The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-07-27
WHEELER'S ACCEPTANCE

POLITICAL REFORM.
Hon. William A. Wheeler, the Republi-
can nominee for Vice President, has ac-
cepted the Cincinnati nomination in the
following letter
MALONE, July Is, 1S76.-The Hon.
Edward Mcpherson and others of the Com
mittee of the Republican National Conven-
tion-Gentlemen Il received on the 9th
inst. your communication advising me that
| had been unanimously nominated by the
National Convention of the Republican
party, held at Cincinnati on the 18th ult.,
for the Office of Vice President of the United
States, and requesting my acceptance of
the same, and asking my attention to the
summary of Republican doctrines contained
in the platform adopted by the convention.
\ nomination made with such unanimity
implies a confidence on the part of the con-
vention which inspires my profound graft
tude. 1t is accepted with sense of the
responsibility which may follow. If cleo
ted | shall endeavor to perform the duties
of the Office in the fear of the Supreme
Ruler and in the interest of the whole coun-
try.
To the summary Of doctrines enunciated
by the convention give my cordial assent.
The Republican party has intrenched in
the organic law of our land the doctrine
that liberty is the supreme, Interchangeable
law for every foot of American soil. 1t is
the mission of that party to give full effect
to this principle by securing to every
American citizens complete liberty and
exact equality in the exercise of all civil,
political and public rights" This will be
accomplished only when the American citi-
zen, without regard to color, shall wear
this panoply Of citizenship as fully and as
securely in the canebrakes of Louisiana as
on the banks of the St. Lawrence. Upon
the question of our Southern relations, my
views were recently expressed as member
of the Committee of the United States
House of Representatives upon Southern
Affairs. Those views remained unchanged,
and were thus expressed =
We Of the North delude ourselves in ex-
pecting that the masses Of the South, so far
behind in many of the attributes of enlight-
ened Improvement and civilization, are, in
the brief period of ten or fifteen years, to
be transformed into our model Northern
communities That can only come through
a long course of patient waiting to which
10 one can now set certain bounds. There
will be good deal Of unavoidable friction
which will call for forbearance, and which
will have to be relieved by the temperate
fostering care of the government. One ol
the most potent if not indispensable agen-
cies III this direction, will be the devising
of some system to aid in the education Of
the masses The fact that there are whole
counties in Louisiana in which there is not
a solitary school house, is full Of suggestion
We compelled these people to remain ii
the Union, and now duty and interest de
mand that we leave no just mean untriec
to make them good, loyal citizens. How
to diminish the friction, how to stimulate
the elevation of this portion Of our country
are problems addressing themselves to ou
l best and wisest statemanship. The founda
I ton for these efforts must be laid in salts
flying the Southern people that they are t.
have equal, exact Justice accorded to them
g Give them to the fullest extent every bless
4 ing which the government confers upol
the most favored, give tlfen no just caus
d !. for complaint, and then hold them by ever.
= necessary means, to an exact, rigid oh
!. servance of all their duties and obligation
[; under the Constitution and IT'S amendments
t to secure to all within their borders man
u hood and citizenship, with every right there
! to belonging.
0 The just obligations to public creditors
s created when the government was IN tn
y thores Of threatened dissolution, and as a
indispensable condition Of its salvation
Il guaranteed by the lives and blood of thous
ands of its brave defenders-are to be keE
with religious faith, as are all the pledge
subsidiary thereto and confrmatOry thereo
In my judgement the pledge Of Congre'
of January ID, 1875 for the redemptio
of the notes of the United State
in coin is the plighted faith Of the nation
and national honor, simple honesty an
L justice to the people whose permanent we
fare and prosperity are dependent upo
true money as the basis of their pecunlal
transactions, all demand the scrupulous o
servanee of this pledge and it is the dut
of Congress to supplement it with such
gislation as shall be necessary for its strl
fulfllment
In our system of government intelligen
must give safety and value to the ballc
. Hence the common schools of the lar
II should be preserved in all their vigor, Will
in accordance with the spirit of the Cons
tuition, they and all their endowmen
should be secured by every possible al
proper guaranty against every form of sc
tartan influence or control. There shou
K be the strictest economy in the expen(
IS :, lures ofthe government consistent with its
~ fective administration, and all unnecessa
E. Offices should be abolished Offices shou
be conferred only upon the basis of hi
u character and particular fitness, and shou
s. be administered only as public trusts, al
not for private advantage.
!. The foregoing are chief among the care
H. nal principles of the Republican party, a