The Van Buren press., 1876-08-08

platform truly says that many INDUS.
tries have been Impoverished to subsi-
dizc a few; our commerce degraded to an
inferior position on the high seas; manu-
tactures have been diminished; agricul.
ture has been embarrassed, and the dis.
tress of industrial classics demand that
these things shall be reformed" The
burdens Of the people must also be light
ened by change in our system of pub
lie expenses. The prohigatc expendi-
lures which increased taxation from 50
per capita in 1860 to Sis in 1870, tells
its own story of our need ofreiorm.
Our treaties with foreign powers
should also be revised and amended, in
so far as they leave citizens of foreign
birth, in any particular less secure in
any country ON earth than they would
be if they had been born upon our soil.
The iniquitous coolie system, which,
through the agency of wealthy compa-
MES imports Chinese bondsmen and es-
tablishes species of slavery, and inter
tcres with the Just rewards of labor on
our Pacific coast, should be utterly abol-
ished.
In the reform of our civil service, |
most heartily indorsc that section of the
! platform which declares that the civil
service ought not to be subject to change
at every election, and that it ought not
to be made brief reward of party zeal,
but ought to be awarded for proved COM
potency and held for fidelity in public
employment. i hope never again to see
the cruel and remorseless prescription
forpolitical opinions which has disgraced
the administration of the last eight years.
Bad as the civil service now is, we all
know 1t has some men Of tried integrity
and ability, such men, and such men on
ly, should be retained in office; but no
man should be retained, under any con-
sideration, who has prostituted his office
to purposes of partisan intimidation or
compnlsien, OF who has furnished mon
ey to corrupt elections. This is done
and has been done in almost every coun-
ty Of the land. 1t is a blight upon the
morals of the country and ought to be
reformed.
OF sectional contentious, and in re-
spect to our common schools, have only
this to say, that, in my Judgment, the
man or party that would involve our
schools in social or political controver-
sizes, is an enemy to schools. The COM
mon schools are so far under the protec-
ting care Of the people, and not under
the control of any party or sect. They
must be neither scctarian nor partisan
and there must be neither division or
misappropriation Of the funds for their
support Likewise | regard the man
who would arouse or foster sectional an
imosities and antagonisms among his
countrymen as dangerous enemy to his
country. All people must be made to
feel and know that once more there is an
established purpose and policy, under
which all citizens, of every condition,
race and color, will be secure in the en-
.joymcut of whatever rights the consti-
tuition and laws declare Or recognize, and
that in controversies that may arise, the
government is not partisan, but, within
its constitutional authority, just guar
dian of the rights of safety. All strife
between sections and between races will
cease as soon as the power for evil is ta-
ken away from party that makes po-
litical game out of scenes of violence and
bloodshed, and the constitutional au-
thority is placed in the hands of men
whose political welfare requires that
peace and good order shall be preserved
everywhere.
1t will be seen, gentlemen, that I am
in entire accord with the platform of the
convention by which have been nomi-
mated as a candidate for the office Of vice
president of the United States. Permit
me, in conclusion to express my salts
faction at being associated with u candi-
date for the presidency who is first
among his equals as the representative
of the spirit of achievements of reform
in his official career as the executive of
the great State of New York. He has,
in comparatively short period, reform
ed public service and reduced public bur-
dens so as to have earned at once the
gratitude of his State and the admiration
of the country. The people know him
to be thoroughly in earnest; he has
shown himself to be possessed Of powers
and qualities which fit him in an eminent
degree for the great work of retorma-
ton which this country now needs, and,
if he shall be chosen by the people to
the high office of President of the Unit
cd States, | believe that the day of his
Inauguration will be the beginning of Il
new era of peace, purity and prosperity
in all departments of our government.
/ am, gentlemen, your obcdicnt ser
want,
THOMAS A. HENDRICKS.