The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-07-20
A BID FOR THE REFORM VOTE.
Gov. Hayes's Letter Accepting the Re-
publican Nomination.

Gov. Hayes's Letter Accepting the he
publican Nomination.
The following is the letter of accept
ance written by Gov. Hayes to the COM
mittee of the Republican National Con-
yention which informed him of the
nomination at Cincinnati:
COLUMBUS, O., July 8, 1876.
GENTLEMEN: In reply to your official
communication of June II, by which l
am informed of my nomination for the
Office of President of the United States
by the Republican National Convention
at Cincinnati, I accept the nomination
with gratitude, hoping that, under Prov
idence, shall be able, if elected, to exc
cute the duties of that high Office as a
trust for the benefit of all the people.
I do not deem it necessary to enter
upon any extended examination of the
declaration of principles made by the
Convention. The resolutions are in ac-
cord with my views, and I heartily con-
cur in the principles they announce. In
several of the resolutions, however, ques-
tions are considered which are of such
Importance that 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 appointments to Office grew up
based upon the maxim "To the victors
belong the spoils." The old rule, the
true rule, that honesty, capacity and
fidelity constitute the only real qualifca-
tions for Office, and that there is no other
claim, gave place to the idea that party
services were to be chiefly considered.
| All parties have adopted this system. 1t
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 re-
wards for party services, but rewards for
services to party leaders. This system
destroys the independence of the separate
departments of the government; it tends
directly to extravaganza and official in
capacity; it is o temptation to dishon-
esty; it hinders and impairs the care
full supervision and strict accountability
by which alone faithful and efficient pub.
lie service can be secured; it obstructs
the prompt removal and sure punishment
of the unworthy; in every way it de-
grades the civil service and the character
of the government. 1t is felt, 1 am con-
| fident, by large majority of the MEM
bers of Congress to be an intolerable
burden and unwarrantable hindrance to
the proper discharge of their legitimate
duties. 1t ought to be abolished. The
reform should be thorough, radical and
| complete. We should return to the prin-
ciples and practice of the founders of the
government, supplying by legislation,
when needed, that which was formerly
established by custom. They neither
expected or desired from the public Off
Ger 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
upon these principles. and all constitu-
tional powers vested in the Executive
will be employed to establish this reform.
The declaration of principles by the
Cincinnati Convention makes no an
nouncement in favor of a single Presi-
Dental term. I do not assume to add to
that declaration, but believing that the
restoration of the civil service to the sys-
tenn established by Washington, and fol-
lowed by the early Presidents. can be
best accomplished by an Executive who
is under no temptation to use the patron
age of his Office to promote his own re-
election. I desire to perform what l
regard as duty in stating now that my
infexible purpose, if elected, is not to be
a candidate for election to a second term.
On the currency question have fire.
quently expressed my views in public and
stand by my record on this subject. 1
regard all the laws of the United States
relating to the payment of the public in
debtedness, the legal tender notes in.
cluded, as constituting a pledge and
moral obligation of the government which
must in good faith be kept. 1t is my
conviction that the feeling of uncertainty
| inseparable from an irredeemable paper
currency, with its fluctuations of values,
is one of the great obstacles to revival
of confidence in business and to return
of prosperity. That uncertainty can be
ended in but one way-the resumption of
specie payment But the longer the in
stability connected with our present
money system is permitted to continue,
the greater will be the injury inflicted
upon our economical interests and
all classes of society. If elected
III shall approve every appropriate
measure to accomplish the desired end,
and. shall oppose any step backward.
The resolution with respect to the pub
lie school system is one which should
receive the hearty support of the Ameri-
can people. Agitation upon this subject
is to be apprehended until, by constitu-
tional amendment, the schools are placed
beyond all danger of sectional control or
interference. The Republican party is
pledged to secure such an amendment
The resolution of the Convention on
the subject of the permanent pacifcation
of the country, and the complete protec-
ton of all its citizens in the free enjoy
ment of all their constitutional rights, is
timely and ofgreat importance. The con-
dition of the Southern States attracts the
attention and commands the sympathy
of the whole Union. In the progressive
recovery from the effects of the war, their
| first necessity is an intelligent and honest
administration of the government, which
will protect all classes of citizens in their
political and private rights. What the
South most needs is peace, and peace
depends upon the supremacy of the law.
There can be no enduring peace if the
constitutional rights Of any portion of the
people are habitually disregarded. A
division of political parties resting merely
| .nox J;et;nct;ono of raco ar I1pon sec-