The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1878-12-05

lie Eealth, ana wnicn Inc MUNICIPAL anu
| State authorities are unable TO regulate.
The national quarantine act, passed April
| 90, 1873, which was too late in the last ses-
sion OF Congress, 10 provide the means
! for carrying it into practical operation dur
| ing TIE pas; session, Is a step in the direc
ton here indicated. IL view OF the reces-
sity for the most effective measures by quar-
antine and otherwise for the protection Of
our seaports and the country generally,
from this and other epidemics, il lie recon-
mended that Congress give 10 the whole
subject an early and careful consideration.
TKE PERMANENT PAcIFTCATIoS OF THE
COUNTRY
by the complete protection of all citizens in
every civil and political right, continues to
be Of paramount interest with the great
body Of our people. Every step in this d.
rection j. welcomed with public approval,
and every interrC pt!on of steady and uni
form prcgress to the desired contamination
| awSker- general uueasiness and widespread
condemnation. The recent Congressional
elections have furnished direct and trust
worthy test OF the advance thus lar 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 imaginary, had been removed from all
of these states, the three constitutional
amendments which conferred freedom ard
equality OF civil and political rights upon
the cOlo-ed people Of the South, were
adopted by the concurrent action Of the
great body Of citizens who maintained the
authority OF the national government, and
I Tho INF. ~ and II the
at such a cost of treasure and life, az wise
and necessary embodiment in tie original
law OF the land, and az one Of the Just re-
former slave-holding states accepted
these results, and gave in every
practicable form assurances that the 18th,
it'll and 10Th amendments, and laws passed
in pursuance thereof should in good faith
be enforced rigidly and imparually, in let
ter 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 ard privileges. BY these
constitutional amendments the southern
section of the Union obtained large in
crease of political power in Congress and in
the electoral college, and the country Justly
/
the enfranchized race, upon the same cir
cumstances of legal and constitutional free
dom and protection which have 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 i'm
portant opportunity to measure the degree
in which the right Of suffrage could be ex-
H., ha oxlnraI ,.an,,ta nj xr1,1l H.
respected by their fellow citizens. But
more general enjoyment of the freedom Of
suffrage by the colored people, and more
just and generous protection OF that free
dom 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 colored people
have been unable 10 make their opinions
felt in the election, 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 come particular, Congress
sional Districts 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 par
ticipation in the elections not permitted TO
be either general or full.
Ii will be for the Congress for which
these elections were held, TO make such ex-
aminations into their conduct az may be ap-
propriate to determine the validity of the
claims OF members to their seats in the
meanwhile ii becomes the duty of the EN
ecutive and Judicial Departments OF the
Government, each in its province, to inquire
into and punish violations OF the laws Of
the United States which have occurred. /
can but repeat what said in this connection
in my last message, that whatever author
ity rests with me TO this end / shall not
hesitate to put forth, and | am unwilling to
forego a renewed appeal TO the legislature,
the courts, the executive authorities and
the people of the States where these wrongs
have been perpetrated, TO give their assist
ance toward bringing 10 Justice the Offend
ers, and preventing repetition of the
crimes No means within nv power will he
spared TO obtain full and fair investiga-
ton of the alleged crimes, and to secure the
conviction and Just punishment OF the
guilty. 1t is to be observed that the prin-
cipal appropriation made for the Depart
ment OF Justice At the last session contained
the following clause, "and for defraying
the expense which may I've incurred in the
enforcement OF the act approved February
2S, 1871, entitled an act 10 amend an act
approved Nav II, 1870, and entitled an
act 10 enforce the rights OF citizens of the
United States 10 vote in the several states
in the [ MON and for other purposes, or any
acts amendatory thereof or supplement
tary thereto" 1t is the opinion of the At
torney-General that the expenses Of the
proceeding will largely exceed the amount
which was thus provided and | rely conf
IDENTIFY upon Congress TO make adequate !
appropriations to enable the executive de- |
partments to enforce the laws. i respect |
fully urge upon your attention that the |
Congressional elections In every district, in |
a very important sense, are Justly matter |
OF political interest and concern throughout |
the whole country. In each state, |
every political party Is entitled to
the share of power which is conferred by
the legal and constitutional suffrage; it is /
the right of every citizen possessing the
qualifications prescribed by law, to cast
one unintimidated ballot, and TO have his
ballot honestly counted. So long as the
exercise Of this power, and the enjoyment /
of this right are common and equal, prac-
tically as we'll az theoretically, submission
TO the results of the suffrage will be accord
ed Loyalty and cheerfully, and all the de-
partments OF Government will feel the true
vigor of the popular will thus expressed, no
temporary or administrative interests of
Government, however urgent or weighty,
will ever displace the zeal Of our people in
defense of the primary rights of citizenship.
They understand that the protection of lib
erty requires the maintenance, in full
vlgor, oil the many methods OF Tree