The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-03-22

duties satisfactory. They held that APP
puintments 10 office were not 60 he
made nor expected merely as rewards
for partisan services. ror merely on the
nominations of members of Congress as
being entitled in any respect to the con
trol of such appointments. The fact
that both the great political parties of
the country, In declaring thoir principles
prior 60 the election. gave q promuout
place to the subject of reform Of our
civil service. rccogniHng and strongly
urging its necessity m terms almost
identical IN their specific import with
those | have here employed, must I've
accepted as a conclusive argument IN he
half ol these measures, Ii must hC 10
c.lricd rs the expression ot the united
voice and will Of the whole country uPou
tins subject, ana both political parurs
are virtually pledged Co give It their nm
reserved support
rItE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE
The President Of the United States
of necessity owes his election 20 office 90
the suflrage and goalouE hhors ot a po-
hucal party. the members ot which
cherish with ar,ior and rcE,ri as ot as.
scntial Importance the principles ot thvIr
partv organization. hut he should strive
10 he alWays mindful of the fact that he
serves his party best who serves hls
country best. In Iuthcrancc of the M
form We seek, aUd IN other Important re,
spoctS change oi great Importance, |
recommend an amendment Ga the Cons,.-
tuition prescribing a term of siN wears sor
the Presidential oiice, ami iorbldiuga "a
re. election.
BUSINESS DEPRESSION.
With respect 10 the financial condition
of the country. | shall not atteup; an
extended history oi the embarrassment
and prostu.tion which We have suitenI
during the past three wears The drprc~-
Sion In all our varied commercial uud
manufacturing Interests throughout the
country which began in september 1873,
still continues, Ii rs very gratifying.
however. IL be able a. say that there are
Indications all around us "i 80 coming
change % prosperous TIMES. Upon the
currency question. intimately connected
rs lt Is with tins topic, may Ice permit
ted d repeat here the statement ualc lu
my letter of acceptance. that in my
Judgment the feeling oi uncertainty ln-
separablr from IN lrrciegmahle
PAPER CURRENCY.
with its fluctuations oi values Is one oi the
greatest obstacles 60 return 70 prosper
ous times. The only safe paper currency
B. T..
is at all times aud promptly convertible
into coin. | adhere 20 the views hereto
fore expressed 10y me in favor ut Com
eressional legislation IN behalf oi au
early resumption of specie payments,
and am satisfied not only that this Is
wise but thar the interests rs well as tAe
public sentiment oi the country lmpera-
lively demauiit.
FoREIGN RELATIONS.
Passing from these remarks upon the
condition oi our country, 10 consider
our relations with other lands, We ara re-
minded by the international c0mphca-
tious abroad threatening the peace Oi
Europe that our traditional rule of nom
interference in the affairs Of foreign ma
uous has proved OF great value in past
times and ought "a be strictly observed
The policy inauEuuted 10y my houored
predecessor. President Grant, Of submit
ting 10 arbitration grave questions IN dis
uute between ourselves and foreign pow
ers points 20 new and lucompAAbly the
best instrumentahty for the preservation
Of peace, aud will, as / believe, become
a heneiicent example Of the course - he
pursued in similar emergencies by other
nations. Ii. uuhapply, questions OF
difference should at any time during the
period OF my administration arise be-
tween the United Stases and foreign gov
ernments, II viii certainly be my dspo-
sition and my hope TO aid IN their settle
ment in the same peaceful and honorable
way. thus securing u our country the
great blessings of peace and mutual good
office with all the nations of the world.
TIE LAIE POLITICAL CONTEST.
Fellow citizens. we have reached the
close Of a political contest marked by the
excitement which usually attends the
contests between great political parties
whose members espuUse and advocate
with earnest faith their espeCtiyecreels.
The circumstances were, perhaps, ia no
respect extraordinary, save in the close
ness and consequent uncertainty of the
result. For the first timelu the history
OF the country it has been deemed best,
in view OF the peculiar circumstance ii
the case. that the objections and ques-
tons in dispute with reference % the
counting of the electoral votes should he
referred 10 the decision Of q tribunal ap-
pointed for this purpose. That tribunal.
established by law for this sole purpose,
its members all Of them men of long es-
tablished reputation for integrity and IN
telhgence. and, with the exception II
those who are also members Of the su-
preme Judiciary, chosen equally from
both political parties, its deliberations
enlightened by the research and the mr.
guments Of able counsel was entitled 70
fullest confidence Of the American peO-
pie. Its decisions have been patiently
waited for and accepted as legally con-
elusive by the general Judgment Of the
people. For the present, opinion will
widely vary as to the wisdom Of the sew
ern conclusions announced by that tn
bunal. This is to be anticipated in
every instance where matters Of dispute
are made the subject Of arbitration under
the forms Of law. Human Judgment is
never unerring, and Is rarely regarded
as otherwise than wrong by the unsuc-
cessful party in the contest. The fact
that two great political parties have in
tins way settled a dispute, in regard 10
which good men differ as 10 the facts and
the law no less than as to the proper
course to be pursued in solving the
question in controversy is an occasion
for general rejoicing. Upon one point
there Is entire unanimity IN npublic senti-
ment that
CONFLICTING CLAIMS
te the Presidency must be amicably and
Peaceably adjusted, and that when So adj
lusted the general acquiescence Of the
natlou ought surely TO follow. 1t has
been reserved for q government Of the
people where the right 81 suffrage il uni
yersal, 10 give 10 the world the first cx-
ample IN history Of great nation in the
midst Of q struggle of opposing uprtieg