Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1876-07-14
The Presidency.
Gov. Hayes, Letter of Acceptance.
CoLuMnus, O., July 5, IS16

ana DUCTS " Itc tOHtHtt"cc ~ W. 49,
publican National Convention.
GENTLEMEN In reply to your Off
cial communication of June IL, by which
am informed of my nomination for the
office of the President of the United
States by the Republican National Con-
vention at Cincinnati, | accept the NOM
nation with gratitude, hoping that un-
der Providence / shall be able, if elect
ed. to execute the duties of the high
Office as a trust for the benefit of all the
people. / do not deem it necessary to
enter upon any extended examination OF
the declaration of principles made by
the convention. The resolutions are in
accord with my views, and l heartily
concur in the principles which they an
nounce. In several of the resolutions,
however, questions are considered which
are of such importance that deem it
proper to briefly express my convictions
in regard to them.
REFORM IN THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The fifth resolution adopted by the
convention is of paramount interest
More than forty years ago system OF
making appointments to office grew up,
based upon the maxim, " to the victors
belong the spoils." The old rule, the
true rule, that honesty capacity, and fl
deity constitute the only real qualifica-
tons for office, and that there is no other
claim, gave place to the idea that party
services were 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. At
first the President, either directly or
through the heads of departments, made
all the appointments, but gradually the
appointing power, in many cases, passed
into the control of the members of Con-
gress. The offices, in these cases, have
become, not merely rewards for party
services, but rewards for services to par.
4 ty leaders. The system destroys the in
dependence of the separate departments
. of the government it tends directly to
extravagan and official incapacity; il
is temptation to dishonesty it hinders
and impairs that careful supervision and
strict accountability by which, alone
faithful and efficient public service can
+ be secured it obstructs the prompt re-
: moyal and sure punishment Of the un'
worthy. In every way it degrades the
civil service and the character of the
government 1t is felt, am confident
by large majority of the members Of
= Congress to be an intolerable burden
: and an unwarrantable hinderance to the
proper discharge of their legitimate du
ties. 1t ought to be abolished. The re-
form should be thorough, radical and
complete. We should return to the
/. principles and practice of the founders
of the government, supplying by legis-
9 lation, when needed, that which was the
: formerly established custom They nei
: Their expected nor deserved, from the
y public officers, any partisan service
: They meant that public officers should
;. owe their whole service to the govern
ment and to the people; they mean
y that the officer should be secure in hi
+ tenure as long as his personal characte
Ie remained untarnished and the perform
ance of his duties satisfactory. If elect
% ed | shall conduct the administT alton o
the government upon these principles
and all the constitutional powers vesteC
e in the executive will be employed to es
y tablish this reform.
lr THE PRESIDENTIAL TERM.
y The declaration of the principles b
It the Cincinnati convention makes no ar
"a nouncement in favor of single pres
= Dental term. | do not assume to ad
g. to that declaration, but, believing this
p the restoration of the civil service to Ii
ne system established by Washington, an
n followed by the early Presidents, ca
% best be accomplished by an executiv
who is under no temptation to use IL
u patronage of his office to promote h
II own reelection, desire to perform whit
Id | regard as duty in stating now N
D. infexible purpose if elected, not to be
=. candidate for election to a second tern
of THE CURRENCY QUESTION.
~ On the currency question l have Fl
= quently expressed my views in publ
P' and stand by my record on this su
or ject. l regard all the laws of the Uni
Id ed States relating to the payment of t
he public Indebtedness, the legal tend
:, notes included, as constituting Piled
10 and moral obligation of the governme
an which must in good faith be kept 1t
no my conviction that the feeling of u
,al certainty and insecurity from an irl
he deemable paper currency, with its flu
tuations of value, is one of the great {
stacles to revival of confidence al
lat business and return to prosperi
ION That uncertainty can be ended but
of one way--the resumption of specie pc
Ter ments-but the longer the instabil
u connected with our present money sy
iso tenn is permitted to continue, the grea
lite will be the injury inflicted upon {
'ot- economical interests and all classes
les society. If elected, l shall apprC
A.; every appropriate measure to acco
plish the desired end, and shall opp
. . any step backward.
ich
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
The resolutions with respect to
public school system is one which shol