, 1876-07-22
Isn,r-' letter Of Acceptance.
lMrm-.- MnIn. InLy 8. 10

NNunuIl lnNrN'nu.
rJdtmeu IN i... to your official
communication of June l7tb by which |
.u informed of my nomination for the
lie, Of lrrsidcu, ofthc United States hy
,uc republican convention at Cincinnati.
/ accept the nomination with grrtitddc
rad the hope that, under Providence. !
,uall hc able, if elected, 10 execute the
,ltc, Of the high office, as | trust, for
the benefit of all the people.
do not deem it it necessary to enter
apon any extended examination Of the
declaration Of principles made by the
convention. The resolutions are in nc
cord with my views, and heartily con-
cur in the principles they announce. In
.cycml OF the resolutions, however, qurs-
lions are considered which ARE Of such
Importance that deem itpropcr to brict'
~ express my convictions in regard To
them.
The fifth resolution adopted by the
convention is Of paramount interest,
More than forty years ago system OF
making appointments to office grew up
based upon the maxim, "To the victors
hclong the spolls.' The old rule, the
true rulc--that honesty, capacity and
i.dclty constitute the only real QuaIiti.
cations for office and that there is no
other claim--gave place to the idea that
party services were to he chiefly cOnsid.
cred. All parties IN practice have adopt
,d this system. 1t has been essentially
modified since its first introduction. 1t
has not. however, been improved. At
:irst the president, either directly en-
through the heads Of dep ,rtmen S, made
all the appointments; lut pIaC ually the
nppoi ting power in many eases passed
into the contIol of members Of congress.
The offices in these cases have become.
not merely rewards for party services,
tut rewards for services to party leaders
This system destroys the independence OF
the separate departments Of the govern
ment, and tends directly to eXtravagauce
and official incapacity. 1t is Il tempt
ution to dishonesty; it hinders and I'M
pairs that careful supervision and strict
accountability by which alone faithful
and efficient public service can be secured;
it ohstructs the prompt removal and sure
punishment Of the unworthy in every
way; It degrades the civil service and
'lIe character of the government; it is
:elt, am confident, by large majority
of the members of congress to be an in
;olcrabie burden and an unwurrantablr
hindrance to the proper discharge Of
their duties, and it ought to be abolished
The reform should be ralical, thorough
md complete. We should return to the
principles and practice of the founders OF
;he government, supplying by legislation,
when needed, that which was formerly
he established custom. They neither
expected nor desired from the public |
officer any partisan 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 personal character remained untar-
nished and the performance of his duties |
satisfactory, If elected, | shall conduct
the administration OF the government on
these principles, and all constitutional
powers vested in the executive will be
employed to established this reform.
The declaration OF principles by the |
CINCINNATI convention makes no an
nouncement in favor Of Il single presiden-
tial term, do not assume to add to |
TINT decIara .on; but, believing that the /
restoration Of the civil service to the /,
system established by Washington and I
followed by the early presidents can he |
best accomplished by m executive who |
is under no temptation to use the patron
ara ofhis Office to promote his own cl,c- /
'oia desire TO perform what | regard /
80 Il duty iO stating now my inlrXib'c !,
purpose, if elected, not to be candidate
,o' election asSsc"n1 term.
On the currahcy question I have t0.
lucntly expressed my views in public
nd ! stand by my record on tins ,ol,,l
rrsrr4 all the laws nj the United Suy
rc@iinoP tAepoymeut Of ,he public !.
dchtcdnesa tie LEGAL tender uoir- d.