The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-12-05
Synopsis Of the Presidents Message.
WASHINGTON, December .

The Presidents annual message WAS pre-
scntcd to Congress to-day. lie thanks
the Divine Being for His continued be-
stowal of countless blessings upon our
country. We are at peace with all ma
tions. Our credit was propably never
stronger before. There have been abun-
dant harvest, reviving our industries, and
there is promise of continued prosperity.
He reviews the history of the yellow
fever epidemic, and says: The fearful
spread of this pcstlcnce has awakened a
very general public sentiment i'll favor
of national sanitary administration,
which shall not only control quarantine,
but have the sanitary supervision of in
ternal commerce in times of cpidemics,
and hold an advisory relation to the State
and municipal health authorities, with
power to deal with whatever cndangers
the public health, and which the munich
pal and State authorities are unable to
regulate. The national quarantine act,
approved April 30, 1878, which was passed
too late in the last session Of Congress to
provide the means for carrying it into
practical operation during the past scaso..
is step in the direction here indicated.
In view of the necessity for the most ef-
fcctivc measures, by quarantine and
otherwise, for tile protection of our sea-
ports and the country generally, from
this and other epidemics, it is recon-
mendcd that Congress give to the whole
subject early and careful consideration.
The permanent pacifcation of the
| 81 Lott orntontion pf
all citizens in every civil aud political
right continues to be Of paramount in
tercst with the great body Of our people:
Every step in this direction is welcomed
with public approval, and every inter-
ruption of steady and uniform progress
to the desired consumation awakens gen.
eral uncasiness and widespread condemna-
tion. The recent Congressional elections
have furnished direct and trustworthy
test of the advance thus far made in the
practical establishment OF the right of
suffrage, secured by the constitution to
the liberated race in the Southern States.
All disturbing influences, real or imagin-
ary, 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 who maintained the
authority of the national government
and the integrity and perpetuity Of the
Union at such cost of treasure and
life, as a wise and necessary embodi-
ment in the organic law Of the just re-
suits of tie war. The people Of the for
mer slaye-holding 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, rigid
idly and impartially, in letter and spirit,
to the end that the humblest citizen,
without distinction of race or color,
should, 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
large increase of political power in
Congress and in the Electoral College,
and the country justly expected that
elections would proceed, as to the enfran-
chised race, upon the same circumstances
of legal and constitutional freedom 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 elections as Offering to
the general judgment Of the country an
important opportunity to measure the
degree in which the right of suffrage
could be exercised by the colored people,
and would be respected by their fellow
citizens; but more general enjoyment
of freedom of suffrage by the colored
people, and more just and generous
projection Of that freedom by the COM
munities of which they form q part
were generally anticipated than the
record of the elections discloses. In
some of those States in which the color
ed people have been unable to make their
opinions felt in the elections, the result
is mainly due to influences not easily
measured or remedied by legal protection;
but in the States of Louisiana and South
Carolina at large, and in some particu-
lar Congressional District outside of
those States the records of the elections
seem to compel the conclusion that the
rights of the colored voters have been
overridden, and their participation in the
elections not permitted to be either gen.
eral or free.
1t will be for the Congress for which
these elections were held to make such
examinations into their conduct rs may
be appropriate to determine the validity
of the claims of members to their seats.
| In the meanwhile it becomes the duty OF
the Executive and Judicial Departments
of the Government. each in its province,
to inquire into and punish violations of
the United States which have occurred.
can but repeat what said in this con-
nection in my last message, that what.
ever authority rests with me to this end
I shall not hesitate to put forth, and am
unwilling to forego renewed appeal to
the legislatures, the courts, the executive
authorities, and the people of the States
where these wrongs have been pcrpetrat-
ed, to give their assistance towards bring
ing to Justice the offenders and prevent
ing Il repetition ofthe crimes. No means
within my power will be spared to obtain
full and fair investigation Of the alleg-
ed crimes, and to secure the con-
viction and just punishment of the
guilty.
1t is to be observed that the principal
appropriation made for the Department
of Justice at the last session contained
the following clause: "And for defray-
ing the expenses which may be incurred
in tile enforcement of the act approved
February twenty-cighlh, eighteen humid
red and scventy-onc, entitled Gan act to
amend an act approved May thirtieih,
eighteen hundred and seventy, entitled
an act to enforce the right of citizens of
the United States TO vote In the several
States of the Union, and for other pur-
poses, or any acts amcndatory thereof
or supplementary thereto"
1t is the opinion of the Attorney Gen
eral that the expenses of these proceed
Il