Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-07-19
Gov. Hayes Formal Acceptance.

The Hon Edward Mcpherson, the Hon. VIM A.
Howard, the Hon. Joseph IL. Rainey and others,
Committee q the Republican National Conycn-
ton.
GENTLEMEN In reply to your official COM
municatiOn OF June IL, by which | am in
formed of my nomination for the Office of
President OF the United States by the Repub-
lican National Convention at Cincinnati, /
accept the nomination with gratitude, hop
ing that, under Providence, | shall he able,
II elected, 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 upo n
any extended examination of the declaration
of principles made by the Convention. The
resolutions are i'm accord with my views, and
heartily concur in the principles they an
nouncc. In several Of the resolutions, how
ever, 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 Con-
vention is of paramount interest More
than forty years ago system of making APP
pointinents to office grew up, based upon
the maxim ITO the yictOrs belong the
spoils. The old rule--the true rule-that
honesty, capacity and fidelity constitute the
only real qualifications for office, and that
there 10 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 essential,
modified since its first introduction: it has
not, however, been improved, At first the
President, either directly or through the
heads OF departments, made all the appoint
ments But gradually the appointing
power, in many cases, passed into the con-
troll of members of Congress. The offices
in these cases have become not merely re-
larIs for rft ..r,.i, hut y.rl.
for services to party leaders. This
system destroys The Independence of the
separate departments of the Governmc nt.
1t tends directly to extravaganza and offei al
incapacity; it is n temptation to dishonesty;
it binders and impairs that careful super
vision and strict accountability by which
alone faithful aud efficient public service
can be secured; it obstructs the prompt
removal and sure punishment of the
unworthy; in every way it degrades
the civil service and the character of the
Government; it is felt, ] am confident,
by a large majority of the members of
Congress to be an intocrable burden and
an unwarrantable hindrance to the proper
discharge oftheir legitimate duties; it 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
formerly established by custom. They
neither expected nor desired from the pub
lie officer any partisan service, They meant
that public officers should owe their whole
service to the Government and to the peo-
pie. They meant that the officer should be
secure in his tenure as long as his personal
character remained untarnished, and the
performance of his duties satisfactory
If elected, shall conduct the Admins
tration of the Government upon these prin-
ciples, and all constitutional powers vested
in the Executive will be employed to estab-
lish this reform.
The declaration of principles by the Gin
cinnati Convention makes no announcement
in favor of a single Presidential! term.
do not 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 Presi-
dents can be best accomplished by an Exec
ut We WI is under no temptation to use the
pa tronage of his office to promote his own
re detection, desire to perform what | re-
gard as duty, in stating now my inheXible
purpose, if elected, not to be a candidate for
election to n second term.
On the currency question have frequent
lyeXpresscd my views in public, and stand
by my record on this subject. | regard all
the laws Of the United States relating to the
payment of the public Indebtedness, the
legal-tendcr-notes included, us constituting
pledge and moral obligation of the Govern
mcnt which must in good fal TIL be kept. 1t
is my conviction that the feeling of uncer-
tainty inseparable from an irrcdeemable pa
per currency, with its fluctuations of
values, is one of the great obstacles TO a re-
viyal of confidence aud business, and TO a
return of prosperity. That uncertainty can
be ended in but one wuy--thc resumption
of specie payments, but the longer the in
stability connected with our present
money system is permitted to continue
the greater will he the injury inflicted upon
our economical interests and all classes of
society II elected, shall approve every
appropriate measure To accomplish the de-
sired end, and shall oppose any step back
ward.
The resolution with respect to the public
school system is one which should receive
the hearty support of the American people
Agitation upon this subject is to be appre
hcnded until, by Constitutional amendment,
the schools are placed beyond all danger of
sectarian control or Interference. The Re-
publican party u pledged TO secure such an
amendment.
The resolution of the Convention on the
subject of the permanent pactCation of the
country, and the complete protection of all
its citizens in the full enjoyment of all their
Constitutional rights, Is timely and of great
Importance. The condition of the southern
States attracts the attention and commands
the sympathy of the people OF the whole
Union. la their progressive recovery from
the effects of the War, their first ucce> sity il
an intelligent and honest administration of
Government which viii protect all classes Of
citizens in all their political aud private
rights. What the South most needs is
peace, and peace depends upon the su-
promacy of law. There can be no enduring
peace if the Constitutional rights of
any portion of the people are habit
ually disrvgardcd. \ division of politi-
cal parties, resting merely upon distinction
OF race, or upon sectional lines. j. always
unfortunate, and may be disastrous, The
welfare uf the South, alike with that of
every other part of the country, depyu ads
upon the attraction, it van Offer Ia labor, to
Immigration and 10 capital But Ilborrr>
NH -..AAilLt u tl.r..l