Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-07-22
THE PRESIDENCY.
The Letter Of asvsrnsr Hayes, or Ollie,
Accepslna the Neniuasisu.

Tho Letter st Gsvsrnsr Hayes, or Ollie
Aceepsias the Nsniaatisu.
In accepting the nomination tenderet
him by the Republican National Con
vention at Cincinnati, Rutherford b
Hayes, OF Ohio, says no does not deem i
necessary to enter upon any extended
examination Of the declaration OF prin
ciples made by the convention ; the
resolutions are in accord with his views
and he heartily conours in tho princi
pies they announce. He adds:
The fifth resolution adopted by the
convention Is OF paramount interest
More than forty years ago q system Of
making appointments to Office grew up,
based upon the maxim: - To the victori
belong the spoils." The old rule, the
true rule, that honesty, capacity, and
fidelity constitute the only real qualiA'
cations fer Office, and that there is nc
other claim, gave place to the idea that
party services were to be chiefly con-
sidered. All parties, in practice, have
adopted this system. It has been essen
TALLY modified since it's first introduc.
ton; 1t has not, however, been i'm
proved.
At first the President, either directly
or through the heads Of departments,
made all the appointments, but gradu-
cases, passed into the control Of mem.
bers Of Congress. The offices in these
cases have become, not merely rewards
for party services, but rewards for SER
vices to party leaders. This system de-
stroys tho independence Of the separate
departments OF the government. at
tends directly to extravaganza and official
incapacity." It is temptation to dis.
honesty it binders and impairs that
careful supervision and strict accounta-
bility by which alone faithful and ef-
fcient public services can be secured ;
it obstruots the prompt removal and
sure punishment of the unworthy in
every way it degrades the civil service
and the character of the government.
1t is felt, am confident, by large ma.
jority of the members of Congress to be
an intolerable burden and an unwarrant-
able hindrance to the proper discharge
of their legitimate duties. It ought to
be abolished. The reform should be
thorough, radical and complete.
We should return to the principles
and practices of the founders of the
government, supplying by legislation,
when needed, that which was formerly
the established custom. They neither
expected nor desired from the public
officers any partisan service. They
meant that public officers should give
their whole service to the government
and to the people. They meant that
the officer should be secure in his ten
ure as long as his personal character re.
NAMED satisfactory. If elected, shall
conduct the administration of the gov
eminent upon these principles, and all
constitutional powers vested in the Exc
cutive will be employed to establish
this reform.
The declaration of principles by the
Cincinnati convention makes no an
nouncement in favor of single Presi-
Dental term. do rot assume to 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 best be accomplished by an Execu-
tive who is under no temptation to use
the patronage of his office to promote
his own reelection, I desire to perform
what regard as duty in stating now
my infexible purpose, if elected, not to
be candidate for election to second
term.
On the currency question I have fire.
quently expressed my views in public,
and I stand by my record on this sub
ject. I regard all the laws OF the United
States relating to the payment of
the public indebtedness, the legal
tender notes included, as constituting
a pledge and moral obligation Of the
government, and which must in good
faith be kept. 1t is my conviction that
the feeling of uncertainty inseparable
from an irredeemable paper currency,
with its fluctuations of values, is one of
the great obstacles to revival of con-
fdence and business, and to return -
prosperity. That uncertainty can be
ended in but one way, the resumpt' on
of specie payments; but the longer the
instability of our monetary system is
permitted to continue, the greater will
be the injury in ficted upon our econom-
ical interests, and all classes of society.
If elected, I shall approve every appro-
pirate measure to accomplish the de-
sired end, and shall oppose any step
backward.
The resolution with respect to the
public school system is one which should
receive the hearty support of the
American people. Agitation of the sub
ject is to be apprehended, until by con-
stitutional amendments, the schools are
placed beyond all danger of sectarian
control or interference. The Republican
party is pledged to secure such an
The resolution of the convention on
the subject of the permanent paci6ca-
ton of the country, and the complete
protection of all it's citizens in the free
of all their constitutional
rights, is timely and of great import
ance. The condition of the Southern
States attracts the attention and COM
mands the sympathy of the people of
the whole Union. In their progressive
recovery from the effects of the war,
their first necessity is an intelligent and
honest administration of government
which will protect all classes of citizens
in their political and private rights.
What the South most needs is
'peace )" and peace depends upon the
supremacy of the law. There can be
no enduring peace if the constitutional
rights Of any portion of the people are
habitually disregarded. A division of
political parties resting merely on sec
tional lines is always unfortunate, and
may he disastrous. The welfare of the
South, alike with that of every other
part of this country, depends upon the
attrac tions it can offer to labor and i'm
migration and capital. But laborers
will not go, and capital will not be ven
5ured where the Constitution and the
avs are set at defiance, and distraction,
and alarm take the place
Of peace loving and law-abiding social
life. ALI parts of the Constitution are
sacred, and must be sacredly observed
the parts that are new no less than I
The parts that are old. ,
The moral and national prosperity of
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