The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-12-14


Our heartfelt gratitude is due to the Di
vine Being, who holds in His hands the
destinies OF nations, for the continued be
stowal, during 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 harvesis have rewarded the
labors of those who till the soil, our manu-.
featuring industries are reviving, and it is
believed that general prosperity, which has
been SO long anxiously look ed for, is at last
within our reach.
THE PEsT1LENCE.
The enjoyment of health of our people
generally has, however, been interrupted
during the past season, by the prevalence
of a fatal pestlence, the yellow fever, in
some portions of the Southern States,
creating an emergency which called for
prompt and extraordinary measures of re-
lief. The disease appeared as an epidemic
at New Orleans and at other places on the
Lower Mississippi, soon after midsummer
1t was rapidly spread by fugitives from the
infected cities and towns, and did not dis
appear until early in November The
States of Louisiana, Mississippi and Ten
nessee have suffered severely. About one
hundred thousand cases are believed to
have occurred, in which about twenty thou
sand, according to intelligent estimates
proved fatal. 1t is impossible to estimate,
with any approach to accuracy, the loss to
the country occasioned by this epidemic.
1t is to be reekoned by the hundred 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 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 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 confident ex-
pectation that this action of the Executive
would receive the sanction of Congress-
Ahont eighteen hundred 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 public sentiment
in favor of national sanitary administra.
ton, which shall not only control quaran-
tine, 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
State authorities are unable to regulate.
The national quarantine act approved
April 20, 1878, which was passed too late in
the last session of Congress to provide the
means for carrying it into practical opera
ton, during the past season, is a step in the
direction here indicated In view of the
necessity for the most effective measures,
by quarantine and otherwise, for the protec-
ton of our seaports, and the country gen
orally, from this and other epidemics, it is
recommended that Congress give to the
whole subject early and careful considera.
ton.
PACIFICATION OF THE COUNTRY.
The permanent pacifcation 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
direction is welcomed with public approval
and every interruption of steady and uni
form progress to the desired consummation
awakens general uneasiness and widespread
condemnation. The recent Congressional
elections have furnished direct and trust
worthy test of the advance thus far 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 these States.
The three constitutional amendments
which conferred freedom and equality oil
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 maintained the authority oil
the National Government, and the integrity
and perpetuity of the Union at such a cost
of treasure and life as wise and necessary
embodiment in the organic law of the Just
results of the war. The people of the former
slave-holding States accepted these results
and gave, in every practicable form, assur
ances that the thirteenth, fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments, and laws passed in
pursuance thereof, should. in good faith BIZ
enforced, rigidly and impartially, in Letter
and spirit, to the end that the humbles
citizen, without distinction of race or color
should, under them, receive full and equa
protection in person and property and II
political rights and privileges. By thes'
constitutional amendments, the Southern
section OF the Union obtain large increas'
of political power in Congress and in tn,
Electoral College, and. the country iustl,
expected that elections would proceed, a
to the enfranchised race, upon the sam
circumstances of legal and constitutions
freedom and protection which is obtaine,
in all the other States of the Union. TIL
friends of law and order looked forward t.
the conduct of these elections, as offerin
to the general judgment of the country a
important opportunity to measure the dc
gree in which the right of suffrage could b
exercised by the colored people, and woul
be repeated by their fellow-citizens, but
more general enjoyment of freedom q
suffrage by the colored people, and NOR
ust and generous protection of that freedoI
by the communities of which they form
part, were generally anticipated than tn
record of the elections discloses In som
of those States in which the colored peopl
have been unable to make their opinion
felt in the elections, the result is mainly du
to influences not easily measured or ren
edied by legal protection but in the Stat,
of Louisiana and South Carolina at larg
, and in some particular Congressional di
tricts outside of those States, the records
the elections seem to compel the conclusio
that the rights of the colored voters ha'
been overridden, and their participation
the elections not permitted to be eth
general or free.
It will be for the Congress for which the