Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-12-10
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

House OF Representatives Our heart
felt gratitude is due to the Divine Being,
who holds in His hands the destinies OF
nations, for the continued bestowal, dur
ing 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
before. Abundant harvests have re-
warded 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 anx
iously looked for, is at last within our
reach.
The enjoyment of health by our peo-
pie generally, has, however, been inter-
rupted, during the past season, by the
prevalence of a fatal pestilence. the yell
low fever, in some portions of the south
ern States, creating an emergency which
called for prompt and extraordinary
measures of relief. The disease appear
ed as an epidemic at New Orleans and
at other places on the lower Mississippi,
soon after midsummer. Itwas rapidly
spread by fugitives from the infected
cities and towns, and did not disappear
until early in November. The States of
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee
have suffered severely. About one hun
dred thousand cases are believed to have
occurred, of which about twenty thou
sand, according to intelligent estimates,
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 ofdoliars The suffer-
ing and destitution that resulted, excit-
ed the deepest sympathy in all parts of
the Union. Physicians and nurses has
tened from every quarter to the assis-
tance of the afflicted communities.
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 provid-
ing tents. medicines, aud food for the
sick and destitute, the requisite direc-
tons for the purpose being given, in the
confident expectation that this action of
the Executive would receive the sane
ton of Congress About eighteen hun.
dred tents, and rations 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 De
partment.
The fearful spread of this pestilence,
has awakened very general publicsen.
timent in favor of national sanitary ad-
rninistration, which shall not only con-
troll quarantine, but have the sanitary
supervision of internal commerce in
times of epidemics. and hold an advisory
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 %, 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 season, is q
step in the direction here indicated. In
view of the necessity for the most effec-
tive measures, by quarantine and other
wise, for the protection of our seaports
and the country generally from this and
other epidemics, it is recommended that
Congress give TO the whole subject early
and careful consideration.
The permanent pacfication of the
country by the complete protection of
all citizens in every civil and political
right continues to be of paramount in
terest with the great body of our people,
Every step in this direction in welcom-
ed with public approval, and every in
terruption of steady and uniform pro
gress to the desired contamination
awakens general uneasine.s and wide
spread condemnation. The recent Con-
gressional elections have furnished di-
rect and trustworthy test of the advance
thus far made i'm the practical establish
ment of the right of suffrage, secured by
the Constitution to the liberated race in
the southern States. All disturbing in
fiuences, 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 col
ored people of the South, were adopted
by the concurrent action of the great
body of good citizens who maintained
the authority of the National Govern
ment and the integrity and perpetuity
Of the Union at such cost of treasure
and life, as a wise and necessary en-
bodiment IN the organic law of the Just
results ofthe war. The people of the
former slave-h holding States accepted
these results, and gave, in every prac-
ticable form, assurances that the thir-
teenth, fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments, and laws passed in pursuance
thereof, should, in good faith, be enforc-
ed, rigidly and impartially, in letter and
spirit, to the end that the humblest citi-
zen, 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 OBJ
tanned alarge increase of political power
in Congress aud in the Electoral Col
lege, and the country justly expected
that elections would proceed, as to the
franchised race, upon the same circum-
stances 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