The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1876-07-21

CoLuMBrs, Ohio, July 9.-Fol
lowing is the letter of Governor
Hayes, accepting the Republican
nomination for the Presidency:
Columbus, Ohio, July $ 1870.
The Hon. Edward Mcpherson, the Hon. VIM
4. Howard, the Hon. Joseph II. ltainey. AN
Others, Committee Of tile Ilepuhllcan >ationa
Convention.
GENTLEMEN: In reply TO youl
elllcial communication of June
II, by which | am informed of my
nomination for the Office of Pres.
ident of the Uuited States by the
Republican National Convention
at Cincinnati, | accept the nomi
nation with gratitude, hoping that
under Providence, | shall be able
if elected, to execute the duties
Of the high Office as ~ trust fol
the benefit Of all the people.
do not deem it necessary to enter
upon any extended examination
Of the declaration of principles
made by the convention, The
resolutions are in accord with my
views and | heartily concur inthe
principles they announce. In sey.
eral of the resolutions, however
questions are considered which
are of such Importance that !
deem it proper to briefly express
my convictions in regard to
them.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The fifth resolution adopted by
the convention is Of paramount
interest. More than forty years
ago a system Of making appoint.
ments to office grew up, based
upon the maxim, $40 the vietors
belong the spoils," The old rule,
1.-The true rule" that honesty, ca
pacity, and fidelity constitute the
only real qualifications for office,
and that there is no other claim,
gave place to the idea that party
services were to be chiefly consid-
cred. All parties, iii Practice;
have adopted this system. 1t has
been essentially modified since
its first introduction. 1t has not,
however, been improved. AT
first the President, either direct
ly or through the heads ofdepart-
ments, made all the appoint
ments, But gradually the APP
pointing power, in many cases,
passed into the control of mem
bers of Congress. The offices in
these cases have become not
merely rewards for party servi-
ces, but rewards for services to
party leaders. This system de-
stroys the independence of the
separate departments Of the gov
ernment. 1t tends directly to eX-
travagance and official incapacity.
II is a temtation to dishonesty: it
binders and impairs that careful
supervision and accountability by
which alone faithful and efficient
public service can be secured. 1t
obstructs the prompt removal
and sure punishment Of the un-
worthy. In every way it degrad-
es the civil service ard the char
acter of the government. 1t is
felt. | am confident, by a large
majority of the members Of Con-
aress, to be an intolerable burden
and an unwarrantable hindrance
to the proper discharge Of their
duties. 1t ought to be abolished.
The reform should be thorough,
radical, and complete. We should
return TO the principles and prac-
tice of the founders of the gov
crnment, supplying by legislation
when needed that which was for
merly established by custom.
They neither expected nordesired
from the public officer and parti-
san service; they meant that pub
lie officers should own their whole
service to the government and to
the people: they meant that the
officers should be secured in his
tenure as long as his personal
character remained untarnished,
and the performance Of his duties
satisfactory. If elected, | shall
conduct the administration Of the
government these principles
and all constitutional-powe YES
ted in the executive will be en-
ployed to establish this reform.
THE PRESIDENTIAL TERN.
The declaration %ofprinciples by
the Cincinnati Convention makes
no. commencement il favor of u sin
gle Presidential term. | do not
assume to add to that declaration;
but believing that the restoration
of the civil service to the system
established by Washington and
followed by the early Presidents
can be best accomplished by an
executive who is under no temta-
ton to use the patronage Of his
office to promote his own rc.elec.
tom | desire to perform what ]
regard as a duty, in stating now
my intlexible purpose, if elected
not to be a candidate for election
TO a second term. On