The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-12-11
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.

Representatives,. a., .:.a
and increasing prosperity OF our country.
Bv the favor of the Divine Providence
we have been blessed, during the past
wear. with health, with abundant mar.
vests. with profitable employment Tor all
our people, and with contentmeLt AZ
home. and with peace and friendship
with other nations.
The occurrence of the twenty-fourth
election of the Chief Magistrate has al
fOrded another opportunity 10 tne people
of the United States to exhibit 10 the
world significant example OF the peace
tnl and safe transmission OF the power
and authority of government from the
public servants, whose terms OF Office are
about TO expire, to their newly-cnoSeh
successors. This example can not fail TO
impress profoundly thoughtful people
of other countries with the advantages
which Republican institutions afford.
The immediate. general and cheerful ac-
0uiescence of all good citizens, IN the re-
suit of the election, gives gratifying as
surance to our country, and TO us frlehuS
throughout the world, that government
based ON the free consent or an Inleili-
gent and patriotic people possesses ele-
ments of strength, stability and perma.
nencv not found III any other FORM OF
government.
Continued opposition to the full ana
free cnjoymenls of the rights OF cltlzen-
ship. conferred upon The cOlOred people
by the recent amendments to the CON
stitution, still prevail in several OF the
late slave-holdng states. 1t has, per
haps. not been manifested in the recent
election to any large extentln acts OF Vlo-
lenca or intimidation. 1t has. however,
by fraudulent practices IN connection
with the ballots, with the regulations as
to the places and manner or Young, ana
with counting, returning anu caiiVaSSlne
the votes cast, been successful III de-
feating the exercise of the right preserva-
tive of all rights, the right OF suffrage,
which the constitution expressly cOnferS
upon our eniranchised citizens.
1t is the desire of the good people or
the whole country that secti0nalsm AS
factor in our politics should disappear.
They prefer that no section Of the c0un-
try should be united in solid opposition
to- any other section. The disposition to
refuse prompt and hearty obedience 10
the equal-rights amendments to The con
stitutlOn IS all that now stands In the
way of "A complete oblteratlon OF sec
tlOnal lines III our political contests. AS
long as either of these amendments Is
hagrantly violated or dslegarded 1T Is
safe to assume that the people who
placed them IN the constitutions, as EN-
bodying the legitimate results Of the war
for the Union, and who believe them to
be wise and necessary, Will continue To
act together and to insist that they shall
be oDeyed. The paramount question
still is, rs to the enjoyment OF the right
by every American citizen who has the
requisite qualifications, To freely Cast ms
vote and to have it honestly counted.
With this question rightly settled the
country will be relieved Of the conten-
tons OF the past; by cones will indeed be
by-gones, and political and party issues
with respect to economy and efficiency
of administration, internal improve
ments, the tariff. domestic taxation, edu-
cation. finance and other important sub
iects. will then receive their full share of
attention But resistance TO and nullili-
cation Of the results OF the war Will unite
together in reSolute purpose tor their
support all who maintain the authority
of the government and the perpetulty OF
the Union, and who adequately apprecl-
ate TIE value of the victory achieved.
This determination proceeds from no
hostile sentiment or feeling TO any part
of the people of our country, or to any OF
their interests. The Involability of the
amendments rests upon the fundamen-
tai principle Of our government. They
are the solemn expression of the Will OF
the people of the United States.
The sentiment that the constitutional
right of all our citizens must be maintain
ed does not grow weaker. 1t will c0ntin-
ne to control the government of the
country. Happily, the history of the late
election shows that in many parts OF the
country where opposition To the Fifteenth
Amendment has heretofore prevailed 1t
is diminishing, and is likely to cease al
together. If firm and we'll considered &C
ton is taken by Congress. | trust the
House of Representatives and the Senate,
which have the right to judge of the cleo
tons, returns and qualifications OF their
own members, will see to 1t that every
case of violation of the letter or spirit OF
the Fifteenth Amendment Is thoroughly
investigated, and that no benefit from
such violation shall accrue to any person
or party. 1t will be the duty ct the FIX
ecutive, with sufficient appropriations for
the purpose, to prosecute unsparingly all
who have been engaged in depriving cit
liens of the rights guaranteed to them by
the constitution.
II is not, however. to be forgotten that
the best and surest guarantee Ofvthe pri-
mary rights of citizenship IS to be found
in that capacity Tor self protection which
can belong only to a people whose right
to universal suffrage is supported by uni
versal education. The means at the
command of the local and state authori-
ties are. in many cases, wholly made
quate to furnish free instruction to all
who need it. This is especially true
where, before emancipation, the educa-
ton of the people was neglected or pre-
vented, in the interest of slavery. Firm
" convinced that the subject of popular
education deserves the earnest attention
of the people of the whole country, with
view to wise and comprehensive action
by the government OF the United States,
respectfully recommend that Congress,
by suitable legislation and with proper
safeguards, supplement the local ednca-
tiOnai funds in the several states where
the grave duties and responsibilities of
citizenship have been devolved on uned
ucated people, by devoting to the purpose
grants of the public lands and, If neces-