Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-12-12

CONGRATULATIONS
/ Oar heartfelt grstiiude is due to the Di-
F vine Being who holds in his hands the des.
/ TIMES OF nations for the continued bestow-
+ al during the last year. of countless bless-
I iuss upon our country. We are at peace
with all other nations; our public tredii
/ ha> greatly improved and is perhaps now
( stronger than ever before. Abundant har-
vests have rewarded the labors ot those
who TIL the soil our manufacturing indus
tiles revivIng. and IL j. believed that
general prosperity, which has been SO long
ami anxiou>ly looked for. Is at last within
our reach.
THE YELLOW FEyER.
The enjoyment of health hy our people
generally has however been interrupted
during the past season. by the prevalence
oil fatal pestIleucc, the yellow fever. in
some portions OF the southern states, Great
ing au emergency which called for prompt
and extraordinary measures of relief The
disease appeared a. an epidemic at New
OtleanS and at other places ou the lower
Mississippi. Soon after mid summer. II
WA> rapidly spread by fugtiyes from the
Injected cities and towns. aud did not dis
appear until early in November. The states
oi Louisiana. Mississippi and Tennessee
have suffered severely. About one hun
dTed thousand eases are believed to have
occurred. OF which about twenty thousand
according Ia intelligent estimates. proved
fatal. II Is Impossible to estimate with an
approach To accuracy the loss TO the couu-
try oceasioned by the epidemic; it is to be
reckoued hy the hundred millions Of dol
lars. The suffering aud de>titution that re-
suited excited the deepest sympathy in all
parts OF the Union. Doctors and nurses
FASTENED from every quarter to the assist
aucc of the afflicted communities. Volun-
tary contributions of money and supplies
In every necdtd form, were speedily and
generously furnished. The government
was able 10 respond IN some measure to the
call for help by providing tents. medicines
ahd food tor the sick and destitute, the re-
quisite directions tor the purpose being
given, in the confident expectation that this
scticu of the executive would receive the
sanction OF Congress. About ci yhieen
hundred tents aud ratioH-, OF the value Of
$4,000. were sent to cities and towns
which applied tor them. full details of
whicl viii be furnished 10 Congress By the
proper department.
The fearful spread OF this pesiileuce has
awakened 4 very general public sentiment
IN favor oi a national sanitary administra-
tiou which shall not only control quarau-
tine, bat have the sanitary supervision of
internal commerce Ia times of epldemics
and hold an advisory relation to the state
and municipal health authorities, with
power 10 deal with whatever endang"rs the
public health sud which the municipal and
state authorities are unable to regulate
Ihe national quarantine act. approved
Asfil 29th, ISIS. which was passed too late
in the last session OF Congress To provide
the means Tor carrying II into practical
| operation during the past season. l. step
in the direction here indicated Ia view of
the necessity for the most effective meas
ures by quarantine and otherwise for the
protection OF our >eaport-, and the country
generally, from this and other epidcmics
!, l. recommended tina, Congress give To
tie whole subject eati, and careful s-"s,J
Grafton.
the SOUTHERN QUESTION.
The permanent pacification OF the coun-
try blythe complete protection OF ali citizens
In every civil and political right continues
to be uf paranouni interest with the great
| body Of our people. Every step In this di
r.cJion i welcomed with public approval,
aud every interruption OF steady and uui
| form progress TO the desired consumma-
! tiou awakens general uneasiuess and wide
| spread condemnation. The recent Con-
| -Ite>ADUAl tlttAlOl. nave llIul-ufA Il dlEttt
/ and trustworthy test OF the advance thus
4 far made In the practical establishment Of
/ the right of suffrage secured by the COnsti
| tuition 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 politicsl rights upon
the colored people of the South were adopt
/ ed by the concurrent action of the great
body OF good citizens, who maintained the
authority OF the national government and
the integrity and perpetuity OF the union
at such a cost OF treasure and life. as wise
aud necessary embodiment in the organic
law of the Just results OF the war.
The people OF the Save holding states
accepted these results, and gave, in every
practicable form. assurances that the thir-
teenIh, fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments. and laws passed In pursuance there
OF, should. in good faith, be enforced rigid
ly and impartially, in letter and spirit. 10
the end that the humblest citizen. without
distinction of race or color. under them.
receive full and equal protection in person
! and property and in political rights and
privileges.
By these constitutional amendments. the
southern section of the Union obtained a
| po"t tOllgite
and in the electoral college, and the country
justly expected that elections would pro-
ceed, as to the enirauchised race. upon the
same circumstances of legal and constitu-
tional freedom and protection which Oh
tanned In all the other states of the Union.
The friends of law and order looked for
ward to the conduct of these elections, as
offering 10 the general judgment Of the
country an important opportunity TO meas
ure the degree in which the right OF sui-
frage could be exercised by the colored
people, and would be respected by their
fellow citizens, but "A more general enjoy
ment of freedom OF suffrage by the colored
people and more just and generous pro-
lection OF that freedom by the communities
of which they form part. were generally
anticipated than the record of the elections
discloses.
In some OF those states in which the col
ored people have been unable TO make their
opinions felt 10 the elections. the result is
mainly due to influences necessarily meas
ured or reIDedied by legal protection. but
in the states of Louisiana and South Caro-
lima at large, and in some particular Con-
gressional Districts outside OF those states.
the records OF the elections seem 10 compel
the conclusion that the rights of the color
ed voters have been overridden and their
| III the cltNllOus uot
10 be either general or free. 1t will be for
the Congress tor which these elections were
held 10 make such examination into their
conduct as may be appropriate to deter
mine the validity of claims of members to
their seats. In the meanwhile it becomes
the duty of the executive and judicial de
partments of government. each in its pro-
vince. to inquire into and punish violations
of the laws of the United States which have
occurred.
can but repeat what said in this con-
nection In my last message that whatever
authority rests with me to this end, J shall
not hesitate to put forth, and | am unwil-
ing to foreeo ! renewed appeal TO the leg
islature, the courts, the executive author
ty and the people Of the states where these
wrongs have been perpetrated. to give
their assistance towards bringing TO justice
the offenders and preventing a repetition
of the crimes. No means within my power
will be spared to obtain full aad fair in-