Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1876-08-11
Governor Tilden's Letter.

ton, held on the 18th Of june at Sc. Louis,
advising me Of my nomination as the caudi.
GATE OF the constituency represented by that
BODY Tor the office Of president of the United
states, answered that, at my earliest con.
yenience, aud in conformity with usage. l
would prepare and transmit TO YOU a formal
acceptance. | now avail myself of the 6rst
interval in unavoidable occupations TO fulfil
that engagement.
The convention, before making its nomin.
atoms, adopted Declaration Of Principles,
which, as whole, seems 10 me wise emo.
sltlon OF the necessities Of our country, aud
OF the reforms needed to bring back the
government to its true functions, to restore
purity OF administration, and to renew the
prosperity Of the people. But some of these
reforms are so urge1t that thoy claim more
than passing approval. - The con.
vention justly afirms that reform is neces.
sary in the civil service, necessary to its
publication, necessary to its economy and
its efficiency, necessary in order that the or
binary employment Of tho public business
may not be a prize fought for at the bal.
lot-box, brief reward Of party zeal, instead
OF posts OF honor assigned for proved com.
potency, and held for fidelity in the public
employ" The convention wisely added
that reform is necessary even more in the
higher grades of the public service. Presi.
dent, vice president, judges, senator's, repre-.
sentatives, cabinet officers, these and all
others IN authority are the peoples servants.
Their Offices are not a private perquisite ;
they are public trust"
Two evils infcst the official service of the
federal government.
One is the prevalent and demoralizing no.
ton that the public service exists not for
the business and benefit of the whole people,
but for the interests Of the oficeholders, who
are, 10 truth, but the servants Of the people.
Under the influence of this pernicious error
public employments have been multiplied /;
the numbers Of those gathered into the ranks
Of ofhceholders have been steadily increased
beyond any possible requirements of the pub
lie business, while inefliciency, peculation,
fraud and malversatiOn Of the public funds,
from the high places Of power to the lowest,
have overspread tho whole service like q
leprosy.
The other evil is the organization Of the
official class into a body Of political merce-
naries, governing the caucuses and dictat-
ing the nominations Of their own party and
attempting to carry the elections Of the peo-
Pile by undue influence, and by immense COR
ruption funds systematically collected from
the salaries or fees Of oficeholders The
Official class in other countries, sometimes by
its own weight and sometimes in alliance
with the army, has been able to rule the
unorganized masses even under universal
suffrage. Here it has already grown into
gigantic power capable Of sitting the in.
spirations Of sound public opinion, and of
resisting an easy change of administration,
until misgovernment becomes intolerable
and public spirit has been stung to the pitch
of a civic revolution.
The first step in reform is the elevation
Of the standard by which the appointing
power selects agents TO execute official trusts.
Next in importance is a conscientious fidel-
ity in the exercise Of the authority to hold
to account aud displace Enthusiastically or in
capable subordinates. The public interest
in m honest, skillful performance Of official
trust must not be sacrificed to the usutruct
Of the incumbents.
After these immediate steps, which will
insure the exhibition OF better OK amplos, we
may wisely 60 on to the abolition of unn &C.
essary offices, and fually, to the patient,
careful organization OF better civil service
system, under the tests, wherever practical
bic, of proved competency and fidelity.
While much may be accomplished by
these methods, it might encourage deusive
expectations if withheld here the expires.
sion of my conviction that no reform of the
civil service in this country will be complete
and permanent until its chief magistrate is
coustitutionaily disqualified for reelection
experience having repeatedly exposed the
futilty Of self-imposod restrictions by can.
didates or incumbents. Through this solem.
nifty only can he be efFectually delivered
from his greatest temptation to misuse the
power aud patronage with which the
executive is necessarily charged.
An accessory cause enhancing the distress in
business is to be found in the systematic and
insupportablc disagreement imposed on the
States of the South. Besides the ordinary
effects of ignorant and dishonest Administra.
ton, it has inflicted upon them enormous is.
sues Of fraudulent bonds, the scanty avails Of
|
existence of which is public discredit tend
ing to bankruptcy or reputation. Taxes
generally oppressive, in some instances have
confscated the entire income Of property
aud totally destroyed its marketable value
1t is impossible that these evils should mol
react upon the prosperity Of the whole coun
try.
The nobler motives of humanity concur
with the material interests Of all in requiring
that every obstacle be removed, to com
plete and durable reconciliation between
kindred populations once unnaturally es
tranged, on the basis recognized by the st
Louis platform, OF the "Constitution Of thu
United States, with its amendments uni
versallY accepted as final settlement OF the
controversies which eugendered civil war"
But, in aid Of result so beneicent, thu
moral influence Of every good citizen, al
well as every governmental authority, ought
to be cxerted, not alone to maintain tbeil
just equality before the law, but likewise Il
establish cordial fraternity aud good will
among citizens, whatever their race or color
who are united 10 the one destiny of com
mon sef.government. If the duty shall b.
assigned to me, shall not fail to exercis,
the powers with which the laws aud the Con
stitution Of our country clothe its Chief mag
istrate, to protect all its citizens, whatever
their former condition, in every political aud
personal right. "Public economies
official retrenchnents, and wise finance" are
the means which the st. Louis Convention
indicates as provision for reserves and 70
demptious.
The best resource is reduction Of the OK
penses Of the Government below its income
for that imposes no new charge on the peo-
pie. Ii, however, the improvidence anC
waste which have conducted US TO perioC
of falling revenues oblige us to supplement
the result Of economies and retrenchments by
some resort to loans, we should not hesitate
The Government ought not to speculate OF
its own dishOnor, 10 order TO save interest OF