Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-07-11
NEW SERIES, VOL. XI. NO. Is.

birth and kindred race recrossing the Atlantic
of the shield of American citizenship, and
have exposed our brethren of the Pacific coast
to the incursions of q race not sprung from
the same great parent stock, aud in fact now
by law denied citizenship through naturaliza-
tion, as being neither accustomed to the
traditions OF a progressive civilization nor ex>
erclsed in liberty under equal laws.
We denounce the policy which thus dis.
cards the liberty>loving German and tolerates
the revival of the coolie trade in MonSolian
women imported for immoral purposes aud
Mongolisn men hired to perform serVils labor
contracts, and We demand such modification
Of tho treaty with the Chinese empire, or such
legislation by Congress, within constitutional
limitation, as shall prevent the further impor-
tation or immigration Of tho MOogolian race.
Reform is necessary, and can never be eff
fectcd but by making it tho controlling issue
of the elections and lifting it above the two
false issues with which the ofice-holdiDg class
and the party in power seek TO smother it.
We denounce the false issue with which
they would enkindle soctarian strife in respect
to the public schools of which the establish
ment and support belongs exclusively to the
several States, and which the Democratic party
has cherished from their foundation, and re-
solved to maintain without partiaIity or pref.
erencs for any class, sect or creed, and with con-
tributing from the treasury to any false issue
by which they seek to light anew the dying
embers of sectional hate between kindred
peoples once uunaturally estranged, ,-bpt now
reunited in one indivisible republic and
common destiny.
Reform is necessary in the civil service
Experience proves that efficient, economical
conduct of the governmental business is not
possible if its civil service be subject to change
at every election; be prize fought for by
ballots; be a reward of partizanship, instead
of posts of honor assigned for proved cOmpe-
tency, and held for fidelity in public employ !;
that the dispensing of patronage should
neither be a tax upon the time of all our pub
lie men nor the instrument of their ambition.
Here again professions falsi6ed in the per-
formSnce attest that the party in power can
work out no practical or salutary reform.
Reform is necessary even more in the higher
grades of public service.
President, Vices President, judges, Sem
ators, Representatives, cabinet officers, these
and all others in authority are the peoples
servants. These Offices are not q private per.
q"'sitej they are public trust.
When the annals of this republic show tho
disgrace and censure Of Vice, President, a
late Speaker of the House Of Representatives
marketing his rulings as a presiding officer,
three Senators profting secretly by their votes
as lawmakers, five chnirmen Of leading COM
mittees of the late House of Representatives
exposed in jobbery, q late Secretary OF the
Treasury forcing the balance in the public nc.
counts, late Attorney General misappropri-
nting public funds, Secretary of the Navy
enriched or eDriching friends by percentages
! levied off the profits of contractors with his
department, nm ambassador to England CEN
sured in dishOnorable speculation, the Pres.
ident's private secretary barely escaping con-
viction upon trial for guilty completely in
frauds upon the revenue, q Secretary of War
impeached for high crimes and confessed mis-
demeanors, the demonstration is complete that
tho first step in reform must be the peoples
choice OF honest men from another party, lest
the disease of one political organization infect
the body polite, aud thereby making no
change OF men or party. we can get no change
of measures and no reform.
All these abuses, wrongs aud crimes, the
product OF sixteen years ascondancy of the
republican party, create necessity for reform
confessed by republicans themselves, but their
retormers are voted down in convention and
displaced from cabinet; the pnrty's mass of
honest voters is powerless to resist the so, 900
othce-holders, its leaders and guides Reform
can only be had by peaceful civic rovolu-
ton. We demand a change of system,
change of administration, 4 change of parties,
that We may have change Of measures and
of men.