American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-07-29
Mr.. WheeIer's Letter of Accept
ance.

vention.
GENTLEMEN-I received on the 9Th inst
your communication advising me that hat
been unanimously nominated by the Nation
al Convention of the Republican party, hell
at Cincinnati ON the l4th ult., for the offic
of Vice. President of the United States, ant
requesting my acceptance of the same, ant
asking my attention to the summary of thu
Republican doctrines contained in the plat
form adopted by the Convention.
nomination made with such unanimity
implies confidence on the part of thu
Convention which inspires my profound
gratitude. 1t is accepted witt
sense Of the responsibility which
may follow. II elected I shall endeavor t.
perform the duties Of the office in the fear o.
the Supreme Ruler and the interest of the
whole country. To the summary of doc
trines enunciated by the Convention give
my cordial assent. The Republican party
| has intrenched in the organic law Of our land
the doctrine that liberty is the supr me, un-
changeabIe law for every foot of American
soil. 1t is the mission of that party to give
full effect to this principle by ''securing to
every American citizen complete liberty and
exact equality in the exercise of all civil
political and public ris hts.'' This will be
accomplished only when the American citi-
zen, without regard to color, shall wear this
panoply Of citizenship as fully and securely
in the canebrakes of Louisiana as on the
banks Of the St. Lawrence.
Upon the question of our Southern rela-
tions my views were recently expressed as a
member of the Committee of the United
States House of Representatives upon South
ern Affairs. These views remain unchanged
and were thus expressed: eve at the
North delude ourselves in expecting that
the masses of the South, SO far behind in
many of the attributes Of enlightened i'm
provement and civilization, are. in the brief
period of ten or fifteen years, to be trans
formed into our model Northern communi-
ties.'' That can only come through long
course of patient waiting to which no one
can now set certain bounds. There will be
good deal of unavoidable friction, which
will call for forbearance, and which will
have to be relieved by the temperate, foster
ing care Of the Government. One of the
most patent, if not indispensable. agen-
cies in this direction will be the de-
wishing Of some system to aid in the educa
ton of the masses. The fact that there
are whole counties in Louisiana in which
there is not a solitary schoolhouse is full of
suggestion. We compelled these people to
remain in the Union, and now our duty and
interest demand that we leave no Just means
untried to make them good, loyal citizens.
How to diminish the friction, how to slim
ulate the elevation of this portion of our
country, are problems addressing them
selves to our best and wisesJ craftsmanship.
The foundation for these efforts must be
laid in satisfying the Southern people that
they are to have equal and exact justice ac-
corded to them. Give them to the fullest
extent every blessing which the Government
confers upon the most favored; give them
no just cause for complaint, and then hold
them by every necessary means to an exact,
rigid observance Of all their duties and obli-
cations under the Constitution and its
to secure all within their bor-
ders manhood and citizenship, with every
right thereto belonging.
The just obligation to public creditors
created when the Government in the
tbroes Of threatened dissolution, and as an
condition of its salvation,
guaranteed by the lives and blood of thou
sands Of its brave defenders, are to be kept
with religious faith, as are all the pledges
subsidiary thereto and comfirmatory there
Of. In my Judgment. the pledge Of Con-
gress of January IA, 1875. for the redemp-
ton of notes of the United States in coin,
is the plighted faith of National honor.
Simple honesty and justice to the people,
whose permanent welfare and prosperity
are dependent upon true money as the basis
Of their pecuniary transactions, all demand
the scrupulous observance of this pledge,
and it is the duty of Congress to supplement
it with such legislation as shall be necessary
for its perfect fulfillment.
In our system of government, intelligence
must give safety and vslue to the ballot.
Hence the common schools Of the land
should be preserved in all their vigor, while |
in accordance with the spirit Of the Consti- |
ution they and all their endowments should
be secured by every possible and proper
against every form of sectarian in
fluence or control.
There should be the strictest economy in
of the Government consistent
with its effective administration, and all I'M
offices should be abolished. Offices |
should be conferred only upon the basis of
high character and particular fitness, and
should be administered only as public trusts
and not for private advantage.
The foregoing are chief among the car
final principles of the Republican party, |
he work it now has on hand. To the COM
Dletion of its great mission we address our
selves in hope and confidence, cheered and
stimulated by the recollection of past
remembering that under |
God it is to liberty that we are indebted in
his Centennial year Of our existence
or preserved unbroken Union;
'or the fact that there is no mas
er or slave throughout our broad |
and that emancipated millions |
ook upon the ensign of the Republic as a
symbol of the fulfilled declaration that all
men are created free and equal, and the |
of their own equality under the law |
with the most highly favored citizen Of the
and. To the intelligence and conscience of
all who desire good government, good will,
good money and universal prosperity, the Re-
publican party, not unmindful of the imper-
'ections and shortcomings of human organi-
cations, yet with the honest purpose Of its
masses promptly to retrieve all errors and
TO summarily punish all offenders against
the laws of the country, confidently sub .nits
its claims for the continued support of the
American people. Respectfully,
WILLIAM A. WHEELER.
DAYLIGHT was let through the San
Fernandina tunnel on the 18th. This
is the longest railroad tunnel in the
United States, except the Hoosac, and
the last completed of eighteen on the
line of the Southern Pacific Railroad,
between San Francisco and Los Ange- |
es. BY connection of the now sepa-