The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-07-20
Governor Hayes's Letter OF Ac-
ceptance.

COLUMBUS, o., July e.-rhs following
is the letter " Governor Hayes, accepting
the Republican nomination for the Presi.
dency:
COLUMBUS, o., July 8, 1915.
Hon. EDWARD MCPHERSON, HON. WIN. A
HOWARD, o JOSEPH II. RAIsEr and on.
ers. Committee Qfte Republicans National, Con.
rentoHt
GESftEMEN:--tn reply to your oflcia,
communication OF juno II, by which I am
Informed OF my nomination for the Office Of
President Of the United States by the Re.
publican National Convention AZ Cincinnati.
I accept the nomination with gratitude.
hoping that under Providence I shall be able.
II elected, to execute the duties of the bipb
Office as a trust for the benefit Of all the peo.
pie.
] do No, deeM Il necessary to enter upon
any extended examination OF the declara.
ton Of principles made by the Convention
The resolutions are In accord with nv views.
and I heartily concur In the principles they
announce. In several OF the resolutions,
however, question: arc considered wbirhr
are OF s,'ch importance that I deem It pro.
| per to briefly express my convictions in re.
gard to them.
The fifth resolution adopted by the Con.
vention is Of paramount Interest. More
than forty years ago a system OF making
appointments to Office grew lip based upop
the maxim, s''to the victor belong the
spoils." The old rule, the true rule, tina,
honesty, capacity aud fidelity constitute
the only real qualifications fer Office. and
that there T. 10 other claim, gave place to
the idea that party services were to be chiefly
considered. All parties In practice have
adopted his system. II has been essential.
ly modified A!nGc its first introduction; II.
has not, lowover, been improved. At first
the President. either directly or through
the head, OF departments, made all the APP
p%ointments, but gradually the appointing
power IN many ra-ee passed into the control
OF nc"hherh of Congress. The offices II
ties. cases have become not merely reward.
for party services, but rewards 10 party
lesders. This system d-s,says lac indie.
%pcnden:- % the separate departments a.
me Government; it tends directly to cv
%travagance and official incapacity: 1t l. r.
temptation to dishonesty; Il binders am
impairs that careful supervision aud STRIFE
accountability 10y which alone faithful m,
e"cient public service can be secured; T.
oostrncts the prompt removal and sure pun.
ishtlent Of the unworthy IN every way: |
degrades the ciN'l -e.t!"r ..nd the caaractcl
- Ne government. II l. felt. | am cont
dent, by a large majority OF the members .
Congress, TO be an intolcrable burden an,
unwurrantahlc bindrsnca Ga tho prnrcr dis
chn.-c o. their legitimate duties. II ough
to be abolished. The reform should l,
thorough, radical and complete. We shoulr
return to the principles and practice OF u,
founders OF the Government, supplyinq hS
legislation when needed that which We,
formerly established by custom. The,
neither expected or derived trcm the pu1li,
Offices any partisan service. They mean
that public officers should owe their whole,
service to the Government and to tm
people; they meant that the officer shoui,
be secure in his tenure as long as his pei .
scnal character remained urtqrnishcd anu
the rerfori.ahce Of his duties satisfactory
II elected, | shall conduct the administruio
OF the Government upon these principles
and all constitutional powers vested in III.
Executive will he employed &c establish tnt>
reform.
The declaration Of principles by the Civ
cinnati Convention makes no announcenlei
in favor of a single Presidential term. | Il
not assume to add to that declaration, nut
believing that the restoration OF the cilj
service to the system established by Wa-l
ington, and followed by the early prc>i
dents. can be best accomplished by an EX
ecutiye who is under no temptation to lis,
the patronage of his Office TO promote hi
own reelection, desire to perform wha'
| regard as a duty in stating now my inleXi
Bile purpose, II elected, not 20 be q candi'
date for election to a second term.
On the currency question have frequentl,
expressed my views in public, and | stan
by my record on this subject. | regard al
the laws OF the United States relating TO tn,
payment Of the public Indebtedness, th'
legal-tender notes included, a constitutin.
Il pledge and moral obligation Of the GOV
eminent, which must in good faith, be kept
1t is my conviction that the feeling Of uncer
tainty inseparable from an irredeemabl
paper currency, with its fluctuations o
values, is one Of the great obstacles to
revival Of confidence and business and to
return OF prosperity. That uncertainty cal
be ended in but one way-the resumption
Of specie payment. But the longer til
instability connected with our present none
system is permitted to continue, the create
will be the injury inflicted upon our econom
zeal interests and all classes Of society. ]
elected, ! shall approve every appropriat
measure to accomplish the desired end, an
shall oppose any step backwards.
The resolution with respect to the publ
school system is one which should receiv
the hearty support Of the American people
Agitation upon the subject is to be apprc
hended until by constitutional amendiner
the schools are placed beyond all danger G
sectarian control or Interference. The Re
publican party is pledged to secure such a
amendment.
The resolution OF the Convention on tn
subject Of the permanent pacitication OF tn
) country and the complete protection OF a
, its citizens in the free enjoyment Of all the
constitutional rights is timely and Of gre'
2 importance. The condition Of the SOuther
States attracts the attention and com
: mands the sympathy Of the poop
Of the whole Union. In their PR
e gressiye recovery from the etiec
. Of the War their first necessity is an INTEL
gent anu HDHtHl duiIllnlrlIallbu Ol llt WV
: eminent which will protect all classes Of cit
= zens in all their political and private right
S What the South most needs is peace, az
peace depends Oh the supremacy Of law
There can be no enduring peace IL the col
stitutional rights OF any portion Of the poop
are habitually disreglrded. A division
1t political parties resting merely upon al
X tinctiOns Of race, or upon sectional lines,
always unfortunate, and may he disastrOu
The welfare Of the South, alike with that
AZ any other part Of the country, depends {
the attractions it can oiler TO labor, to in
- migration and TO capital; but laborers "
nc not 20 and capital will not he ventur,
a S where the Constitution and the laws alc :
It. at defiance, and destruction, apprehe
sion and alarm take the place Of peac
loving and law-abiding social life.
parts Of the Constitution are sacred a
must be sacrediy observed-the pa