Year: 1877

FeltOtc- CHtze7ts o. Jse oe1ote ana f0ttSeV rep
resentdtipes::


With great gratitude to the bounu-
ful Giver of all good. I congratulate
you that at the beginning of your first
regular session, you find your country
blessed with health and peace, and
abundant harvests, ,andwitb encourag-
ing prospects of an early return ofgen-
eral prosperity. To complete and
make permanent the pacification of
the country continues to be. and until
it is fully accomplished, must remain,
the most important of all our national
interests. The earnest purpose of
good citizens generally to unite their
efforts in those endeavors is evident.


THE SOUTHERN POLICY.


Suspicion, distrust and aversion,
that have been Of frequent occurrence
and have alarmed the public mind,
have almost entirely ceased, and a
spirit of mutual forbeare uce and hear
ty national interest has succeeded.
There has been a general re-establish-
ment of order and of the orderly ad-
ministration of justice. Instances of
remaining lawlessness have become
of rare occurrence. II has found ex-
preston in the resolutions announced
in 1876 by the national convention of
the leading political parties OF the
country. There was wide spread
apprehension that the momentous re-
suits in our progress as a nation,
marked by the recent amendments to
the constitution, were in imminent
jeopardy that the good understand
ing which prompted their adoption
in the interest of a loyal devotion to
general welfare, might prove barren
truce, and that the sections of the
country once engaged in civil strife
might be again almost as widely sew
cred and disunited as they were when
arrayed in arms against each other.
Any course whatever which might
have been entered upon, would cer-
tainly 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 best
adapted, under all circumstances. to
attain the end in view. The beneti-
cial results already apparent. prove
that these endeavors are not to be re-
garded as a mere experiment., and
should sustain aud encourage us in
our efforts. Already In the brief pc
riod which has elapsed, the immedi-
ate effectiveness, no less than the JUS
tice of the course pursued, is demon
strated, and l have an abiding faith
that time will furnish its ample vim
dication i'm the minds of the great
majority of my fellow citizens. The
discontinuance of the use of the ar
my for the purpose of upholding local
government in two states was no less
a constitutional duty and requiremen.
under the circumstances existing,
| than 1t was a'much' need measure for
the restoration Of local self-govern-
ment and the promotion OF national
harmony. The withdrawal of the
troops from such employment was ef-
fected deliberately and with solicitous
care for the peace and good order of
society and the protection Of property
and persons and every right of all
classes of citizens. ! Tbe-results that
have followed are indeed sign ificant
and encouraging. All apprehension
of danger from remitting those states
to local self-government is dispelled.
and q most salutary change in the
minds of the people has begun and is
in progress In every part of that Sec
ton ofthe country. once the theatre of
unhappy civil strife. Political turmoil
and turbulence have disappeared, use
fnl industries have been resumed, pub
lie credit in the southern states has
been greatly strengthened. and the
encouraging benefits of revival of
commerce between the sections of
country lately embrOiled in civil war
are fully enjoyed. Such are some Of
the results already attained, upon
which the country is to be congratu-
lated. They are Of such importance
that we may with confidence patient
ly await the desired consumm nation
that will surely come with the natur-
al progress of even.s.


PROTECTION OF THE CoLoRED PEOPLE.


1t may not be improper for me here
to say that 1t should be our fixed and
unalterable determination to protect
by all available means under the con-
stitution and the law the lately eman-
cipated race In the exercise of their
rights and privileges, and urge upon
those to whom heretofore the colored
people have sustained the relation of
bondmen, the justice and wisdom of
humane and liberal local legislation ;
with respect to their education and
their general welfare. a firm adher-
enoe to the laws, both national and
state, as to the civil and political
rights of the colored people. now ad-
vanced to full and equal citizenship.
The Immediate suppression aud sure
Punishment by the national and To-
cal authorities within their respective
jurisdiction of every instance of law
lessness and violence toward them Is
required for the security alike of both
races, and is justly demanded by the
public opinion of the country and the
age. In this way the restoration of
harmony and good will and the COM
plete protection of every citizen in
the full enjoyment of every constitu-
tional right will surely be attained.
Whatever authority rests with me to