The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1876-07-28
HAYES LETTER. OF ACCEPTANCE.
CoLuMsus. Ollio, JulY s.

CoLuMBUs, Ohio. July s, 1876.
TO Hon. EDWARD AIcFHERsoN, Hon
". A. HOWARD, HoN. J. r. RAINEY,
and others, Committee of the Repub-
lican National Convention
Gentieneelt:: In reply to your official
communication of June 18th, by which
am informed of my nomination for the
Office OF President OF the United States
by the Republican Convention at Gin
cinnati, accept the nomination with
gratitude, and hope that under Provi-
cence ] shall be able, if elected, to exc
cute the duties of the high office as
trust tor the beneft of all the people.
do not deem it necessary to enter up
on any extended examination OF the
declaration of principles made by the
Convention. The resolutions are in
accord with my views and I heartily
concur in the principles they announce.
In several of the resolutions, however,
questions are considered which are of
such importance that deem it proper
TO briefly express my convictions in re-
gard to them The 5th resolution
adopted by tile Convention is of para
mount interest. More than forty years
ago question Of making appointments
to office grew mp, based upon the
maxim: 'sTo the victors belong the
spoils." The old rule, the true rule,
that "honesty, capacity and fidelity
constitute the only real qualifications
for office, and that there is no other
claim, gave place to the idea that party
services were TO be chiefly considered.
All parties i'll practice lave adopted
this system. 1t has been essentially
modified siuce its first introduction. 1t
has not, however, been improved. At
first the President, either directly or
through the head of departments, made
all the appointments; but gradually the
appointing has in many cases passed IN
to the control of the members of Con-
gEeSs. The offices in these cases have
become not merely rewards for party
services, but rewards for seyiees to party
leaders. This system destroys the indie
pendeDce OF the separate departments
of the government. It tends directly to |
extravaganza and official iucapacity, it
is temptation to dishonesty; it hinders
and impairs tina careful supervision and |
strict accountability by which alone
faithful and efficient public service can |
be secured; it obstructs the prompt re.
moYal and sure punishment of the un-
worthy in every way; it degrades the
civil service and tile character of the /
government; it is felt, am confident
by large majority of the members of /
Congress to be an intolerable burden
aud an nnwarrantable hinderance to the
proper discharge OF their legitimate
duties, aud it ought to be abolished
The reform should be thorough, radical
and complete. We should return to +
the principles and practices of the
founders of the government. SUPPLYING
legislation, when needed. that which /
was formerly the established custom
They neither expect nor desire from the /
public officer any partisan service: they |
ment that public officers should owe /
their whole service to the government
and 70 the people; they meant that the |
officer should be secured In his tenure |
as long as lis personal character re- |
mained untarnished, aud the perform. |
ance Of his duties satisfactory. If felcc- |
ted shall conduct the administration |
OF the government on these principles. |
and a constitutional powers vested in
the executive will be employed to estab-
iish this Tefoem.
The declaration of principles by the |
Cincinnati convention makes no an
nouncement IN favor of q single Presi-
dental term. dc noe assume TO add |
20 that declaration; bat believing that
the restoration of the civil service TO |
the system established by Washington |
and followed by the early Presidents |
can best be accomplished by an executive |
who Is under no temptation to use the /
patronage Of his Office 10 promote his |
own elections desire to perform what
regard as 3 duty in stating now my |
1ntiexlhle purpose. If elected, net TO be q
candidate for election to second term. |
Tn the currency question l have ire
qasntiy expressed my views in public, /
ana stand by my record on this sub. |
jeef. regard ali laws of the limited |
States relating 10 the payment of the |
public indebtedness-tfe legal tender |
notes included-aE constituting both q |
pledge and moral obligation Of the gov
ernnent which must in good faith be
kept. lis my conviction that the feel
ing Of uncertainty, inseparable from any
irTedeenabla paper currency with its
fluctuations of value is one Of the great