Year: 1877

Army, District OF COlum.


bfa, Etc.


Fellow-citizenso of the Senate and Hoh$ $e


Of fRepresentatives:--With great gratitude


to the bOuntiful Giver of all good, com


gratulate you at the beginning of your
first regular session. You find our coua-


try blessed with wealth and peace snd


abundant harvests, and with encouraging


prospects of an early return of general


prosperity. The pacifcation Of the e0un-


try continues and will be until il Is fully


accomplished and must remain the most


important of all our n2ti0naminterests.


The earnest purpose of good citizens gen


orally to unite their efforts in thess en-


deavOrs is evident. II found decided


expression in the resolutions announced


in 1876 by the national conventions OF


the leading political parties of the cOun-


try. There was widespread apprehen-


sion that the mOmentOus results in our


progress IS a nation, marked by the recent


amendments to the constitution, were in


imminent Jeopardy that the good


understanding which prompted their


adoption in the interest of loyal devotion


to the general welfare, must prove q


barren truce, and that the sections of the


country once engaged in civil strife might


be again almest as widely severed and


dlsunlted as they were when arraved in


arms against each other. The course 10


be pursued, in my judgment, which
seems the wIsest in the presence of this
emergency, was plainly indicated in my
inaugural address; it pointed to the time


which all our people desired to see, when


a genuine love Of our whole country and


OF all that concerns its true welfare shall


supplant the destructive force of the
mutual animOsity of races and of sec
tional 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 been subjected
to severe and varied criticisms, ANY
course whatever which might have
been entered upon would certainly have
encountered distrust 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 hest adopted, under all cir
cumstances, to attain the end in view.
The beneticent results already apparent
prove that these endeavors are
yet TO be regarded As a mere
experiment, and should sustain
and encourage US in sur efforts Already
IN the briet period which has elapsed,
the immediate effect happens, no less than
the justice of the course pursued, is
demonstrated. and l have the eabiding faith
that time will furnish its ample vindica-
tion in the minds of the great majority
of my fellow-citizens. The discontinu.
ance of the army for the purpose of up
holding local governments in two states
of the union, was no less a constitutional
duty and requirement, under the cir
cumstances existing at the time, than it
was necessary measure for the restOra-
tien of local selt-government and the
promotion of national harmony.


The withdrawal of the troops from such
wss effected diligently and
with solicitous care for the peace and
good order of society and the protection
of the prosperity and persons of every
right OF all classes of citizens, the results
that have followed are indeed significant
and encouraging, all aPprehensions of
danger from remitting those states to
local self-government is dispelled and
most salutary change in the minds of the
people has begun, and is in progress in
every part OF that section of the Suntry
once the theatre of unhappy civil
strife, substituting for suspicion,
distrust and aversion has given
place to concord, friendship and
patriotic attachment to the union. No
one will deny that the often fatal COM
of crimes, which for several
years have been of frequent occurrence,
and have alarmed the public mind, have
almost entirely ceased, and that a spirit of
mutual forbearance and hearty national
interest has succeeded. There has been
a general re-establishment of order and
of the orderly administration OF justice.
Instances of any remaining lawless-
ness have become of rare occurrence;
political turmoil and turbulence have
and useful industries have
been resumed and public credit in the
southern states has been greatly strength
ened, and the encouraging benefits of a
revival of commerce between the sections
of the country lately embroiled in the
civil war are fully enjoyed. Such are
some of the results already attained, upon
which the country is to be congratulated,
and they are of such importance that.We
may with confidence patiently await the
desired contamination that will surely
come with the natural progress of events


1t may not be improper here to say
that it should be our fixed and unalter.
able determination to protect by all the


vailable and proper means under the
and the laws of the lately
race in the experiment of
their rights and privileges, and I urge
upon those, to whom heretofore the col
ored people have sustained the relation
of bondsmen, the wisdom and Justice of
human and liberal local legislation with
respect to their educational and general
welfare a firm adherence to the laws Of
both national and state as to theiE.civil
and political rights of the colored people
now advanced to full and equal citizen
ship. The immediate repression and sure
punishment blythe national and local au-
thorities within their respective jurisdic-
tions of every instance of lawlessness and
violence toward them is required for the
alike of both races, and is Justly
demanded by the public opinion of the
and the age. In this way the res
toration of harmony and good will and the
complete protection OF every citizen
in the full enjoyment of every eonstitu
tional right will surely be attained.
Whatever authority rests with me to
this end | shall not hesitate to put forth
whatever belongs to the power of fcongress
and the jurisdiction of the courts of
the union they may confidently he
relied upon to provide and perform.
and to the legislatures, the courts and
the executive authorities of the several
states l earnestly appeal to secure by
adequate, appropriate and seasonabje
means within their borders these common
and uniform rights of the united people
which love liberty, abhor oppression and
revere justice; these objects are very