The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-12-04
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

THE PRESlDENT'S MESSAGE.
Delivered to the Last Session of the
45tlr Congress, Dee. 9, 1873.
FELLOW CITIZENS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF
REPRESENT Our heartfelt gratitude is due to
the divine being who holds In his hands the des,inies
of nations for the continued bestowal, during the
last year, Of countless blessings upon our country.
We are at peace with NIL other nations. Our public
credit has greatly improved and IL perhaps now
stronger than ever before. Abundant harvests have
rewarded tho labors OF those who till the soil. Our
Industries are reviving and 1t is be-
neved that the general prosperity which has been
reach. t5Et $751; tHEgf$5
5S1ts THE YELLOW FEWER. Isl
The enjoyment Of health BY our people generally
has, however, been interrupted during the past sea-
son by the prevalence OF fatal pestilence the yellow
fever i'll some portions OF the Southern States, cre-
ating an emergency which called for prompt and OK
laordinary measures Of relief. The disease appeared
At New Orleans and other places the lower Missis
sippi soon after midsummer twas rapidly spread
fugitiyes from the infected towns and cities and did
not disappear until early in November The States
of louisiana Mississippi and Tennessee have suffer-
cd severely. About one hundred thousand cases are
believed to have occurred, of which about *, 900,
according to Intelligent estimates, proved fatal 1t
is impossible to estimate with any proximate TO accn
racy, the loss to the country occasoned by the cpl
Of dollars The suffering and desttuon that resulted
excited the deepest sympathy In all parts OF the
Union. Physicians and nurses fastened from every
quarter to the assistance the afflicted COMMUNE
ties. Voluntary contributions Of money and sup
plies in every needed form were speedily and gener
ously furnished. The government was able to re-
viding tents, medicines and food for the siok and
destitute The requisite directions for the purpose be-
ing given in the confident expectation that
| the sanction of Congress. About l.soo
| tents and rstions OF the value OF about
$685. 600 sent to cities and towns which applied
for them, full details of which will be furnished to
! Congress by the proper department.. The fearful
| spread of this pestilence has awakened very gem
era public sentiment in favor Of national sanitary
administration, which shall not only control quaran-
tine but have the sanitary supervision Of internal
commerce in times of epidemics, and hold an advi-
sorry relation to the State and municipal health au-
thorities, with powers to deal with whatever endan
gers the public health and which the municipal and
State authorities are unable to regulate The national
quarantine act, approved April %, 1873 which was
vide the means for carrying into practical operation
during the past season. is step in the direction here
indicated. In view Of the necessity for the most ef
fective by quarantine and otherwise for the
protection of seaports and the country generally
from this and other epidemics, 1t is recommended
that Congress give to the whole subject early and
careful Consideration. f''' 80 ~ ~ t-SE& ~
G.. .... THE coLeR LINZ. a,e
The permanent pacihcation 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 uniform progress
to the desired contamination awakens general I'm
easness and widespread cOndemnation. The recent
Congressional elections have furnished direct and
trustworthy test of the advance thus far made in the
practical establishment of the right of suffrage Sc
cured by the constitution to the liberated in the
Southern States. All disturbing Influences real Or
imaginary, had been removed from all of these States.
The constitutional amendments which conferred
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 government and
the integrity and perpetuity Of the Union at such
cost of treasure and life wise and necessary en-
bodiment 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 prac-
ticable form assurances that the thirteenth, four
teenth and fifteenth amendments and laws passed in
pursuance thereof should in good faith be enforced
rgidy and inpartiay in letter and spirit to the end
that the humblest citizen without distinction of
or color, should under them receive full and equal
/ rights and privileges. By these constitutional
amendments the southern section Ct the Union OBJ
tanned large increase Of political power in Congress
| and in the electoral college, and the country justly
expected that elections would proceed, to the
franchised race, upon the same circumstances Of
legal and constitutional freedom and protection
Union. The friends of law and order looked forward
to the conduct Of these elections Offering to the
general judgment of the country an important OPP
portuniy to the degree in which the right OF
suffrage could be exercised by the colored people
and would be respected by their fellow-ctzens. But
more general enjoyment OF freedom OF suffrage by
! the cOlored people, and more just and generous
| protection Of that freedom, by the communities OF
which they form part were generally anticipated
than the record of the elections dscoses In OF
those States in which coored people have been unable
to make their opinions felt in the election, the result
| is mainly due to influences not easily measured OF
se States by Of legal 1ou1s0s and but South
Carolina at large, and in some particular
Congressional districts outside OF these states the
records Of the election seem to compel the concu
sion that the rights of coored voters have been
rden and their participation in the elections not per
mitted to be either general free It will be for the
Congress for which these elections had to make
propriate to determine the validity of the claims OF
members to the seats. In the meanwhile it becomes
the duty of the executive and judicial departments
Of the government each in it's province, to inquire
Of the United States which have hay ls O.;
sad in this in last Ta
whatever authority rests with me- to this end shall
not hesitate to put forth, and am unwilling to fore
60 renewed appeal to the legislatures, the courts
where the wrongs have been perpetrated to give the
assistance towards bringing to Justice the offenders
and preventing repetition of the crime. No meanl
| within my power will be spared to obtain full and
fair investigation of the alleged crimes, and to Sc
cure the conviction and just punishment of thu
guilty. =.-= 49,. 49, .,r43 -
It is TO be observed that the principal appropria
ton made for the department Of justice at the las
| session contained the following clause: 'sAnd fol
defraying the expenses which may be incurred In tn
act approved Feb. %, 1871, entitled act to
an act approved May so, 1870, entitled act to On
force the rights of citizens of the United States t.
vote in the several States of the Union and for ohe
purposes, or any acts amendatory thereof supple
mentary thereto It is the opinion of the attorne,
general that the expenses of these proceedings vii
largely exceed the amount which was thus provided
and rely confidently upon Co gress to make ade
quate appropriations to enable the executive depart
ment to enforce the laws. s|5fr
respectfully urge upon your attention that tn
Congressional elections in every district, in YER
important sense justly matter of interest ant
concern throughout the whole country. Each Stat
and every political party is entitled to share o
power which is conferred by the legal and eonstitu
tional suffrage. 1t is the right Of every citizen pos
sessing the qualifications prescribed by law to cas-
untimidated ballot and to have his ballot honest
| ~ counted. SO long the exercise Of thi
power and the enjoyment Of this right are common
aud equal, practically well formally, submission
to the results Of the suffrage will be accorded loyal
and cheerfrlly and all the departments of the gov
eminent will feel the true vgor of the popular wi
thus expressed. No temporary administrative In
terests of government, however urgent or weighty
will ever dsplace the zeal of people in defense
the primary rights Of citizenship. They understan
that the protection of liberty requires the maint<
nance In full vigor Of the manly methods of fire