
country by the complete protection
Of all citizens in every civil and pc
litical right continues to be of para
mount interest with the great body
of our people. Every step in this d.
rection is welcomed with public ap-
proval, and every interruption of
steady and uniform progress TO the
desired eonsummation awakens gen.
eral uneasiness and widespread con-
demuaticn. The great Congression-
al elections have furnished a direct
and trustworthy test of the advance
thus far made 10 the practical es;ab-
Iisbment of the right of suffrage, Sc
cured by the Constitution to the lib
Grated race in the Southern States.
All disturbing influences, real or im-
aginary, has been removed from all
Of these States.
The three constitutional amend
meuts. which conferred freedom and
equality of civil and political rights
upon the colored people Of the South,
were adopted by the concurrent ac-
tion OF the great body of good citi-
zens who maintained the authority of
the National Government 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 people of the former
slave-holding States accepted these
results. and gave, in every practiea-
bic form, assurances that the thir-
teentb, fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments, and laws passed in pur-
suance thereof, should. in good faith,
be enforced. rigidly and impar;ially,
in letter and spirit, to the end that
the humblest citizen, without dis
tinction of race or color, should, un-
der them, receive full and equal pro-
lection in person and property and
in political rights and privileges.
By these constitutional amend
ments, the southern section of the
Union obtained a large increase of
political power in Congress and in
the Electoral College. and the coun-
try justly eyrected that elections
would proceed, as to the enfrancbis=
ed race, upon the same circumstan-
ces of legal and constitutional free
dom and protection which obtained
In all the other States of the Union
, The friends OF law and order looked
forward to the conduct of these elec-
tions, as offering to the general judg-