The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1880-12-16
EXTRACTS FROM THE ANNUAL
MESSAGE OF THE PRESIDENT.

pfC&csS&N&EfNtS
] continued and increasing prosperity Of on
country. By the favor of Divine PrOvi
dence we have been blessed, during the pas
| year, with health, with abundant harvests
with profitable employment TOR all our PEG
pie, and with contentment at home, am
with peace and friendship with other ma
tions.
| The occurrence of the twenty-fourth cleo
ton of Chief Magistrate has afforded an
other opportunity to the people of tn
United States to exhibit to the world
significant example of the peaceful and SAT-
transmission of the power and authority o
government from the public servants who's,
| terms of Office are about to expire, to thei
newly chosen successors This example
cannot fail to impress profoundly, thought
full people of other countries with the ad
vantages which Republican institution
afford. The Immediate, general and cheer
full acquiescence of all good citizens, in the
result of the election, gives gratifying assur
ance to our country, and to its friends
throughout the world, that a Government
| based on the free consent of an intelligent
! and patriotic people possesses elements OF
strength, stability, and permanency not
found in any other form of government
Continued opposition to the full and free
enjoyment of the rights of citizenship con-
TERED upon the colored people by the recent
I
walls 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 fraudulent practices in
connection with the ballots, with the regu-
lations as to the places and manner of vot-
ing, and with counting, returning and can
wasting the votes cast been successful in
Il afa ha Of fhe rinrbf
vative of all rights, the right of suffrage,
which the Constitution expressly confers
upon our enfranchised citizens.
1t is the desire of the good people of the
whole country that sectionalism rs factor
in our politics should disappear. They pre-
fer that no section of the country should be
united in solid opposition to any other sec
ton. Tie disposition to refuse a prompt
and hearty obedience to the equal-rights
amendments to the Constitution, is all that
now stands in the way of complete oblit-
Grafton of sectional lines in our political
contests. As long as either of these amend
ments is hagrantly violated or disregarded,
it is safe to assume that the people who
placed them in the Constitution, as embody-
ing 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 obeyed. The
paramount question still is, as to the enjoy
ment of the right by every American citizen
who has the requisite qualifications, to free
ly cast his vote and to have it honestly
counted. With this question rightly settled
the country will be relieved of the conten-
tions of the past; bygones will indeed be
bygones and political and party issues with
respect to economy aud efficiency of admin
istration; internal Improvements, the tariff,
domestic taxation, education, finance, and
other important subjects, will then receive
their full share of attention but resistance
to and notification of the results of the
war, will unite together in resolute purpose
for their support all who maintain the au-
thority of the Government and the perpe-
tuity of the Union, and who adequately APP
preciate the value of the victory achieved.
This determination proceeds from no hostile
sentiment or feeling to any part of the peo-
pie of our country, or to any of their inter
ests. The inviolability of the amendments
rests upon the fundamental principle of our
Government. They are the solemn express
sion of the will Of the people of the United
States.
The sentiment that the constitutional
rights of all our citizens must be maintain
ed, does not grow weaker 1t will continue
to control the Government of the country.
the history of the late election
shows that in many parts of the country
where opposition to the fifteenth amendment
has heretofore prevailed, it is diminishing,
and is likely to cease altogether, if firm and
well considered action is taken by Congress-
[ trust the House of Representatives and
the Senate, which have the right to Judge
of elections, returns, and qualifications of
their own members, will see to it that every
case of violation of the letter or spirit of
the fifteenth amendment is thoroughly in
vestigated, and that no benefit from such
violation shall accrue to any person or party. |
1t will be the duty of the Executive, with
sufficient appropriations for the purpose, to
prosecute unsparingly all who have been
engaged in depriving citizens of the rights
guaranteed to them by the Constitution.
1t Is not, however, to be forgotten that
the best and surest guarantee of the prima-
ry rights of citizenship is to be found in !
that capacity for selfprotection which can
belong only to a people whose right to uni |
versal suffrage is supported by universal ed |
ucation. The means at the command of the |
local and State authorities are, in many
cases. wholly inadequate to furnish free in |
to all who need it. This is espe-
cially true where, before emancipation, the |
education of the people was neglected or pre- |
vented, in the interest of slavery Firmly |
convinced that 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, res
pectfully recommend that Congress, by suit |
able legislation and with proper safeguards, |
supplement the local educational funds in |
the several States where the grave duties |
and responsibilities of citizenship have been
devolved on uneducated people, by devot- |
ing to the purpose grants of the public lands, |
and, if necessary, by appropriations from
the treasury of the United States. Where
ever general education is found, peace, vir-
tue aud social order prevail, and civil and
religious liberty are secure.
There are still in existence, uncancelled,
1916, 681 ,016 of United States
LEGAL TENDER NOTES.
These notes were authorized as a war
measure, made necessary by the exigencies
of the conflict in which the United States
was then engaged. The preservation of the
existence required, in the judy
ment of Congress- an issue of legal tender
paper money. That it served we'll the pur-
pose for which it was created is not ques-
toned, but the employment of the notes as
paper money indefinitely, after the accom-
plishment of the object for which they were
provided, was not contemplated by the |
trainers of the law under which they were |
issued. These notes long since became like |
any other pecuniary obligation of the Gov |
ernment-a debt to be paid, and, when
paid, to be cancelled as mere evidence of an
Indebtedness no longer existing. / there
fore repeat what was said in the annual mes
of last year. that the retirement from circu-
lation of the United States notes, with the
capacity of legal tender in private contracts,
is step co be taken in our progress towards
a safe and stable currency, which should be
accepted as the policy and duty of the Gov
eminent and the interest and security of the
people.
At the time of the passage Of the act now
in force requiring the
COINAGE OF SILVER DOLLARS,
fixing their value and giving them legal
of the supporters of the measure that the
silver dollar which 1t authorized would