PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



707 



which was passed too late in the last session of Con- 

 gress to provide the means for carrying it into prac- 

 tical operation during the past season, is a step in 

 the direction here indicated. In view of the necessi- 

 ty for tlie mosc effective measures, by quarantine 

 and otherwise, for the protection of our seaports, 

 and the country generally, from this and other epi- 

 demics, it is recommended that Congress give to the 

 whole subject early and careful consideration. 



The permanent pacification of the country by the 

 complete protection of all citizens in every civil and 

 politic.d right continues to be of paramount interest 

 with the great body of our people. Every step in 

 this direction is welcomed with public approval, and 

 every interruption of steady and uniform progress 

 to the desired consummation awakens general un- 

 easiness and wide-spread condemnation. The re- 

 cent Congressional elections have furnished a direct 

 and trustworthy 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 disturbing influences, real 

 or imaginary, had been removed from all of these 

 States. 



The three constitutional amendments, which con- 

 ferred 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 good citizens who maintained the authority of the 

 national Government and the integrity and perpetui- 

 ty of the Union at such a cost of treasure and life, as 

 a wise and necessary embodiment in the organic law 

 of the just results of the war. The people of the for- 

 mer slave-holding States accepted these results, and 

 gave, in every practicable form, assurances that the 

 thirteenth, fourteenth, 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 citi- 

 zen, without distinction of race or color, should un- 

 der them receive full and equal protection in person 

 and property and in political rights and privileges. 

 By these constitutional amendments, the Southern 

 section of the Union obtained a large increase of po- 

 litical power in Congress and in the Electoral Col- 

 lege, and the country justly expected that elections 

 would proceed, as to the enfranchised race, upon 

 the sama circumstances of legal and constitutional 

 freedom and protection which obtained in all the 

 T>ther States of the Union. The friends of law and 

 order looked forward to the conduct of these elec- 

 tions, as offering to the general judgment of the 

 country an important opportunity to measure the 

 degree in which the right of suffrage could be exer- 

 cised by the colored people, and would be respected 

 by their fellow-citizens but a more general enjoy- 

 ment of freedom of suffrage by the colored people, 

 and a more just and generous protection of that free- 

 dom by the communities of which they form a part, 

 were generally anticipated than the record of the 

 elections 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 main 

 ly 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 

 Congressional districts outside of those States, the 

 records of the elections seem to compel the conclu- 

 sion that the rights of the colored voters have been 

 overridden, and their participation in the elections 

 not permitted to be either general or free. 



It will be for the C >ngress for which these elec- 

 tions were held to make such examinations into 

 their conduct as ma be appropriate to determine 

 the validity of the claims of members to their seats. 

 In the mean while it becomes the duty of the Execu- 

 tive and Judicial Departments of the Government, 

 each in its province, to inquire into and punish vio- 

 lations of the laws of the United States which have 

 occurred. I can but repeat what I said in this con- 



nection in my last message, that whatever authority 

 rests with me to this end 1 shall not hesitate to put 

 forth, and I am unwilling to forego a renewed appeal 

 to the Legislatures, the courts, the executive authori- 

 ties, and the people of the States where these wrongs 

 have been perpetrated, to give their assistance 

 toward bringing to justice the offenders and prevent- 

 ing a repetition of the crimes. No means within my 

 power will be spared to obtain a full and fair investi- 

 gation of the alleged crimes, and to secure the con- 

 viction and just punishment of the guilty. 



It is to be observed that the principal appropriation 

 made for the Department of Justice at the last ses- 

 sion contained the following clause : " And for de- 

 fraying the expenses which may be incurred in the 

 enforcement of the act approved February twenty- 

 eighth, eighteen hundred and seventy-one, entitled 

 4 An act to amend an act approved May thirtieth, 

 eighteen hundred and seventy, entitled An act to en- 

 force the rights of citizens of the United States to 

 vote in the several States of the Union, and for other 

 purposes,' or any acts amendatory thereof or supple- 

 mentary thereto." It is the opinion of the Attorney- 

 General that the expenses of these proceedings will ' 

 largely exceed the amount which was thus provided, 

 and I rely confidently upon Congress to make ade- 

 quate appropriations to enable the Executive Depart- 

 ment to enforce the laws. 



I respectfully urge upon your attention that the 

 Congressional elections, in every district, in a very 

 important sense, are justly a matter of political inter- 

 est and concern throughout the whole country. 

 Each State, every political party, is entitled to the 

 share of power which is conferred by the legal and 

 constitutional suffrage. It is the right of every citi- 

 zen, possessing the qualifications prescribed by law, 

 to cast one unintimidated ballot, and to have his bal- 

 lot honestly counted. So long as the exercise of this 

 power and the enjoyment of this right are common 

 and equal, practically as well as formally, submis- 

 sion to the results of the suffrage will be accorded 

 loyally and cheerfully, and all the departments of Gov- 

 ernment will feel the true vigor of the popular will 

 thus expressed. No temporary or administrative 

 interests of Government, however urgent or weighty, 

 will ever displace the zeal of our people in defense 

 of the primary rights of citizens hi p. They under- 

 stand that the protection of liberty requires the 

 maintenance, in full vigor, of the manly methods of 

 free speech, free press ? and a free suffrage, and will 

 sustain the full authority of Government to enforce 

 the laws which are framed to preserve these inesti- 

 mable rights. The material progress and welfare of 

 the States depend on the protection afforded to their 

 citizens. There can be no peace without such pro- 

 tection, no prosperity without peace, and the whole 

 country is deeply interested in the growth and pros- 

 perity of all its parts. 



While the country has not yet reached complete 

 unity or feeling and reciprocal confidence between 

 the communities so lately and so seriously estranged, 

 I feel an absolute assurance that the tendencies are 

 in that direction, and with increasing force. The 

 power of public opinion will override all political 

 prejudices, and all sectional or State attachment, in 

 demanding that all over our wide territory the name 

 and character of citizen of the United States shall 

 mean one and the same thing, and carry with them 

 unchallenged security and respect;. 



Our relations with other countries continue peace- 

 ful. Our neutrality in contests between foreign 

 powers has been maintained and respected. 



The Universal Exposition held at Paris during the 

 past summer hns been attended by large numbers of 

 our citizens. The brief period allowed for the prep- 

 aration and arrangement of the contributions of our 

 citizens to this great Exposition was well employed 

 in energetic and judicious efforts to overcome this 

 disadvantage. These efforts, led and directed by the 

 Commissioner-General, were remarkably successful, 



