The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-12-06

The PreSluent'S message.
President Hayes's message was transmitted
to both Houses of Congress, upon their as
sembling on Monday The document liz
temperate in its tone, contains nothing start
ling, and is devoted principally to sugges-
tons on various subjects, some ofthem val.
liable and some not.
The President opens his message with a
fitting acknowledgment of gratitude to God
for the continued bestowa, during the last
year. of countless blessings upon ourcountry,
in the peace we enjoy, the improvement of
the public credit, the abundant harvests, and
the general prosperity which has been so
anxiously looked for, and which the Presi-
dent thinks is at last within our reach.
The President refers to the yellow fever
scourge which has swept over a portion of
the Southern States and recommends Con-
gress to give attention to the subject of ma
tonal sanitary regulations He estimates
that about 100000 cases of yellow fever &C.
Cured, of which 10000 proved fatal The
loss to the country, he says, is to be estimat-
ed by hundreds of millions of dollars.
That portion of his message which will be
read with most interest and criticized with
most severity is the part relating TO the
Southern elections. The President truly
says that the permanent qualification of the
country by the complete protection of all
citizens in every civil and political right con.
tinues to be of paramount interest to every
good citizen. He then proceeds to make the
sweeping charge that in Louisiana and South
Carolina, especially, the rights of the colored
voters have been overrdden, and their par.
ticipation in the elections not permitted to
be either general or free. This part of his
message is disappointing to the stalwart Re.
publicans, because it does not breathe out
threatenings and slaughter, and only coun-
sells an appeal to the Legislatures, the courts
and the people Of those States to aid the fed,
eral authorities in bringing to justice all who
have violated the election laws. No one
certainly, can take exception to President
Hayes in his efforts to protect the colored
voters ofthe South in all theprivieges granted
to them by law ; but we think if his informa,
ton is based upon no better authority than
that OF INSCRIPTIONS United States marshals
election supervisors, &c, who were sent
South before the election, and whose chance
for office consists in keeping up the very
state of affairs the President deprecates, he is
most probably mistaken. In point of fact
everything goes to prove that the negroes
voted exactly as they pleased, and as gen.
eral thing they pleased to vote with the Dem.
ocrats. OF course there may have been so.
lated instances where colored wen were pre-.
vented from voting rs they pleased; but we
have not the slightest doubt an equal mum.
Der of instances might be found in the
Northern cities where white men were lille.
gally deprived Of their votes because Their
political preferences did not accord with
those of the party in power. President
Hayes should not forget the crimes and frauds
perpetrated in his behalfin those same States
in 1876. The public have not forgotten
them, and they remember that President
Hayes showed no anxiety to bring the per.
he has rewarded every man who took
part in the frauds by which he became Presi
dent.
The financial condition of the government
is reviewed. The surpus revenue for the year
ending June 80, 1878, is stated to be 500, 799,.
G5190 The amount of the public debt, less
cash in the Treasury, on the LIST of Novem.
ber 1878, is 5000 200,Os31S The Presi
dent thinks that the permanent welfare Of
the country will be promoted by Congress
abstainng from all attempts to make radical
changes in existing financial legislation.
The remainder of the message is taken up
with review of our foreign relations, In
dian affairs, agriculture, education, &c. The
President thinks that the importance of the
agricultural interest entities it to all the con
sderaton claimed for it at Washington, and
that all important and costly experiments in
the practice of advanced agriculture should
be a charge upon the government for the
benefit of the whole people,
He renews the reco mmendation, contained
in his first message, that the local systems Of
education in the several States should be sup
pemcnted by aid from the general govern
ment.
The message closes with review of the
affairs of the District of Columbia, the bur
den of which is that Congress must appro
pirate money for its needs.
The subject most conspicuous by its alb
sence from the message is Civil Service Re-
form. President Hayes letter ofacceptance
his inaugural address and his first message to
Congress were fall Oft, and some people were
simple enough to believe that the day of ma.
chine politics was past; that every Office hold.
erwould be allowed to vote as lie pleased, and
that honesty and capability, not usefulness
to party, were to be made the tests of fitness
for Office. The Presidents weakness and
vacillation in carrying out his project FIRE.
form in politics has rer dered him so ridicul.
Gus to both parties, that il is no wonder he
is ashamed TO allude to civil service reform
The message, as whole, is mild in its
tone, and will please and displease nobody
CoNGREss.-The second session of the
Forty fifth Congress commenced at Washing
ton on Monday In the Senate Mr. Beck