Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-12-04
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE,


House of Representatives.
Our heartfelt gratitude Is due to the
Divine being, who holds In his hands
the destinies of nations, for the con-
tinued bestOwal during the last year
OF countless blessings upon our coun-
try. We are at peace with all other
nations; our public credit has greatly
improved and Is perhaps stronger
than ever before; abundant harvests
have rewarded the labors of those
who till the soil; our manufacturing
industries are reviving, and it Is be-
lieved that general prosperity which
has been so long anxiously looked for
Is at last within our reach. The en-
joyment of health by our people gen.
orally, has been interrupted during
the past season by the prevalence Of
fatal pestilence, the yellow fever, in
some portions Of the southern states,
creating an emergency which called
for prompt and extraordinary meas
ureS of relief. The disease appeared
as an epidemic at New Orleans and
other places on the lower Mississippi
soon after midsummer. 1t was rap
idly spread by fugitives from the In
fected cities and towns and did not
disappear until early in November
The States Of Louisiana, Mississippi
and Tennessee have suffered severely.
About one hundred thousand cases
are believed to have occurred, of
which about 10000 according to intel
ligent estimates, proved fatal. It Is
impossible to estimate with any ap.
proach to accuracy, the loss to the
country occasioned by this epidemic.
1t is reckoned by the hundreds Of
millions Of dollars. The suffering
and restitution 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 communi-
ties. Voluntary contributions of
money and supplies in every needed
form were speedily and generously
furnished. The Government was
able to respond 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 conf
dent expectation that the action of
the Executive would receive the
sanction of Congress. About 1900
tents and rations of the value ofabout
$25, 900 were sent to cities and towns
which applied for them, full details
of which will be furnished to Con-
gress by the proper department
The fearful spread of the pestilence
has awakened very general public
sentiment In favor Of National SANTA
~ administration, which shall not on
ly control quarantine but have the
sanitary supervision of internal COM
merce In times Of epidemics and hold
an advisory relation to the State and
municipal health authorities, with
power to deal with whatever endan-
gers the public health, and which the
municipal and state authorities are
unable to regulate. The National
quarantine act, approved April Goth
1873, which was passed too late in
last session of Congress to provide
means for carrying it into practical
operation during the past season is q
step in the direction l have indica-
ted. In view of the necessity for the
most effective measures by quarantine
or otherwise for the protection Of our
seaports and the country generally
from this and other epidemics, it L
recommended that Congrezs give to
the whole subject early and careful
consideration. So.
CIVIL RlSATs.
The permanent pacifacation of the
country, by the complete protection
of oil citizens IN every civil and polit.
icai right, continues to be of para.
mount interest with the great body
Of our people. Every step in this di
rect.aA, ia welcomed with public ap
prevail. and every interruption O,
steady and uniform progress
to the desired consummatiou awaken,
general uneasiness and wide spread
condemnation.
The recent Congresiona. elections
have furnished direct aud trust.
worthy test OF the advance thus fal
made in the practical stablishmen,
of the right Of suffrage secured by
the Constitution to the liberated race
in the Southern States. All disturb
ing influences, real OF imaginary had
been removed from al, Of these states
Tha three constitutional amendment
which conferred freedom and equali
ty of civil and pslitical rights
upon the cOlored people Of the
South, were adopted by tht
concurrent action of tht
great body Of good citizens who
maintained the authority Of the ma.
tional government and the integrity
and perpetuity Of the union, at such q
cost Of treasure and life--As q wise and
necessary embodiment In the organic
laws, Of the just results Of the war
The people Of the former slave hold
ing states accepted the results and
gave In every practicable
FORM assurances that lht
18th, l4th and 10Th amendments anG
laws passed in pArsusnce thereof
should In good faith be enforced rig
idly and impartially, In letter and
spirit, to the end that the humbles
citizen witAont distinction of race OF
color, shoald under them receive full
and equal, protection In person and
property, and In political rights AND
privaBgeA BY these constitutions
Amendments southern sections Of
tho Union obtained large
increase Of political power in Con
gress and in the Electoral College
and the country justly expected tha'
the elections would proceed as to TIT
enfranchised race under the same cir
cumstances of legal and constitution
al freedom and protection which OBJ
tanned in all other states of the Union
The friends of law and order looked
forward to the conduct Of these cleo.
tions as offering to the general judg
ment of the country an important op
portunity to measure the degree IL
which the right Of suffrage could b.
exercised by the colored people, anl
would be respected by their fellow
citizens, bat . more general enjoy
ment of freedom Of suffrage by tn,
colored people and more just ani
generous protection Of that freedom
by the communities of which they
form part, were generally anticipa
ted than the record of the election
discloses. In some of those states, il
which the colored people have beer
Unable to make their opinions felt IL
the elections, the result is mainly du,
to influences not easily measured Of
remedied by legal protection; but il
the states of Louisiana and Soutt
Carolina, at large, and in som,
particular Congressional district
outside of these states, the records Of
the elections compel the conclu
sion that the rights Of the colorei
voters have been overridden ani
their participation in the elections no
permitted to be either general or free
1t will be for the Congress for which
these elections were held to maxi
such examinations into their conduc
% may be appropriate to deter
mine the validity Of the claim
of members to their seats
In the meanwhile 1t be
comes the duty Of the executive ant
judicial department Of government
each In it, province to inquire int
and punish violations of laws of the
United States which have occurred.
I can but repeat what said in THU
connection in my last message, that
whatever authority rests with ms
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