Year: 1878

The Presidents annual messag


was presented to Congress on tn


opening Gay, Monday, December %


He thanks the Divine Being for hi


continued bestowal of counties


blessings upon our country. We ar


at peace with all nations. Cur credi


was probably never stronger before


There have been abundant harvests


reviving our industries, and there i


promise of continued prosperity. H


reviews the history of the yellow


fever epidemic, and says: The fearful


spread of this pestilence has ava


kened very general public senti


ment in favor ol national sanitary


administration, which shall not only


control every quarantine, but have


the sanitary supervision of interna


commerce in times Of epidemics, and
hold an advisory relation to the State
and municipal health authorities, with
power to deal with whatever endan.
gers the public health, and which the
municipal and State authorities are
unable to regulate. The national
quarantine act approved April 29
1878, which was passed too late in
the last session of Congress to provide
the means for carrying it into practi-
cal operation during the past season
is step in the direction here indi-
Gated. In view of the necessity for
the most effective measures, by quar-
antine and otherwise, for the protec-
tion of our seaports and the country
generally, from this and other cpl
denies, it is recommended that Con-
gres- give to the whole subject ear y
and careful consideration.


The permanent pacifcation. of the
country by the complete protection
of all citizens in every civil and po-
litical right continues to be of para
mount interest with tie great body of
our people. Every stepin this direc,
ton is welcomed with public approval,
and every interruption of steady and
uniform progress to the desired con-
summation awakens general uneasi-
ness and widespread condemnation.
The recent Congressional elections
have furnished a direct and trust
worthy test of the advance thus far
made in the practical establishment
Of the right Of suffrage, secured by
the Constitution to the liberated race
in the Southern States. All disturb
ing influences, real or imaginary, had
been removed from all of these States.


The three constitutional amend
ments, which conferred freedom and
equality of civil and political rights
upon the colored people of the South,
were adopted by the concurrent action
Of the great body of the good citizens
who maintained the authority of the
national government and the integrity
and prosperity of the Union at such
cost of treasure and life, as wise
and necessary embodimentin the or
ganic law the lust results of the
War. The people of the loru~.>-l-.-A-
holding States accepted these results,
and gave, in ever practicable form,
assurances that the thirteenth, four
teenth and fifteenth amendments, and
laws passed in pursuance thereof,
should, in good faith, be enforced,
rigidly and impartially, in letter and
spirit, to the end that the humblest
citizen, without distinction of race
or color, should, under them, receive
full and equal protection in person
and property, 9nd in political rights
and privileges. By these constitu-
tional amendments, tie Southern
section of the Union obtained large
increase Of political power in Con-
gress and in the Electoral College,
and the country justly expected that
elections would proceed, as to the en-
franchised race, upon the same cir
cumstances of. legal and constitu-
tional freedom and protection which
obtained in all the other States of the
Union. The friends of law and order
looked forward to the conduct Of these
elections as offering to the general
judgment of the country an impor-
tant opportunity 10 measure the de-
gree in which the right of suffrage
could be exercised by the colored
people, and would be respected by
their fellow, citizens; but a more
general enjoyment of freedom of
suffrage by the colored people, and a
more just and generous protection Of
that freedom by the communities of
which they form part were gene.
rally anticipated than the record Of
the election discloses. In some Of
those States in which the colored
people have been unable to make
their opinions felt in the elections,
the result is mainly due to influences
not easily measured or remedied by
legal protection; but in the States of
Louisiana and South Carolina at
large, and in some particular Con-
gressional Districts outside of those
States the records of the elections
seems to compel the conclusion that
the rights of the colored voters have
been overridden, and their participa-
ton in the elections not permitted to
be either general Or free.


1t will be for the Congress for which
these elections were held to make
such examinations into their conduct
as may be appropriate to determine
the validity Of the claims of members
to their sets. In the meanwhile il
Becomes the duty Of the Executive
and Judicial Departments of the
Governments, each in its province, tt
inquire into and punish violations o
the laws of the United States which
have occurred. can but repea


what I said in this connection in my
last message. that whatever authority