Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-07-11

which am informed Of my nomination
for the Office Of President Of the Unite.
States by the Republican National con
ventiOn at Cincinnati, / accept the
nomination with gratitude, hoping that
under Providence, l shall be able, i
elected, to execute the duties Of the higl
Office Is trust for the benefit Of sll the
people. l do not deem il necessary tt
enter upon any extended examination
Of the declaration OF principles made by
the convention. The resolutions are in
accord with my vews, and ] heartily
concur in the principles they announce.
In several OF the IT solutions, however,
questions are considered which are o.
such importance that deem it proper
to briefly express my convictions 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
appointments to Office grew up,
blsed upon the maxim that "T0
the victors belong the spoils." The old
rule, the true Iule, that honesty, capa-
city and fidelity constitute the only real
qualifications fer office, and that there is
no other claim gave place to the idea that
party services were TO be chiefly consid.
cred. All psrties, in practice, have
adopted this system. 1t has been essen.
TALLY modified since its first iDtroduc.
tor, but it has not, however, been i'm.
proved. at first the President either
directly or through the heads of depart
ments made all the appointments, but
gradually the appointing power in many
cases passed into the contIOi of MEM
bers ssOf congress. The offers in these
cases have become not merely rewards
for party services, but rewards for ser-
vices to party leaders. This system de-
strOys the independence of the separate
departments of the government; it
tends directly to extravaganza and of.
fetal Incspacity; il is q temptation to
dishonesty; it hinder5 and impsirs that
careful supervision and strict accounts.
bility by which alone faithful and ef-
icient Ublic service can be secured; it
obstructs the prompt removal and
sure punishment OF the unworthy in
every wsy; it degrsdes the
civil service and the character of the
government 1t is felt, 1 am confident,
by large majority OF the members Of
congress to be an intolerable burden and
an unwarrantable hindrsnc9 t. the
proper discharge Of their legitimate du.
ties. 1t ought to bs abolished, The re-
form should be thorough, radical and
complete. We should return to the prin-
ciples and practice of the founders of the
government, supplying by legislation,
when needed, that which was formerly
an established custom. They neither
expected nor desired from the public eff
Ger any partisan service; they meant
that the 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 per- Onal character remained untsr-
nished and the performance Of his dutiss
satisfactory. il elected, l shall conduct
the administration Of The government
upon thess principles, and all cOnstitu-
tional powers vested in the executive
will be employed to establish this re-
form. The declaration Of principles by
the Cincinnati convention makes no an
nOuucement in favor OF single Presi-
Dental term. do not assume 10 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 accom-.
plished by an executive who is in
no temptation to use the patronage of
his Office to promote his own reelection,
desire to perform what regard as Q
duty in stating now my ipfiexible pUr-
pose, if elected, not to be q candidate for
election 10 second term. On the cur-
rency question l have frequsntiy ex-
pressed my views in public, and | stand
by my record on this subject. l regard
all the laws of the United States relating
to the payment Of the public indebted-
ness, the leg4l-:ender notes included, as
pledge and moral obliga-
ton of the government which must in
good faith be kept. II is my conviction
that the feeling of uncertainty insepsrs-
BILE from an irredeemable paper curren-
cy, with it's fluctuations of values, is one
OF the greatest obstacles to q revival Of
and business, and to a return
of prosperity. That certainly can be end
ed in but one Way-the resumption of
specie payment. But the longer the in
connected with our present
money system is permitted to continue,
the greater will be the injury in
flicted upon our economical interests
aud all classes of society. II elected,
j shall approve every appropriate meas
ure to accomplish the desired end, and
shall oppose any step backward. Toe
resolution with respect to the public
school system is one which should re-
ceive the hearty support OF the AmeTi-
can people. Agitation upon this SUBJ
j get is to be aYprehended until by con-
amendment the schools are
placed beyond all danger OF sectsrian
control or interference. The Republican
party is pledged tOsecuTe such an amend
ment. The resolution OF the convention
on the subject Of the permanent pacifi-
cation OF the country, and the complete
protection of all its citizens in the free
enjoyment of all their constitutional
rights, is timely and Of great i'm pOrtance.
The condition of the southern States
attracts the attention and commands
the sympathy Of the people Of the whole
Union in their progressive recovery from
the effects of tie war Their first ne-
cessity is an intelligent and honest adj
Of the government, which
protects all classes OF citizens in ali their
political and private rights. What the
south most needs is peace, and peace de-
ponds upon the supremacy Of the law.
There can be no enduring peace If the
constitutional rights of any por-
ton Of the people are hsbitually
disregarded. A division of political pal.
ties, resting merely upon distinctions Of
race, or on sectional lines, is always I'M
fortunate, and may be disastrous. The
welfare of the south, alike with that of
every other part Of the country, depends
upon the attractions it can offer to labor,
to immigration and to capital. But la-
borers will not go, and capital will not
be ventured, where the constitution and
the laws are set at defiance, and distrac
ton, apprehension and alarm take the
place OF pesce-loving and lsw.sbiding
social life. All parts of the constitution
are sacred, and must be saeredly OBJ
served-the parts that ars new no less
than the parts that are old. The moral
and material prosperity Of the southern
States can be most effectLally advanced
by hearty and generous recognition of
the rights of all by ALA recognition
without reserve or exception. With
such recognition fully accorded, it will
be practicable to promote by the inhd-
ence Of all legitimate agencies OF tue
general government the efforts OF the
people Of those States to obtain for them.
saIyes the blessings OF honest and capas