San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-01-11
pREsIDEyTs MEssA6E.

! OUr heartfelt Brutituuc III uuc W eh'
Divine Being, who holds in his hands
the destinics of all nations, for the con.
tinucd bcstowal, during the last year, OF
countless blessings upon our country
We aic at peace with all other nations
Our public credit has greatly improved,
and is, perhaps, now stronger than ever
before. Abundant harvests have reward.
ed the labors of those WHO till the soil.
Our manufacturing industries are re-
viving, and it is believed that general
prosperity, which has been so long anx-
iously looked for, is at last within our
reach. i' \" ''. Ne
THE YELLOW FEVER AND NATIONAL QUAR-
f. -. s.g .ANTINE,l .rlG.i .l..
The enjoyment of health by our peo-
pie generally has, however, been inter-
rupted during the past season by the
prevalence of fatal pestilence, tho yell
low fever, in some portions of the south
ern States, creating an emergency which
called for prompt and extraordinary
measures of relief. The disease appear
ed as an epidemic at New Orleans and
ut other places on the lower Mississippi
soon after midsummer. 1t was rapidly
spread by fugitives from the infected
cities and towns, and did not disappear
until early in November. The States Of
Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee
have suffered severely. About one hun
dred thousand cases arc believed to have
occurred, of which about twenty thous-
and, according to intelligent estimates,
proved fatal. tits impossible to esti-
mate, with any approach to accuracy,
the loss to the country occasioned by
this epidemic. It is to be reckoned 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 as
sistance 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, the call for help by
providing tents, medicine and food for
the sick and destitute, the requisite di-
rections for the purposes being given in
the confident expectation that this action
of the executive would receive the sane
ton of Congress. About 1900 tents,
and rations of the value of 1926, 900 were
sent to cities and towns which applied
for them, full details of which will be
furnished to Congress by the proper de-
partment. -g,.l lng..r. ., DID,.
The fearful spread of this pestilence
has awakened very general public sen.
timent in favor of national sanitary iad.
ministration, which shall not only con-
troll quarantine, but have sanitary super
vision Of internal commerce in times of
epidemics, and hold an advisory relation
to State and municipal health authori-
ties, with power to deal with whatever
endangers the public health and which
municipal and State authorities are I'M
able to regulate. The national qllaran-
tine act, approved April Goth, rs, which
was passed too late in the last session OF
Congress to provide means for carrying
it into practical operation during the
past seasons stepin the direction here
indicated. In view of the necessity for
most effective measures by quarantine
and otherwise for the protection of our
seaports, and our country generally.
from this and other epidemics, it is
recommended that Congress give the
whole subject early and careful consid-
Grafton.
SHAKING THE SHIRT.
The permanent pacification of the
country by 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 iswelcomcd
with public approval and every inter
ruption of steady and uniform progress
to the desired contamination awakens
general uncasiness and widespread con-
demnation. The recent Congressional
elections have furnished direct trust
worthy test of the advance thus far made
in the practicable establishment of the
right of suffrage secured by the consti-
tuition to the liberated race in the South
crn States. All disturbing influences,
real or imaginary, had been removed
from all of these States; three constitu-
tional amendments, which conferred
freedom and equality of civil and politi-
cal rights upon the colorcd people of the
south, We're adopted by concurrent ac-
ton OF the great body of good citizens
who maintained the authority of the ma
tional government and the integrity and
pcrpetuity of the Union at such cost of
treasure and life. us wise and neccssa-
nv embodiment in the organic law as the
just results of the war. The people of
the former slave-holding States accept
ed these results. and gave in every prac-
ticahlc form, assurance that the thir-
teentl, fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments. and laws passed in pursuance
thereof. would in good faith be enfcrc-
81. Iicilly and imnartinllY. in letter and