Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-12-13
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

FellOlo Citizens Of he Senate and House
Of Representatives.:
congratulate you on the continued and
increasing prosperity of the country. BY
the favor of Divine Providence we have
been blessed during the past year with
health, with abundant harvests, with
profitable employment for all our people,
and with contentment at home and with
peace and friendship with other nations.
The occurrence of the twenty-fourth
election of Chief Magistrate has afforded
another opportunity to the people of the
United States to exhibit to the world
significant example of the peaceful and
safe transmission of the power and au-
thority of Government from the public
servants whose terms of Office are about
to expire to their newly chosen successors.
This example cannot fail to impress pro-
foundly thoughtful people of other coun-
tries with the advantages which republic
can institutions afford.
Continued opposition to the full and
free enjoyment of the rights of citizen
ship, conferred upon the colored people
by the recent amendments to the Consti-
tuition still prevails in several of the late
slave holding States. 1t has, perhaps,
not been manifested in the recent election
TO any large extent in acts of violence or
intimidation. 1t has, however, by fraud
ulent practices in connection with the
regulations as to the places and manner
of voting, and with counting, returning
and canvassing the votes cast, been sue
cessful in defeating the exercise of the
right preservative of all rights, the right
of suffrage, which the constitution ex-
pressly confers upon our enfranchised
citizens.
1t is the desire of the good people of
the whole country that sectionalism as a
factor in our politics should disappear.
They prefer that no section Of the country
should be united in solid opposition to
any other section. The disposition to
refuse a prompt and hearty obedience to
the equal rights amendments to the Con-
stitution is all that now stands in the way
Of complete obliteration of sectional
lines in our political contests. As long
as either of these amendments is fiagrantly
violated or disregarded, it is safe tc
assume that the people who placed then
in the Constitution, as embodying the
legitimate results the war for the Union
and who believe them to be wise anC
necessary, will continue to act together
and to insist that they shall be obeyed
The paramount question still is to tn,
enjoyment of the right by every American
citizen who has the requisite quali6ca
tiOns, to freely cast his vote and have i
honestly counted. With this question
rightly settled, the country will be reliev
ed of the contentious of the past; bygone
will indeed be bygones; and political ant
party issues with respect to economy ant
efficiency of administration, internal i'm
provements, the tariff, domestic taxation
education, finance and other importan
subjects will then receive their full shar
of attention.
The sentiment that the constitutions
rights OF all our citizens must be main
tanned does not grow weaker. 1t viii
continue to control the Government O
the country. Happily the history of tn
late election shows that in many parts O
the country where opposition to the fl
teenth amendment has heretofore pre-
vailed it it is diminishing, and is likely t
cease altogether, if firm and well consiC
cred action is taken by Congress. trus
the House of Representatives and tn
Senate, which have a right to judge c
the elections, returns and qualification
of their own members, will see to it tha
every case of violation of the letter q
spirit of the fifteenth amendment is tho
oughly Investigated, and that no benef
from such violation shall accrue to an
person or party. 1t will be the duty {
the Executive, with sufficient appropri
tions for the purpose, to prosecute III
sparingly all who have been engaged
depriving citizens of the rights guaral
teed them by the Constitution.
1t is not, however, to be forgotten tn;
the best and safest guarantee of the pr
mary rights of citizenship is to be four
In that capacity for self protection whiC
can belong only to people whose rig
to universal suffrage is supported
universal education. The means at Il
command of the local and State autho
tiles are, in many cases, wholly mad
quate to furnish free instruction to
who need it. This is especially tn
where before emancipation the educate
of the people was neglected or prevent,
in the interests of slavery. Firmly co
E. WINGED that the system of popular educ
ton deserves the earnest attention of t
people of the whole country, with vie
to wise and comprehensive action by t
Government of the United States, 1
specially recommend that Congress,
suitable legislation and with prop
safeguards, supplement the local educ
tional funds in the several States
deyoting to the purpose grants of pub
lands, and, if necessary, by appropr
tions from the Treasury of the Unit
States.
In my former annual messages ha
asked the attention of Congress to
urgent necessity of a reformation of t
Civil Service of the Government. \
views concerning the dangers of patro
age, or appointments for personal
partisan considerations, have be
strengthened by my observation a
experience in the Executive office, ant
believe these dangers threaten the stab
ity of the Government. Abuses so serio
in their nature cannot be permanent
tolerated. They tend to become INC
alarming with the enlargement of adm
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