The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-12-04
A Tame Review of the General Con-
ditiop of the Country.
The Southern Question Quietly but Sig
nifcantly Discussed.
Congress Advised 10 Refrain from Fur
ther Financial Legislation.


last year of countless blessings upon our coun-
We are at peace with all other nations. Our
credit has greatly improve and is, perhaps,
now stronger than ever before. Abundant
haryests have rewar ed the laDors OF those
who till the soil; our manufacturing lnuus-
tries are reyiying land II is believed that gen.
eraI pros. Gritty, which has been so long anX-
iously looked Tor, is at last within our reach'
THE YELLOW FEVER.
me enjoyment of health by our people gem
orally has, however, been Interrupted during
the past season by the prevalence oil a iatal
pestilence the yellow fever, in some portions
Of ibe Southern states, creating an emergency
which called for prompt ana eXttaordlndry
epidemic at New Orleans and other places on
the Lower Mississippi soon after mIdsum mer'
1t was rapidly spread by Iugitiyes from the IN
fected cities and to Sns, aud did not disappear
until early in November. The states OF Louisi.
ana Mississippi and Tennessee have suffered
cases are believed to have occurred, of which
about twenty thousand, according TO intel
n6esib,e fo estimate with any approach to ac-
curacy the loss to the country occtas oned oy
this epidemic: 1t Is 10 be recKoned 3y tne
bundled millions of dol ars. The suffering
and destitution that resulted excited the deep
est sympathy in ali parts OF the Union Phy-
sicians "a nj nurses fastened from every quar-
ter to tie assistance o the afflicted communi-
ties 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 Tor help by providing tents, medicines ana
directions for the purpose being given IN the
con fident expectation that this action OF the
executive would r eceiye the sanction OF con-
sress. About eighteen hundred tents and ra.
lions of the value of SS9,OOO were sent 10 CRIES
and towns which applied TOR them, lull details
of which will be furnished to congress by the
proper department.
The fearful spread OF thlS pestlience mas
awakened a very general public sentiment In
favor Of national sanitary admlnlstratlOny
which shall not only control quarantine, but
have the sanitary supervision OF Internal
commerce in times of epidemics, and hold an
advisory relation 10 the state and munlclpal
health authorities, with power to deaf with
whatever endangers the public health, and
which the municipal and state authorltles are
unable TO regulate Ihe en- nau3nab Ca ass..d
too late in the last session. OF congress to pro.
vide the means for carrying IL into practleal
operation during the past season, Is a step IN
the direction here indicated. In view Of the
necessity oil the most effective measures, by
quarantine and otherwise, for the protection
of our seaports, and the country generally,
from this aud other epidemics, IL II recon-
mended that congress give TO the whole sub
ject early and careful consideration.
THE POLICY IN THE SOUTH.
The permanent psclfication of the country
by the compete protection or all citizens In
every civil and political right continues 10 De
of paramount interest with the great body OF
our people. Every step in this direction Is
welcomed with public approval, and every In
terruDtiOn OF steady and uniform progress to
the desired consummation awakens general
uneasine>S and widespread condemhaJlOh
The recent congressional elections nave iur-
vance thus FAR made in the PRACTICAL establish
ment OF the right of suffrage, secured bv the
constitution TO the liberated race In the south
ern states. All disturbing Influences, real or
imaginary, had been removed from all OF these
THE three constitution al lamendme nts which
conferred freedom and equality OF civil and
political rights upon the coloied people OF the
south were adopted by the concurrent action
of the great body OF good citizens who main
talned the authority OF the national govern
ment and the integrity and perpeiulty oil the
Union
wise and necessary embodiment in the or
ganic law OF the just results OF the war. The
people of the former slaveholding states &C.
eepted these results and gave IN In every PPae
fourteenth and fifteenth amendments aud
laws passed in pursuance thereof should In
good faith oe enforced rigidily and impartially
humblest citizen, without distinction of race
or color, should under them receive full aud
f3 poli3icat rights @ and priSiieees. By these
constitutional amendments the southern sec
tion OF the Union obtained a large Increase ol
political power in congress andin the electoral
college, and the country justly expected thal
elections would proceed as TO the enfranchlsed
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 Important opportunity To measure the
could be exercised by the colored people
and would be respected by their fellow citi-
dom of suffrage by the colored people, and 8
more just and generous protection OF thai
freedom by the communities OF which they
form a part were generally anticipated than
the record OF elections discloses. In some o
those states In which the coiorea people % hsvt sS
elections the result is mainly due to influences
not easily measured or remedied by legal pro
South Carolina at large. and In some partlcu
lar congressional districts outside OF those
states, the records of the elections seem tC
conclusion
colored voters have been overTiden, and thei
participation In the elections not permitted x
IL will be for he congress for which thes,
elections we're held 10 make such examina
TO determine the validity OF the Claims @
members 10 their seat. In the meantime 1
becomes the duty OF the executive and judcia
departments of the government, each in IL
province, 10 inquire into and punish violation
OF the laws OF the United States which hav
occurred. can but re peat what said In thu
connection in my lat message, that wnateve
authority rests with me To this end shall no
hesitate to put forth and i am unwilling y
forego a renewed appeal TO the Legislature:
the courts, the executive authorities and tn
people OF the states where these wrong
have been p-rpetrated, TO give thei
assistance toward bringing to tustic
the Offenders snd prev enting a repetition c
the crimes. No mt ans within my power wi
be spared to obtain a full aud fair inyestIga
tion of the alleged crimes, and to secure tn
conviction and just punishment OF the guilty
Ii is to be observed that the principal apprc
priation made Ior the department OF Justice
the last session contained the following Clause
"And for defraying the expenses which ma
be incurred In the enforcement of the act al
proved February D. 1871, entitled An act
amend an act approved May 80 1870, ent tie
an act to enforce the rights OF citizens of III
United states TO vote In the several states
the Union. and for other purposes, or any ac
amendafory thereof or supplementary ther'
to" It is the opinion of the attorney generi
that the exp nses of these proceedings wi
largely exceed the amount which was tht
provided, and I rely onhdeDtly upon col
eTess to make adequate appropriations II eI
able the executive department to enforce Il
laws. -
RESPECTFULLY urge upon your attention thu
thecolgressional elections In every distric
L., In a very i'm portsnt sense, are Justly a matt
Of political Interest and concern througho