The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-12-05
THE SOUTHERN QUESTION.

THE PERMANENT P.crric.TJoS OF THE COUNTRY
by the complete protection of all citizens in
every civil and political right combines 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 10
the desired contamination awakens general
uneasiness and widespread condemnation The
recent congressional elections have furnished
direct and Trustworthy test Of the advance
Thus far made in the practical establishemen.
Of the right Of suffrage secured by the consti-
tuition to the liberated race in the Southern
States. All disturbing Influences. real OF i'm
arinary, have been removed from all of these
States. The three constitutional amendments
which conferred freedom and e1uality of civil
and po'itical rights upnu the colored people of
the South were adopted nv the concurrent ac-
fion Of the great BODY of rood citizens who
maintained the authority of the national gov
eminent and the integrity and perpetuity of
the Union at such a cost of treasure and life
as a wise and necessary embodiment in the
organic law of the iust results of the war The
people Of the former slsve-holdinp States ac-
cepted these results. and cave in every pr,c-
ticahle form assurance. that tho thirteenth
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments and
laws passed in pursuance thereof sbould in
good faith he
EYFopSrp RICHLY AND u.r.RrTsJJy
in letter and spirit Z, the end that the hmm
blest citizens without distinction of race or
color should under then, receive fpll and couaI
protection in rersou and propcrtv and in no.
litiral right. and PRIVILEGES Nv those consti-
tutional amendments the Southern section of
the Union oht,ined n LARGO increase Of poIiti-
cal power in CONGRESS- and /, the electoral col
lece and the country iustlv expected that elec
tiops would procecd as 70 the enfran.b;sed
race NIXON the same circumstance. Of legal and
constitut;,n,, freedom and nr,tect;on
Of the Union. The friends of
Law and orde, Locked forv,ra q, ,bo ,,,anct
Of tbe,e elections AZ offer;nc 10 the General
Indictment Of the country an ;mnor,apt onnor-
tunitv 10 mea.pre the decree in xb;cb the
right of Suffrage could he exerci.ed nv the
coIored people and vouh he respected nv
their fellow citizens. INIT n moro geper.I ON
joymeut of freedom of suffrage by the colored
people and a more inst and generous p-ot.c-
fion of that freedom nv the communities of
which they mrv form n mart wcre more pener-
ally ant;c;nated that the
prcopn ov Tur r1yrrroSs
d;scIoscs IN Some az these state. in which
the coIored peorIe have been unable TO make
their opinions felt in the elections. The result
is mainly due tn Influences not easily measured
ar remed;ed nv LEGAL protection. Int in the
States of Jon;.;an, and Soutb Carolina at
large. and in rome narticnlar congressional
di.tricts outside of those State. the records
of the elections Il, impel the conclusion
that the rigbt. of colored voters have been
overridden and their particip.tion in the elec-
ton. not permitted TO be- either general or free.
II will he for the congress. for which these cleo
.ion. were held 10 make .ucb exam,n.tion in
their conduct an NAV he appropriate To deter
mine the validity of the claims of members 70
their .c>ts Tn the meanwb;Ic IL become. the
duty of the executive and judicial departments
of the government. each in its province. To in
ouire into and punish violations of the laws of
the United States which have occurred Ican
but
nrprsr WHAT I SAID
In this connection in INV last message that
whatever authority rests with me To this end
I shall not hesitate to nut forth. and am nm
willing To foreyo a renewed Hppeal 20 ,he leg
isIstures. the courts. the executive authorities.
and the people of the States where these
wrong. have been perpetra.ed 10 rive their as
sistance towards bringing 10 Justice the of
tenders and rreycntin. reretition
of these crimes. No means with
in nv power will he spared to obtain full
and fair investigation of the alleged crimes.
aud to secure the conviction and lust punish
ment of the guilty. II i. 20 be observed that
the PRINCIPAL apprppristion made for the de-
partment of Justice contained the following
clause: land for dcfravinyi the expenses which
NAV he ipcprrei in the reinforcement, of The
act .nrroyed February "a. ISL entitled An
act 10 amend An act approved Nav III ls70.
entitled an act to enforce the right. to citi-
zen. of the right to vote in the several States