t'MTKI) STATKS. 



As to the di>turbaiifi's in the States above 

 montiiiin-d, tin- reader U r.-l', rr.-<| to the de-tails 

 of tin- atlaii> in tin--.' Mate> und.-r l\i,- t:- 



: itcs respectively. In tin- proceedings of 

 Congress will In- found tin- di-i -U-MOU- r 

 more particularly to Louisiana ; and among 

 1'uhlic li.'citnieiits will l.f found tli.- message* 



of the President relating to the Maine State. 



Several conventions, of a inure or leas nation- 

 al character, wore held during the year ; hut the 

 roults which followed their acti.,n were small, 

 and entitle the proceedings only to a brief state- 

 ment. 



A convention of delegates from the recon- 

 structed Nates assembled at Chattanooga on 

 October 18th, and organized by the selection 

 of Lewis K. 1 'arsons, ot Alabama, as President. 

 Presidents, L. I). Evans, Texas; A. E. 

 Barber, Louisiana ; John N. Sarber, Arkan- 

 Tennis II. Little, Mississippi; David 

 \Voodnirt", Alabama; Jefferson Long, Georgia; 

 T. W. Osborne, Florida; J. T. Wilder, Ten- 

 nessee ; L. N. Shoemaker, Virginia. Secre- 

 taries, George W. Paschal, Jr., Texas ; H. W. 

 Lewis, Mississippi; J. A. Emerson, Arkansas. 

 The following letter from the Republican Con- 

 {_'iv>sional Executive Committee was read be- 

 fore the convention : 



To , Delegate to the Chattanooga Contention. 



SIR : Considerate men, who have given the subject 

 attention, regard the movement for a convention of 

 Southern Republicans as of very great importance to 

 the section of country to be represented. They be- 

 lieve that if calm and considerate counsels prevail, 

 and the delegates come together possessed of tho 

 facts bearing upon the condition of the Southern 

 communities, and lay them before the country in an 

 authentic and concise form, an impression will be 

 made which may favorably affect the judgment of the 

 well-disposed in every section. At this convention 

 the record should be fully and honestly made up, 

 showing all the hinderances to material, moral, and 

 intellectual progress with which the Republicans 

 have had to contend, what progress has been made, 

 and whether in the States ana sections where De- 

 mocracy lias control any of the great interests of so- 

 ciety have prospered more, and which, if any, have 

 been depressed ; also whether persons or property 

 have been more or less secure, and the reasons there- 

 for, whichever the fact may be ; outrages of all classes 

 should be carefully reported, whether resulting in 

 crime or extending only to intimidation. The spirit 

 and purpose of the action of the legislative, judicial, 

 and executive departments should be reviewed. All, 

 in fact, that tends to disorder, lawlessness, or oppres- 

 sion, may well be considered upon. The whole rec- 

 ord thus honestly and fairly made up, the consider- 

 ate judgment of the American people may be safely 

 invoked- To the sincere and thoughtful statesmen 

 who will assemble on this occasion, these suggestions 

 are believed to be entirely unnecessary. But, lest 

 some should deem them unwarranted, 1 here state 

 that they are suggestions only, and that they are 

 submitted with great diffidence, but wHh the sincere 

 hope that they may to some extent aid in securing 

 careful preparation for the work of the convention, 

 and u full attendance upon its sittings. 



J. M. EDMUNDS, Secretory. 



October 18, 18H. 



A lengthy address on the state of affairs in 

 the Southern States was reported by Senator 

 West, of Louisiana, and unanimously adopted, 



alt. T which, and the adoption of tome unira- 

 juirtant i-e-Miliitions, tin; convention adjourned. 



'III.- Cheap Transportation < n as- 



semMed in kichmond, Va., on JJc-cember let, 

 and adjourned on tlio 4th. Numerous impor- 

 tant and valuable papers on the general H. 

 were read, and all the substitutes for the re- 

 port of the Committee on Water Routes from 

 the West were- finally withdrawn, and a com- 

 promise resolution unanimously adopted, rec- 

 ognizing, in addition to the lines of transporta- 

 tion recommended by the United States 

 ate Committee on Transportation (gee Pi m.io 

 DOCUMKM.-I, the proposed Hock Island & IK-n- 

 nepin Canal in Illinois, connecting the Missis- 

 sippi with the Illinois River and canal, and the 

 chain of water to the seaboard, as a project of 

 great merit ; and urging upon Congress the ne- 

 cessity of the speedy construction of the work. 

 Resolutions, showing the necessity of cheap 

 transportation to improve the finances, were 

 also adopted. 



The committee on resolutions reported a di- 

 gest of all the resolutions previously passed on 

 the subject of cheap transportation, in the form 

 of a memorial to Congress, together with a pe- 

 tition to the New York Legislature for the re- 

 duction of tolls on the Erie Canal to the lowest 

 possible rates, and recommendations to Con- 

 gress to build a ship-yard in the East, and a 

 steamboat-yard in the West, all of which were 

 adopted. 



Josiah Quincy, of Massachusetts, was re- 

 elected president, with a large number of per- 

 sons for vice-presidents. 



A National Grange Convention was held in 

 St. Louis, on February llth. As this is an or- 

 ganization of fanners, independent of politics, 

 it is unnecessary to present here the entire dec- 

 laration of their principles. The fifth resolu- 

 tion was as follows : 



We emphatically and sincerely assert the oil-re- 

 peated truth taught in our organic law, that the 

 Grange, national, State, or subordinate, is not a polit- 

 ical or party organization. No Grange, if true to its 

 obligations, can discuss political or religious ques- 

 tions, nor call political conventions, nor nominate 

 candidates, nor even discuss their merits in its meet- 

 ings. Yet the principles we teach underlie all true 

 politics, all true statesmanship, and if properly car- 

 ried out will tend to purifv tne whole political at- 

 mosphere of our country, for we seek the greatest 

 food to the greatest number; but we must always 

 ear it in mind that no one by becoming a Grange- 

 member gives up that inalienable right and duty 

 which belong to every American citizen to take a 

 proper interest in the politics of his country. On the 

 contrary, it is right for every member to do all in his 

 power legitimately to influence for cood the action 

 of any political party to which he belongs. It is his 

 duty to do all he can in his own party to put down 

 bribery, corruption, and trickery ; to see that none 

 but competent, faithful, and honest men, who will 

 unflinchingly stand by our industrial interests, aro 

 nominated for all positions of trust, and to have car- 

 ried put the principles which should always char- 

 acterize every Grange-member ; that the office should 

 seek the man, not the man the office. We acknowl- 

 edge the broad principles that difference of opinion 

 is not crime, and hold that progress toward truth is 

 made l>y differences of opinion, while the fault lies ill 



