Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-10

Columbus, July s, 1876.
Hon. Edward Mcpherson, Hon. w. \. Howard,
Hon. Joseph Ramsey, and others of the COM
mittee of the republican National convention
Genllemen-ln reply to your official commun-
cation of June l1th by which | am Informed of
my nomination for the office of President of the
United States, by the republican National COLI
yenton at Cincinnati, | accept the nomination
with graunde, hoping that under Providence !
shall be able if elected, to execute the duties OF
the high Office trust for the benefit of all the
people. do not deem il necessary to enter upon
any extended examination of the declaration of
prime iples made by the conventions the resolu-
tons in accord with my views, and heartily
concur in the principles which they announce.
Ia 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
The fifth resolution adopted by the convention
is of paramount interest; more than forty years
ago a 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 fidelity constitute the
only real qualifications for office, and that there is
no other claim, gave place to the idea that party
services were to be chiefly considered. All par
ties in practice have adopted this system; it has
been essentially modified since its first introduce
sion; it has not, however. been improved. AT
first the Pre- sident, either directly through the
heads of departments, made all the appointments,
but gradually the appointing power in many cases
passed into the control OF members of Congress.
The Offices in these cases have become not merely
rewards for party services, but rewards to service
to party leaders, The system destroys the system
destroys the independence Of the separate depart
ments Of the government; it tends directly to ex-
travagence and official incapacity; it is tempta
ton to dishonesty; it binders and impairs that
careful supervision and strict accountability by
which alone faithful and efficient public service
can be secured; it obsructs the prompt removal
and punishment of the unworthy; 10 every way
it degiades the civil service and the character OF
the government. 1t is felt, am confident, by a
large ma ority of the members of Congress to be
an intoerabe burden and an unwarrantable hin.
drance 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 principles and practice OF
the founders of the government, supplying by
legislation, when needed that which was the for
or desired from the public officers any partisan
service; they meant that public officers should
owe their Whole service to the government and to
the people; they meant that the the officer should
be secure in his tenure a: long as his personal
character remained untarnished and the perform
ance of his duties satisfactory If elected l shall
conduct the administration OF the government
upon these principles, and all the constitutional
powers vested in the executive will be employed
to establish this reform.
The declaration of the principles by the Gin
ciDnati convention makes no announcement in
favor of single presidential term. l do not as
sumo to add that declaration, but believing that
the restoration of the civil service to the system
established by Washington, and followed by the
early Presidents, can est be accomplished by an
executive who is under no temptation to use the
patronage OF his office to promote his own re-elec
ton desire to perform what regard as q duty
in stating now my ntiexbe purpose if elected
not to be a candidate for election to q second
term.
On the currency question l have frequently ex
record on this subject. l regard all the laws OF
the United States relating to the payment of the
public Indebtedness. the legal tender notes includ
ed, as constituting pledge and moral obligation
of the government, which must in good faith be
kept. 1t Is my conviction that the feeling of un
certainty and insecurity from an irredeemable pa
per currency, viii lis fluctuations of value, is one
of the greatest obstacles to revival of confidence
and busin, IS, and to return to prosperity. That
uncertainty can be ended in but way. The
resumption OF specie payment But the longer
the instability connected with our present money
system is permitted to continue, the greater will
be the injury inf cted on economical interests
and all classes of society, If elected l shall ap
prove every appropriate measure to accomplish
the desired end, and shall oppose any step back
backward.
The resolution with respect to the public school
svnnor, of III. Amo,;can naor,a Aa;ta,;or mon
~ snhi. ct ia n he mil bv const;.
tut;onaI amendment he Schools are nlaced Mt hav
al oh 40 ,oor NJ soc,;onaI cort,oi or ;nto,farenca
= noSsaJ Cbe rennhI;can no,,y ia n,edgad m 40
n,.a snch on amendment f' -
Tho ra.ol,,;nn Of Tho corvor,;or y, tb. s,b;ect
of ,he nermanent noc;t;co,;nn Of ,he conntrv nd
30 conna,e nrn,ac,nn ~ all ne c,t;1ens Il The
free eninvment of ,ll ,be;r cons,;tu,;onaI riyh,s
I'D ~ ,,,aat ;nna,,amna Tba nond;t;on
nf ,ha southarr 80 att.ac,s Tho a,,ent;on nj
y, WV ~ ,ha armnath, 81 ,ba reonla NJ The
hnia ,,n;on IN ,hatr nronross;va rrocpvery from
,ho otf,cts of Tho war Tbeiy trst necessity il m
;n,o,I;,ren, na bonast osm;n;.trs,;on Of i've GOV
$3.50, ,vh;cb n;Il ,rntact ali cioSses 81 c;ti1ens
e. am ,heir nn;t;col and n,;va,e r;ah,s what tho
r' ' mos, ppoads !. "nnace ana no,ce Ten, n.
"nan tho srnreman, 81 Iaw Thara can he no n.
upon w ooa, r. ,ho os;,.;onaI The of an,
nortion of the neonle are habituallv disreearded
a d;v;.;on Of noI,ical nar,;as rasting merely nnon
Tst;rct;or az roco az unon sectionai l;res ia al
go nnTn,tnn,te and NAV he d;saStrons The
wef,re Of he south aliLe with that of every mar,
&C 40 oonrtry denonds unon tba a,t,ac,;,ps /, 20
otrar 10 Ishor ~ m m;nrai,on and n can;tal I'm,
iahar ,,;u no. ,ro and nsntal viii NO, ha ventured
mne,e ,ha const;,nton and the laws are 90, at de-.
fance and d;s,rsctior annrobens;on ard alarm
,ar ~ he niace If neacc. lpr;ng and law.abidinp
son;aI Tca An pa,ts of the const;,nt;on Are ss.
cred ami must he sac,edIv observed-the narts
MOI are new No loss than The narts that are old
The moral and material prosperity of the south
crn states can be most etfectually advanced by a
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