The Russellville Democrat., 1876-07-20
What hc will do if Elected.
His bait to ssa. GOO ofsicc-hosd-- ers---tf Eou 'ii putt sae thro'
 I wosl't Disturb you.
One term, he thinks will do
 Him.

CoLUNBUs, O., July 8, 1876. Hon Edward AiePhcrson. Hon Wm. A. iiowarl, Hon. Joseph
 Ii. Rainey and others, Commit tee of the National Republican Convention:
 GENTLEMEN: In reply to your official communications Of June 17th, by which ] am informed of my nomination for the office of
 president oi the United States by
 the republican national convcn
 ton at Cincinnati, 1 accept the
 nomination with gratitude, hoping
 that under Providence 1 shall he
 able, ifelccted, to execute the du
 ties of the high office as a trust
 for the benefit of all the people. l do not deem it necessary to cn-
 ter upon any extended exa,Eina
 tion of the declaration of prinei-
 ples made ny the convention. The resolutions are in accord with my views, and 1 heartily
 concur III the principles they an nouncc. In several oi the resoiu
 tions, however, questions are con- sidercd which arc of such impor-
 tancc t!iat I 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 appoint
 ments to office grew up, ba ed upon the maxim ito the victors
 belong the spoils.' The old rule,
 the true rule, that honesty, ca
 pacity and fidelity constitute the
 only real qualifications for oliice,
 and that there is no other claim,
 gave place to the idea that party
 services were to be chiefly ecu
 sidere5. All parties in practice
 have adopted shis system. It has
 been essentially 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 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 f3r party services, but rewards to party leaders. This system de stroys the independence of the separate departments of the gov ernmcnt. It tends directly to eX- travagance and official incapacity.
 It is q temptation to dishonesty.
 It flinders and impairs that care
 ful supervision and strict account. ability by which alone faithful and efficient public service can be secured. It obstyucts the prompt removal and sure pun ishmcnt of the unworthy in every way. It degrades the civil ser vice and the character of the gov ernment. It is felt, l am conf dent, by q large majority of the members of congress, to be an intolerahle burden and unwar ranLablc hindrancc to the proper discharge of their legitimate du ties. It ought to be abolished. The reform should be thorough, radical and complete. We should return to the principles and prac tice of the founders Of the govern mcnt, supplying by Legislation when needed that which was for mer!y established ny custom. They neither expected nor deriy ed from the public offices any par tisan service. They meant that public officers should owe their whole service to the government and to the people; they meant that the officer should be secure in his tenure as long as his per sonal character remained untar nishcd and the performance Of his duties satisfactory. If elect ed, I shall conduct the admins tration of the government upon these principles, and all constitu tional powers vested in the exec l utive wlll be employ ed to estab 1 fish this reform. The declaration of principles by the Cincinnati makes no amendment in favor of q single presidential term. do not assume to add to that declaration, but believing that the restoration or the civil service to the system established by Washington, followed by the early presidents, can he best ac- by all executive who . is uDdcr no temptation to use the patronage of his office to promote his own re election, desire to perform what l regard as a duty in stating now ny ia.leNiAIe par pose, if elected, not tu he a c;,Adl |