State of the Union AddressesHayes, Rutherford Birchard
History
State of the Union Addresses
Hayes, Rutherford Birchard
Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
Continued opposition to the full and free enjoyment of the rights of
citizenship conferred upon the colored people by the recent amendments to
the Constitution still prevails in several of the late slaveholding States.
It has, perhaps, not been manifested in the recent election to any large
extent in acts of violence or intimidation. It has, however, by fraudulent
practices in connection with the ballots, with the regulations as to the
places and manner of voting, and with counting, returning, and canvassing
the votes cast, been successful in defeating the exercise of the right
preservative of all rights--the right of suffrage--which the Constitution
expressly confers upon our enfranchised citizens.
It is the desire of the good people of the whole country that sectionalism
as a factor in our politics should disappear. They prefer that no section
of the country should be united in solid opposition to any other section.
The disposition to refuse a prompt and hearty obedience to the equal-rights
amendments to the Constitution is all that now stands in the way of a
complete obliteration of sectional lines in our political contests. As long
as either of these amendments is flagrantly violated or disregarded, it is
safe to assume that the people who placed them in the Constitution, as
embodying the legitimate results of the war for the Union, and who believe
them to be wise and necessary, will continue to act together and to insist
that they shall be obeyed. The paramount question still is as to the
enjoyment of the fight by every American citizen who has the requisite
qualifications to freely cast his vote and to have it honestly counted.
With this question rightly settled, the country will be relieved of the
contentions of the past; bygones will indeed be bygones, and political and
party issues, with respect to economy and efficiency of administration,
internal improvements, the tariff, domestic taxation, education, finance,
and other important subjects, will then receive their full share of
attention; but resistance to and nullification of the results of the war
will unite together in resolute purpose for their support all who maintain
the authority of the Government and the perpetuity of the Union, and who
adequately appreciate the value of the victory achieved. This determination
proceeds from no hostile sentiment or feeling to any part of the people of
our country or to any of their interests. The inviolability of the
amendments rests upon the fundamental principle of our Government. They are
the solemn expression of the will of the people of the United States.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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