The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-08-12

. results OF the system OF preparation IL Qe
j. mands. 1t says: I'VE believe such system
4 well devised, and above all Entrusted to com
p. petcnt hands tor execution, creating at no time
I an artificial scarcity of the currency, and a
/ no time alarming the public mind into {
= withdrawal of that vaster machinery of cred
h, it by which 50 per cent. of all business trans
+, actions are performed; system open, pub
lie, and inspiring general confidence, would
from the day Of its adoption bring healing or
: its wings to all our harrassed industries, sc,
in motion the wheels Of commerce. manufac.
ture, and mechanic arts, restore employment
70 labor, and renew In all its sources the pros
peIity of the people" The government OF
the United States, in my opinion, can advance
! to a resumption of specie payment on its L.
CALENDER notes by gradual and safe process
es tending to relieve the present business dis.
tress. If charged by the people with the adj
ministratiOn of executive OGice, | should
I deem it duty so to exercise the powers with
which 1t has been, or may be, Invested by
| Congress, as best and soonest to conduct the
country to that beneticent result.
! The convention justly atfirms that
REFORM Is NECESSARY IN THE CIVIL SERVICE
necessary to its publication, necessary to its
economy and efficiency, necessary in order
that the ordinary employment of public bus
mess may not be prize fought tor at the bal.
lotboX, a brief reward of party zeal instead
of posts of honor assigned for proved compe.
tency, and held for fidelity in the public en-
ploy. The convention wisely allowed that
reform is necessary even more in the higher
grades of the public service. President, Vice
President, Judges, Senators, Representatives,
Cabinet otcers--these and all others in au-
thority are not private perquisite; they are
public trust. Two evils infest the official
ca, Of ha E,inral (,nynrpp,art Ono ic
the prevalent and demoralizing notion that
the public service exists not for the business
and benefit OF the whole people, but for the
interest of Office holders, who are in truth but
servants of the people. Under the influence
of this perniciOus error public emplOyments
have been multiplied, the number of those
gathered into the ranks of office-holders have
been steadily increased beyond any possible
requirement of public business, while inefii.
cheney, peculation, fraud, and malversatlon of
public funds, from high places of power to
the lowest, have Overspread the whole service
like a leprosy. The other evil is the organi
cation of the official class into body of po
| litlcal merCenaries, governing caucuses, and
debating nominations OF their own party, and
attempting to carry elections of the people by
undue influence and by immense corruption
funds Systematically collected from the sal
aries or fees Of office.hOlders. The official
class in other countries, sometimes by its
own weight and sometimes in alliance with
the army, has been able to rule the morgan.
ICED masses even under universal suffrage
Here it has already grown into gigantic
power capable of sitting the inspirants of Il
sound public opinion and of resisting an easy
change of administration until misgOvern-
ment becomes Intolerabe and the public spir
it has been stung TO the pitch of Il civic reso
luton.
TIE FIRST STEP II REFORM
is the elevation of the standard by which the
appointing power selects agents to execute
official trusts. Next in importance is a con.
scientous fidelity in the exercise Of author
ty to hold to account ana displace untrust.
worthy or incapable subordinates The pub.
lie interest IN an honest skilltul perform.
anCe Of official trust, must not be sacrificed to-
the interest of the incumbent After these
immediate steps, which will insure the exhi.
bition of better examples, we may wisely go
on 10 the abolition of unnecessary offices, and
finally to patient careful organization of u
better Civil-seryice system, under the test,
wherever practicable, of proved competency
and fidelity. While much may be accom-
plished by these methods, it might encourage
dclusive expectations if withheld here the
expression of my conviction that no reform
Of the civil service in this country Will be
complete and permanent until its Chief Mag
Istrate is consututionally disqualified for re-
election, experience having repeatedly eX.
posed the futillty of selfimposed restriction
Ivy candidates or Incumbents Through this
solemnity only can he be effectually deliver.
ed from his greatest temptation to misuse the
power and patronage with which the Execu.
tive is necessarily charged
Educated In the belief that 1t Is the first du.
~ of citizen of the republic TO take his fair
allotment of care and trouble in public az
fairs, | have for forty years as private cit.
izcn fulfilled that duty. Though occupied in
an unusual degree during all that period with
concerns Of government, | have never ac-
qurCd the habit of official life. When year
and Il halt ago | entered upon my present
trust il was in order to cOnsummate reforms
to which | had already devoted several of
the best years of my life Knowing as | do
therefore, from fresh experience, how great
the difference is between gliding through an
Official routine and working out a reform of
systems and policies, 1t is impossible for me
to contemplate what needs TO be done in the
Federal Administration, without an anxious
sense of the difficulties of the Undertaking. If
summoned 0y sutirages of my countrymen to
attempt this work, / shall cndeavor, with
Gods help, TO be the efficient instrument of
their will. SAMUEL J. TILDEN.
TO General John A. McCernand Chair.
man; General W. b. Franklin, the Hon. J j.
Abbott, the Hon. II. j. Spannhorst, the Hon.
IL. j. ltedfeld, the Hon. F. S. Lyon, and 9th.
ors of the committee, etc.
Hendricks Letter.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, July 4, 1876.
GENTLEMEN: | have the honor to ack.
nowledge the receipt OF your communication
in which you have formally notified me of
my nomination by the National Democratic
Convention at ST. Louis as their candidate for
the Office of Vice President of the United
States. 1t Is IA nomination which | neither
expected or desired, and yet | recognize and
appreciate the high honor done me by the
The choice of such a body and
pronounced with such unusual unanimity
and accompanied with SO generous an eX.
preston of esteem and confidence ought to
OUTWEIGH ALL MERELY Personal DESIRES
a nd prptnrpurps of with This