The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-07-13
THE COMING MAN.
Hayes Letter of Acceptance.

RENcY QUEsTIoN-CIvIL SERVICE REFORM.
Cincinnati, July 9--The following
is the letter of Governor Hayes ac-
cepting the Republican nomination
for the Presidency:
Columbus Ohio, July 8. lS7G.-Hon.
EdWdrd McPherSon. Hon. IVm. Il.
HoWdrd, Hon. Jos. II. Rdiney, and
others, Committee Of the Republican
National ConUcntion.-GENTL
In reply to your official cQmmunica-
ton of June II, by which L am in
formed of my nomination for the
office of President of the United States
by the Republican National Conven-
ton at Cincinnati, l accept the NOM
ination with gratitude, hoping that
under Providence 1 shall be able, if
elected, to execute the duties of the
high office, as trust for the benefit Of
all the people. do not deem it nee
ccssary to enter upon any extended
examination of the declaration of the
principles made by the convention.
The resolutions are in accord with my
views, and L heartily concur in the
principles they announce. In several
of the resolutions, however, questions
are considered which are Of such inn
portance that. / deem it proper to
briefly express my conviction in re-
gard to them. The fifth resolution
adopted by the convention is of para
mount interest. More than forty
years ago a system of making appoint
ments to office grew up, based upon
the maxim "to the victors belong the
spoils.n The rule, the true rule that
honesty, capacity and fidelity con-
stitute the only real qualifications for
office, and that there is no other claim
gave place to the idea that party SER
vices are to be chiefly considered. All
parties in practice have adopted this
system. 1t has been essentially
modified since its first introduction.
1t has not however, been improved
CIVIL SERVICE.
At first the President, either di-
rectly or through the heads Of depart
ments made all the appointments but
gradually the appointing power in
many cases passed into the control of
members of Congress. The offices in
these eases have become, not merely
rewards for party services, but rewards
for services to party leaders. This
system destroys the independence Of
the separate department of the gov
ernment. 1t tends directly to cXtrava-
gance and official incapacity. 1t is Il
temptation to dishonesty. 1t hinders
and impairs that careful supervision
and strict accountability by which
alone faithful and efficient public SER
vice can be secured. 1t obstructs the
prompt removal and sure punishment
of the unworthy. In every way it de-
grades the civil service and the char
acter of the government 1t is felt, |
am confident, by largy majority of
the members of Congress to be an in
tolerable burden and an unwarranta-
ble hindrance to the proper discharge
of their legitimate duties. 1t ought
to be abolished. The reform should
be thorough, radical and complete.
We should return to the principle and
practice of the founders of the govern
ment, supplying by legislation when
needed that which was formerly an
established custom. They neither eX-
pected nor desired from the public
officer any partisan service. They
meant that public officers should owe
their whole service to the government
and to the people; they meant that the
officer should be secure in his tenure
as long as his personal character re-
manned untarnished and the perfor-
nance of his duties satisfactory. If
elected | shall conduct the admins
tratiOn of the government upon these
principles, and all constitutional pow
ers invested in the Executive will be
employed to establish this reform.
The declaration of principles by the
Cincinnati Convention makes no an
nouncement in favor of single Presi-
Dental term. do not assume to add
to that declaration, but believing
that the restoration of the civil service
to the system established by Wash
ington and followed by the early
Presidents can be best accomplished
by an Executive who is under no
temptation to use the patronage of his
office to promote his own reelection,
| desire to perform what | regard as a
duty in stating now my infleXible
purpose, if elected, not to be candi-
date for election to q second term.
THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
On the currency question | have
frequently expressed my views in
public, and stand by my record on
this subject. | regard all the laws OF
the United States relating to the pay
ment of the public indebtedness, the
legal tender notes included, as con-
stituting a pledge and moral obliga-
lion of the government, which must
in good faith be kept. 1t Is my con-
yiction that the feeling of uncertainty,
insenarable from an ifredeemable
paper currency, with its fiuctuation OF
values is one of the great obstacles 10
areviyaI a of confidence and business