Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-12-05

now held by Gen. M. Q. Butler. ''""A bale
of cotton contributed to the Benner relief
fund, was sold in Memphis, last Monday, for
sl.O2 pound, realizing 500. The bale will
be shipped to other southern cities to be sim
ilarly disposed of.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The Presidents message was read in Con-
gress last Monday. Owing to the late hour
of its reception here, we cannot publish it en-
tire this week. We, however, make room for
the following in reference to Southern affairs
which will possess more interest to our read
ers than any other portion of the document
The permanent paci6caton of the country
by the complete protection of all citizens in
every civil political right, continues to be OF
paramount interest with the great body Of
our people, Every step in this direction is
welcomed with public approval, and every in
terruption of steady and uniform progress to
the desired contamination awakens general
uneasiness and widespread condemnation
The recent Congressional elections have fur
nished direct and trustworthy test of the
advance thus far made in the practical estab.
lishment of the right ofsufFrage, secured by
the Constitution to the liberated race in the
Southern States. All disturbing influences
real or imaginary, had been removed from al
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 main
tanned 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 aud necessary embodiment in the organic
law of the just results of the war. The peo
pie of the former slaveholding 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, rigidly and impartially, in letter
and spirit, tofhe 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 po
itical rights and privileges. By these consti-
tutiona amendments, the southern section of
the Union obtained a large increase of politi
cal power in Congress and the electoral col.
lege, and the country justly expected that
elections would proceed, as to the enfranchised
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 coun
try an opportunity to measure the degree in
which the right of suffrage could be exercised
by the colored people, and would be respected
by their fel.cw-citzens; but more general
enjoyment of freedom of suffrage by the COL
ored people, and a more just and generous
protection of that freedom by the communi-
ties of which they form part, we're general.
ly anticipated than the recent record of the
elections dscloses In some of those States
in which the colored people have been unable
to make their opinions felt in the elections,
the result is mainly due to influences not easi-
ly measured or remedied by legal protection !;
but in the States of Louisiana and South Car
olina at large, and in some particular congress
sional districts outside of these States, the re-
cords of the elections seem to compel the con.
clusiou 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 eXamina-
tions into their conduct as may be appropri
ate to determine the validity of the claims of
members to their seats. In the meantime, it
becomes the duty of the Executive and Ju
dicial 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
1 said in this connection in my last message
that whatever authority rests with me to this
end shall not hesitate to put forth, and |
am unwilling to forego a renewed appeal to
the legislatures, the courts, the executive au-
thorities, and the people of these States where
these wrongs have been perpetrated, to give
their assistance towards bringing to justice
the offenders and preventing repetition Of
the crimes. No means within my power will
be spared to obtain full and fair investiga-
ton of the alleged crimes, and to secure the
conviction and just punishment of HE guilty.
1t is to be observed that the principal ap.
preparation made for the Department of Jus.
tice at the last session contained the following
clause: "And for defraying the expenses
which may be incurred in the enforcement of
the act approved February twenty.eight,
eighteen hundred and seventy-one entitled
An act to amend an act approved May thr-
tieth, eighteen hundred and seventy, entitled
an act to enforce the rights Of citizens of the
United States to vote in the several States of
the Union, and for other purposes, or any
acts amendatory thereof or supplementary
thereto"
1t is the opinion of the Attorney General
that the expenses of these proceedings will
largely exceed the amount which was thus
provided, and rely confidently upon Con-
gress to make adequate appropriation to en-
able the Executive Department to enforce the
laws,
| I respectfully urge upon your attention