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ful obedience to law may prevail throughout the land, and that all traces of our late unhappy civil strife may be speedily removed. These ends can be easily reached by acquiescence in the results of the conflict, now written in our Constitution, and by thedue and proper enforcement of equal, just, and impartial laws in every part of our country.

The failure of local communities to furnish such means for the attainment of results so earnestly desired imposes upon the national Government the duty of putting forth all its energies for the protection of its citizens of every race and color, and for the restoration of peace and order throughout the entire country.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington, this 3d day of May, in the year of our Lord 1871, [seal.] and of the Independence of the United States the ninety-fifth.

U. S. Grant. By the President:

Hamilton Fish,

Secretary of State.

Commanding the Dispersion of Persons Composing unlawful Combinations and Conspiracies in certain Counties in the State of South Carolina, October 12,

1871.

Whereas unlawful combinations and conspiracies have long existed and do still exist in the State of South Carolina, for the purpose of depriving certain portions and classes of the people of that State of the rights, privileges, immunities, and protection named in the Constitution of the United States, and secured by the act of Congress approved April 20, 1871, entitled "An act to enforce the provisions of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States;"

And whereas in certain parts of said State, to wit, in the counties of Spartansburg, York, Marion, Chester, Laurens, Newberry, Fairfield, Lancaster, and Chesterfield, such combinations and conspiracies do so obstruct and hinder the execution of the laws of said State and of the United States as to deprive the people aforesaid of thejrights, privileges, immunities, and protection aforesaid, and do oppose and obstruct the laws of the United States and their due execution, and impede and obstruct the due course of justice under the same;

And whereas the constituted authorities of said State are unable to protect the people aforesaid in such rights within the said counties;

And whereas the combinations and conspiracies aforesaid, within the counties aforesaid, are organized and armed, and are so numerous and powerful as to be able to defy the constituted authorities of said State and of the United States within the said State, and by reason of said causes the conviction of such offenders and the preservation of the public

peace and safety have become impracticable in said counties:

Now, therefore, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, do hereby command all persons composing the unlawful combinations and conspiracies aforesaid to disperse and to retire peaceably to their homes within five days of the date hereof, and to deliver, either to the marshal of the United States for the district of South Carolina, or to any of his deputies, or to any military officer of the United States within said counties, all arms, ammunition, uniforms, disguises, and other means and implements, used, kept, possessed, or controlled by them, for carrying out the unlawful purposes for which the combinations and conspiracies are organized.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 12th day of October, in the year of our

r -i Lord 1871, and of the Independence

LSEAL. j of tlie Unjtec[ States of America the ninety-sixth.

U. S. Grant, By the President:

Hamilton Fish,

Secretary of State.

Suspending the writ of Habeas Corpus in certain Counties in the State of South Carolina, October 17,1871.

Whereas by an act of Congress entitled "An act to enforce the provisions of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes," approved the 20th day of April, anno Domini 1871, power is given to the President of the United States, when, in his judgment, the public safety shall require it, to suspend the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus in any State or part of a State whenever combinations and conspiracies exist in such State or part of a State, for the purpose of depriving any portion or class of the people, of such State of the rights, privileges, immunities, and protection named in the Constitution of the United States, and secured by the act of Congress aforesaid; and whenever such combinations and conspiracies do so obstruct and hinder the execution of the laws of any such State, and of the United States, as to deprive the people aforesaid of the rights, privileges, immunities, and protection aforesaid, and do oppose and obstruct the laws of the United States in their due execution, and impede and obstruct the due course of justice under the same ; and whenever such combinations shall be organized and armed, and so numerous and powerful as to be able by violence either to overthrow or set at defiance the constituted authorities of said State and of the United States within such State; and whenever, by reason of said causes, the conviction of such offenders, and the preservation of the public peace shall become in such State or part of a State impracticable;

And whereas such unlawful combinations and conspiracies for the purposes aforesaid are declared by the actof Congress aforesaid to be rebellion againstthe Government of the United States;

And whereas by said act of Congress it is provided that before the President shall suspend the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus he shall first have made proclamation commanding such insurgents to disperse j

And whereas on the 12th day of the present month of October, the President of the United States did issue his proclamation, reciting therein, among other things, that such combinations and conspiracies did then exist in the counties of Spartansburg, York, Marion, Chester, Laurens, Newberry, Fairfield, Lancaster, and Chesterfield, in the State of South Carolina, and commanding thereby all persons composing such unlawful combinations and conspiracies to disperse and retire peaceably to their homes within five days from the date thereof, and to deliver either to the marshal of the United States for the district of South Carolina, or to any of his deputies, or to any military officer of the United States within said counties, all arms, ammunition, uniforms, disguises, and other means and implements, used, kept, possessed, or controlled by them for carrying out the unlawful purposes for which the said combinations and conspiracies are organized;

And whereas the insurgents engaged in such unlawful combinations and conspiracies within the counties aforesaid have not dispersed and retired peaceably to their respective homes, and have not delivered to the marshal of the United States, or to any of his deputies, or to any military officer of the United States within said counties, all arms, ammunition, uniforms, disguises, and other means and implements used, kept, possessed, or controlled by them, for carrying out the unlawful purposes for which the combinations and conspiracies are organized, as commanded by said proclamation, but do still persist in the unlawful combinations and conspiracies aforesaid:

Now, therefore, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution of the United States and the act of Congress aforesaid, do hereby declare that, in my judgment, the public safety especially requires that the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus be suspended, to the end that such rebellion may be overthrown, and do hereby suspend the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus within the counties of Spartansburg, York, Marion, Chester, Laurens, Newberry, Fairfield, Lancaster, and Chesterfield, in said State of South Carolina, in respect to all persons arrested by the marshal of the United States for the said district of South Carolina, or by any of his deputies, or by any military officer of the United States, or by any soldier or citizen acting under the orders of said marshal, deputy, or such military officer within any one of said counties, charged with any violation of the act of Congress aforesaid dur ing the continuance of such rebellion. In witness whereof I have hereunto pet my

hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 17th

day of October, in the year of our

[seal.] Lord, 1871, and of thelndependenc.e

of the United States of America the

ninety-sixth.

U. S. Grant. By the President:

J. C. Bancroft Davis,

Acting Secretary of State.

Revoking tlie Suspension of Habeas Corpus-as to Marion County, State of South Carolina, Jfovember 3, 1871. Whereas in my proclamation of the 12th day of October, in the year 1871, it was recited that certain unlawful combinations and conspiracies existed in certain counties in the State of South Carolina for the purpose of depriving certain portions and classes of the people of that State of the rights, privileges, and immunities and protection named in the Constitution of the United States, and secured by the act of Congress, approved April the 20th, 1871, entitled "An act to enforce the provisions of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States," and the persons composing such combinations and conspiracies were commanded to disperse and to retire peaceably to their homes within five days from said date;

And whereas by my proclamation of the 17th day of October, in the year 1871, the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus were suspended in the counties named in said proclamation;

And whereas the county of Marion was named in said proclamations as one of the counties in which said unlawful combinations and conspiracies for the purposes aforesaid existed, and in which the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus were suspended;

And whereas it has been ascertained that in said county of Marion said combinations and conspiracies do not exist to the extent recited in said proclamations;

And whereas it has been ascertained that unlawful combinations and conspiracies of the character and to the extent and for the purposes described in said proclamations do exist in the county of Union in said State:

Now, therefore, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, do hereby revoke, as to the said county of Marion, the suspension of the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus directed in my said proclamation of the 17th day of October, 1871.

And I do hereby command all persons in the said county of Union, composing the unlawful combinations and conspiracies aforesaid, to disperse and to retire peaceably to their homes within five days of the date hereof and to deliver either to the marshal of the United States for the district of South Carolina, or to any of his deputies, or to any miliitary officer of the United States within said county, all arms, ammunition, uniforms, disguises, and other means and implements used, kept, possessed, or controlled by them for carrying out the unlawful purposes for which the combinations and conspiracies are organized.

GRANT S PBOCLAMATIONS.

15

In witness whereof I have hereunto set ray hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 3d day

of November, in the year of our

Lord, 1871, and of the Independence

[seal.] of the United States of America the

ninety-sixth.

U. S. Grant. By the President:

Hamilton Fish,

Secretary of State.

Suspending the writ of Habeas Corpus in the county of Union, State of South Carolina, November 10,1871. Whereas by an act of Congress, entitled "An act to enforce the provisions of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and for other purposes," approved the 20th day of April, A. D. 1871, power is given to the President of the United States, when, in his judgment, the public safety shall require it, to suspend the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus in any State or part of a State, whenever combinations and conspiracies exist in such State or part of a State for the purpose of depriving any portion or class of the people of such State of the rights, privileges, immunities, and protection named in the Constitution of the United States, and secured by the act of Congress aforesaid; and whenever such combinations and conspiracies do so obstruct and hinder the execution of the laws of any such State, and of the United States, as to deprive the people aforesaid of the rights, privileges, immunities, and protection aforesaid, and do oppose and obstruct the laws of the United States and their due execution, and impede and obstruct the due course of justice under the same; and wheneversuch combinations shall be organized and armed, and so numerous and powerful as to be able by violence either to overthrow or to set at defiance the constituted authorities of said State and of the United States within such State ; and whenever, by reason of said causes, the conviction of such offenders and thepreservation of the public peace shall become in such State or part of a State impracticable;

And whereas such unlawful combinations and conspiracies for the purposes aforesaid are declared by the act of Congress aforesaid to be rebellion against the Government of the United States;

And whereas, by said act of Congress, it is provided that, before the President shall suspend the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus, he shall first have made proclamation commanding such insurgents to disperse;

And whereas on the 3d day of the present month of November the President of the United States did issue his proclamation,reciting therein, among other things, thatsuch combinations and conspiracies did then exist in the county of Union, in the State of South Carolina, and

commanding thereby all persons composing such unlawful combinations and conspiracies to disperse and retire peaceably to their homes within five days from the date thereof, and to deliver either to the marshal of the United States for the district of South Carolina, or to any of his deputies, or to any military officer of the'United States within said county, all arms, ammunition, uniforms, disguises, and other means and implements used, kept, possessed, or controlled by them for carrying out the unlawful purposes for which the said combinations and conspiracies are organized;

And whereas the insurgents engaged in such unlawful combinations and conspiracies within the county aforesaid have not dispersed and retired peaceably to their respective homes, and have not delivered to the marshal of the United States, or to any of his deputies, or to any military officer of the United States within said county, all arms, ammunition, uniforms, disguises, and other means and implements used, kept, possessed, or controlled by them for carrying out the unlawful purposes for which the combinations and conspiracies are organized, as commanded by said proclamation, but do still persist in the unlawful combinations and conspiracies aforesaid:

Now, therefore, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me% by. the Constitution of the United States and the act of Congress aforesaid, do hereby declare that, in my judgment, the public safety especially requires that the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus be suspended, to the end that such rebellion may be overthrown, and do hereby suspend the privileges of the writ of habeas corpus within the county of Union in said State of South Carolina, in respect to all persons arrested by the marshal of the United States for the said district of South Carolina, or by any of his deputies, or by any military officer of the United States, or by any soldier or citizen acting under the orders of said marshal, deputy, or such military officer within said county, charged with any violation of the act of Congress aforesaid, during the continuance of such rebellion.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 10th

day of November, in the year of our

r -i Lord 1871, and of the Independence

Lseal.j of t]ie United States of America the

ninety-sixth.

U. S. Grant. By the President:

Hamilton Fish,

Secretary of State.

Discontinuing Discriminating Duties on Merchandise Imported into the United States in Spanish Vessels, December 19, 1871.

Whereas satisfactory information has been received by me through Don Mauricio Lopez Roberts, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of His Majesty the king of Spain, that the Government of that country has abolished discriminating duties heretofore imposed on merchandise imported from all other countries, excepting the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, into Spain and the adjacent islands, in vessels of the United States, said abolition to take effect from and after the 1st day of January next:

Now, therefore, I, Ulysses S. Grant, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by an act of Congress of the 7th day of January, 1824, and by an act in addition thereto, of the 24th day of May, 1828, do hereby declare and proclaim that on and after the said 1st day of January next, so long as merchandise imported from any other country, excepting the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, into the ports of Spain

and the islands adjacent thereto, in vessels belonging to citizens of the United States shall be exempt from discriminating duties, any such duties on merchandise imported into the United States in Spanish vessels, excepting from the islands of Cuba and Porto Rico, shall be discontinued and abolished.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United State to be affixed.

Done at the city of Washington, this 19th

day of December, in the year of our

[seal.] Lord 1871, and of the Independence

of the United States of America the

ninety-sixth.

U. S. Grant. By the President:

Hamilton Fish,

Secretary of State.

IV.

PRESIDENT GRANT'S SECOND AND THIRD ANNUAL

MESSAGES.

[For his First Annual Message, see McPherson's History of Reconstruction, pages 533540.]

President Grant's Second Annual Message.

December 5, 1870.

To the Senate and House of Representatives:

A year of peace and general prosperity to this nation has passed since the last assembling of Congress. We have, through a kind Providence, been blessed with abundant crops, and have been spared from complications and war with foreign nations. In our midst comparative harmony has been restored. It is to be regretted, however, that a free exercise of the elective franchise has, by violence and intimidation, been denied to citizens in exceptional cases in several of the States lately in rebellion, and the verdict of the people has thereby been reversed. The States of Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas have been restored to representation in our national councils. Georgia, the only State now without representation, may confidently be expected to take her place there also at the beginning of the new year; and then, let us hope, will be completed the work of reconstruction. With an acquiescence on the part of the whole people in the national obligation to pay the public debt, created as the price of our Union; the pensions to our disabled soldiers and sailors, and their widows and orphans; and in the changes to the Constitution which have been made necessary by a great rebellion, there is no reason why we should not advance in material prosperity and happiness, as no other nation ever did, after so protracted and devastating a war. * * * *

It is not understood that the condition of the insurrection in Cuba has materially changed since the close of the last session of Congress. In an early stage of the contest the authorities of Spain inaugurated a system of arbitrary arrests, of close confinement, and of military trial and execution of persons suspected of complicity with the insurgents, and of summary embargo of their properties, and sequestration of their revenues by executive warrant. Such proceedings, so far as they affected the persons or property of citizens of the United States, were in violation of the provisions of the treaty of 1795 between the United States and Spain. Representations of injuries resulting to several persons claiming to be citizens of the United States, by reason of such violations, were made to the Spanish Government. From April 1869 to June last the Spanish minister at Washington had been clothed with a limited power to aid in redressing such wrongs. That power was found to be withdrawn, "in view," as it was said, "of the favorable situation in which the island of Cuba" then " was;" which, however, did not lead to a revocation or suspension of the extraordinary and arbitrary functions exercised by the executive power in Cuba, and we were obliged to make our complaints at Madrid. In the negotiations thus opened, and still pending there, the United States only claimed that, for the future, the rights secured to their citizens by treaty should be respected in Cuba, and that, as to the past, a joint tribunal should be established in the United States, with full jurisdiction over all such claims. Before such an impartial tribunal each claimant would be required to prove his case. On the other hand, Spain would be at liberty to traverse

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every material fact, and thus complete equity would be done. * * * *

During the last session of Congress a treaty for the annexation of the republic of San Domingo to the United States failed to receive the requisite two-thirds vote of the Senate. I was thoroughly convinced then that the best interests of this country, commercially and materially, demanded its ratification. Time has only confirmed me in this view. I now firmly believe that the moment it is known that the United States have entirely abandoned the project of accepting, as a part of its territory, the island of San Domingo, a free port will be negotiated for by European nations in the Bay of Samana. A large commercial city will spring up, to which we will be tributary without receiving corresponding benefits, and then will be seen the folly of our rejecting so great a prize. The Government of San Domingo has voluntarily sought this annexation. It is a weak Power, numbering probably less than one hundred and twenty thousand souls, and yet possessing one of the richest territories under the sun. capable of supporting a population of ten millions of people in luxury. The people of San Domingo are not capable of maintaining themselves in theirpresent condition, and must look for outside support. They yearn for the protection of our free institutions and laws; our progress and civilization. Shall we refuse them?

The acquisition of San Domingo is desirable because of its geographical position. It commands the entrance to the Caribbean sea and the Isthmus transit of commerce. It possesses the richest soil, best and most capacious harbors, most salubrious climate, and the most valuable products of the forest, mine, and soil of any of the West India islands. Its possession by us will in a few years buildup a coastwise commerce of immense magnitude, which will go far toward restoring to us our lost merchant marine. It will give to us those articles which we consume so largely and do not produce, thus equalizing our exports and imports. In case of foreign war it will give us command of all the islands referred to, and thus prevent an enemy from ever again possessing himself of rendezvous upon our very coast. At present our coast trade between the States bordering on the Atlantic and those bordering on the Gulf of Mexico is cut into by the Bahamas and the Antilles. Twice we must, as it were, pass through foreign countries to get, by sea, from Georgia, to the west coast of Florida.

San Domingo, with a stable government, under which her immense resources can be developed, will give remunerative wages to tens of thousands of laborers not now upon the island. This labor will take advantage of every available means of transportation to abandon the adjacent islands and seek the blessings of freedom and its sequence, each inhabitant receiving the reward of his own labor. Porto Rico and Cuba will have to abolish slavery, as a measure of self-preservation, to retain their laborers. San Domingo will become a large consumer

of the products of northern farms and manufactories. The cheap rate at which her citizens can be furnished with food, tools, and machinery will make it necessary that contiguous islands should have the same advantages, in order to compete in the production of sugar, coffee, tobacco, tropical fruits, &c. This will open to us a still wider market for our products. The production of our own supply of these articles will cutoff more than one hundred millions of our annual imports, besides largely increasing our exports. With such a picture it is easy to see how our large debt abroad is ultimately to be extinguished. With a balance of trade against us (including interest on bonds held by foreigners and money spent by our citizens traveling in foreign lands) equal to the entireyield of the precious metals in this country it is not so easy to see how this result is to be otherwise accomplished.

The acquisition of San Domingo is an adherence to the " Monroe doctrine;" it is a measure of national protection; it is asserting our just claim to a controlling influence over the great commercial traffic soon to flow from west to east, by way of the Isthmus of Darien; it is to build up our merchant marine j it is to furnish new markets for the products of our farms, shops, and manufactories; it is to make slavery insupportable in Cuba and Porto Rico at once, and ultimately so in Brazil; it is to settle the unhappy condition of Cuba and end an exterminating conflict; it is to provide honest means of paying our honest debts without overtaxing the people; it is to furnish our citizens with the necessaries of every-day life at cheaper rates than ever before; and it is, in fine, a rapid stride toward that greatness which the intelligence, industry, and enterpriseof the citizens of the United States entitle this country to assume among nations.

In view of the importance of this question I earnestly urge upon Congress early action, expressive of its views as to the best means of acquiring San Domingo. My suggestion is that, by joint resolution of the two Houses of Congress, the Executive be authorized to appoint a commission to negotiate a treaty with the authorities of San Domingo for the acquisition of that island, and that an appropriation be made to defray the expenses of such commission. The question may then be determined, either by the action of the Senate upon the treaty or the joint action of the two Houses of Congress, upon a resolution of annexation, as in the case of the acquisition of Texas. So convinced am I of the advantages to flow from the acquisition of San Domingo, and of the great disadvantages, I might almost say calamities, to flow from non-acquisition, that I believe the subject has only to be investigated to be approved. It is to be regretted that ourrepresentations in regard to the injurious effects, especially upon the revenue of the United States, of the policy of the Mexican Government, in exempting from impost duties a large tract of its territory on our borders, have not only been fruitless, but that it is even proposed in that country, to extend the limits within which, the

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