Year: 1877




OF all good, congratulate YOU. Mt the he
ginning OF your regular session. You find
our country blessed with wealth and
peace ano abundant haryests. and with
encouraging prospects of an early return
OF general prosperity.


THE PACIFIcATIoN OF THE COUNTRY
continues, and until it is fully accom-
pllshed must remain the most important
of all our National interests The earn.
est purpose OF good citizens generally To
unite their efforts in those endeavors is
evident. II found decided expression
IN the resolutions announced i'm 1876 by
the National Conventions of the leading
political parties of the country. There
was widespread apprehension that
momehtous results in our progress as a
nauon marked by the recent amend
ments to the Constitution were in immi-
hent jeopardy, that the understanding
which prompted their adoption in the
interest of loyal devotion to the GEN
erai welfare might prove a barren truce
and that the sections of the country
once engaged in civil strife might be
again almost as widely severed and
dlsunlted as they were when arrayed in
war. -


The course to be pursued, in my iudg-
ment the wisest in the presence of this
emergency, was plainly indicated in my
inaugural address. 1t pointed TO the
time, which all our people desire to nee,
when genuine love of our whole counz
try and of all that concerns its true well
fare, shall supplant the destructive
force OF mutual animosity of races and
OF sectional hostility. Opinions have
differed widely as to the measures best
calculated to secure this great end. This
was to be expected. The measures
adopted by the Administration have
Deen subjected to severe and varied
CRITICISMS, and any course whatever
which might have been entered upon.
would certainly have encountered dis
trust and opposition.


these measures were, in my Judgment.
such as were most in harmony with the
Constitution, and with the genius of
our people, and best adapted, under all
the circumstances, to attain the end i'm
view.


The benehcent results already appar-
ent prove that these endeavors are not
to he regarded as mere experiment and
should sustain and encourage us in our
efforts. Already, in the brief time
which has elapsed, the immediate eff
fectiveness, no less than the Justice of
the course pursued, is demonstrated, and
l have an abiding faith that time will
furnish its ample vindication in the
minds of the great majority of my fell
low citizens.


The discountenance of the use of the
army for the purpose of upholding loca
governments in two States of the Union
was no less n constitutional duty and
requirement under the circumstances
existing at the time, than it was
needed measure for the restoration of
local self-government and the promotion
of national harmony


The withdrawal of the troops from
such employment was effected diligently,
and with solicitious care for the peace
and good order of society and the pro-
lection of the prosperity and every right
ofpersoDs of all classes of citizens. The
results that have followed are indeed
significant and encouraging.


All apprehension of danger from re-
mitting those States to local self-govern-
ment is dispelled, and the most salutary
change in the minds of the people has
begun, and is in progress in every part
OF that section of the country, once the
theater of unhappy civil strife, substi-
tutlng for suspicion, distrust, and aver
SION, concord, friendship, and patriotic
"NNoShhOhb W bUt OuIOU.


No unprejudiced mind will deny that
the often fatal collisions which, for sew
eral years, have been of frequent occur
renee, and have alarmed the public
mind, have almost entirely ceased, and
that spirit of mutual forbearance and
hearty national interest has succeeded.
There has been q general re-establish-
ment of orderly administration of JUS
tice. Instances of remaining lawIess-
ness have become Of rare occurrence.


Political turmoil and turbulance have
disappeared. Useful industries have
been resumed public credit in TIE
Southern States has been greatly
strengthened, and the encouraging bene-
fits of revival of commerce between
sections of the country lately embroiled
in civil war are fully enjoyed.


Such are some Of the results already
attained, upon which the country Is To
be congratulated. They are of such
importance that we may, with conf
dence, patiently await the desired CON
summation that will surely come with
the natural progress Of events.


j may not be improper here 10 say
that IL should be our fixed and anal
terable determination to protect, by all
available and proper means under the
Constitution and laws, the lately
emancipated race in the experiment Of
their rights and privileges, and urge
upon those 20 whom heretofore tbe
colored people sustained the relation Of
bondman, the wisdom and Justice
of humane and liberal local legjs-
lation with respect to their edu.
cational and general welfare. and
firm adherence 10 the laws. both
National and State as to the civil and
political rights Of the colored people now
advanced to full and equal citizenship /.
the immediate repression and sure pun
ishment by the National and local au-
thoritics, within their respective iuris-
dictions, Of every instance Of lawless-
ness and violence toward them, is re-
quired for the security alike of both
races, and is justly demanded by the
public opinion Of the country and the