The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-12-12
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
Pacification Meas
ures Considered.
RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN
COUNTRIES.
international Postal Congress.


Fszo.g- ossels Of tae Senate and House Of Rspree'n-
Our heartfelt gratitude isdue to the Di-
vine Being, who holds in His hands the
destinies Of nations, for the continued be-
stowsl, during the last year, of countless
blessings upon our country.
We are at peace with all other nations.
Our rpublic credit has greatly improved, and
is, perhaps, now stronger than ever before.
Abundant harvests 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 looked for, is at last
within our reach.
THE PEsTILENCE.
The enjoyment of health of our people
generally has, however, been interrupted,
during the past season, by the prevalence
of q fatal pestilence, 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. It is impossible to estimate
with any approach 10 accuracy, the loss to
The country occasioned by this epidemic
1t is to be reckoned py the hundred millions
of dollars. The suffering and destitution
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 tha sanction of Congress.
Abont 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 a very general public sentiment
in favor of national sanitary administra.
ton, which shall not only control quaran-
tine, but have the sanitary supervision of
inttrnal 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
Siate authorities are unable to regulate.
The national quarantine act approved
April 20, 1873, 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 step in the
direction here indicated. In view of the
necessity for the most effective measures,
by quarantine and otherwise, for the protec-
tion 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-
tion.
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 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 maintained the authority of
the National Government, aud the integrity
and perpetuity of the Union at such 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, be
enforced, rigidly and impartiaIly, in letter
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 and privileges. By these
constitutional amendments, the Southern
section of the Union obtain large increase
of political power in Congress and in the
Electoral College, 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 is 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
important opportunity to measure the de
gree in which the right of suffrage could bt
exercised by the colored people, and woulC
be repeated by their fellow-citizens, but
more general enjoyment of freedom O
suffrage by the colored people, and NOR
lust and generous protection of that freedom
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 rem
edied by legal protection; but in the State
of Louisiana and South Carolina at large
and in some particular Congressional dis
tricts outside of these States, the records O
the elections seem to compel the conclusion
that the rights of the colored voters hav
been oYerridden, and their participation i
the elections not permitted to be eithe
general or free.
IL Will pS ioI INC NonSresb ior WHICH Lnes
elections were held, to make such examini
tions into their conduct as may be apprC
pirate to determine the validity of tn
claims of members to their seats. In th
meanwhile il becomes the duty OF the E.
ecutive and Judicial Departments of th
Government, each in its province, to inquir
into and punish violations of the laws c
the United States which have occurred.
can hut repeat what l said in this come,
tion in my last message, that whatever at
tkority rests with me to this end shall nc
hesitate to put forth, and l am unwilling t
fofe>so renewed appeal to the Legislatures
the coursss the executive authorities, an
the people of the States where these wrons
have been perpetrated, to give their assis
ance toward bringing to justice the often,
ers, and preventing repetition OF ii
crimes. No means within my power WI