The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1877-03-06
ins~ignifcance. The question we have
to consider for the immediate welfare

of those states of the union, is the ques-
tion of government or no government,
of social order and all the peaceful in
dustries and the happiness that belong
to it. or a return to barbarism. 1t is a
question in which every citizen of the
nation is deeply interested, and with re-
spect to which we, too, ought not to be
in a partisan sense either Republicans
or Democrats, but fellow-citizens INT
fellow-men to whom the interests of a
common country and common human
ity are clear.
The sweeping revolution of the entire
labor system of a large portion OF U
country, and the advance of four mil
lions of people from a condition of serv-
itude to that of citizenship, upon an
equal footing with their former masters,
could not occur without presenting a
problem of the gravest moment, TO be
dealt with by the emancipated race,
by their former masters, and by the
general government, the author of the
act of emancipation. That it was a
wise, Just, and prudential act, fraught
with good for all concerned, is now gen.
orally conceded throughout the coun-
try. That a moral obligation rests upon
the national government to employ its
constitutional power and influence to
establish tile rights of the people it has
emancipated, and to protect them in
the enjoyment of those rights when
they are infringed or assailed, is also
generally admitted. The evils Which
afflict the southern states can only be
removed by the united and harmonious
efforts of both races, actuated by mo-
tives of mutual sympathy and regard,
and while in duty bound and fully de-
termined to protect the rights of all by
every constitutional means at the dis
posal of my administration, / am sin
cerely anxious to use every legitimate
influence in favor of honest and efli-
cient local government as the true re-
source of those states for the promotion
of the contentment and prosperity
OF their citizens. In the effort L
shall make to accomplish this pur-
pose, l ask the cordial cooperation
of all who cherish an interest in the
welfare of the country, trusting that
party ties and the prejudice of race will
be freely surrendered in behalf of the
great purpose to be accomplished in the
important work of the restoration of
the South. 1t is not the political situa-
ton alone that merits attention. The
national development of that section of
country has been arrested by the social
and political revolution through which
it has passed, and now needs and de-
serves the considerable care of the
National Government, within just lin
its, as prescribed by the constitution
and wise public economy, but at the
basis of all prosperity for that, as well
us for every other part of the country,
the improvement of the intellectual and
moral condition of the people. Univer-
sal suffrage should rest upon universal
education. To this end liberal and
permanent provision should be made
for the support of free schools by state
governments, and if need be, supple
mented by legitimate aid from national
authority. Let me assure my country
men of the Southern states that it is
my earnest desire to regard and pro-
mote their interests, the interests OF
the white and the colored people, both,
and equally, and to put forth my besT
efforts in behalf of Il civil policy which
will forever wipe out in Il political
affairs the color line and the distinction
between north and south, to the end
that we may not have merely a united
north or united south, but a united
country. l ask the attention Of the
public to the paramount necessity of
reform in IL civil service-a reform
not merely as to certain abuses, and
practices of so-called official patronage,
which have come to have the sanction
of usage in the several departments of
our government, but a change in the
system of appointment itself-a re-
form that shall be thorough, radical
and complete, a return to the principles
and practices of the founders of the
rrIn,, ,,aitlnr nx,n.t,l
nor desired from public officers any
partisan service. They meant that
public officers should owe their whole
people. They meant that the officer
should be secure in his tenure as long
as his personal character remained un-
furnished and the performance of his
duties satisfactory. They held that APP
pointments to office were not to be made
nor expected merely as rewards for par
tisan service, nor merely on the nomi-
nation of members of Congress, as
being entitled in any respect to the
control of such appointments. The
fact that both political parties of the
country, in declaring their principles
prior to the election, gave prominent
place to the subject of reform of our
civil service, recognizing and strongly
urging its necessity in terms almost
identical in their specific import, with
those l have here employed, must be
accepted as conclusive argument in
behalf of these measures. 1t must be
regarded as the expression of the united
voice and will of the whole country.
The President of the United States, of
necessity owes his election to office to
the jealous labors of Il political party,
the members of which cherish with
ardor and regard, as of essential i'm
portance, the principles of their party
organization, but he should strive to
be always mindful of the fact that he
serves his party best who serves the
country best. In furtherance of the
reform we seek, and as in other impor-
tant respects Il change of great impor-
lance, l recommend an amendment to
the constitution prescribing a term of
six years for the presidential office, and
%forbidding Il reelection.
With respect to the financial condi-
l &c., IS tIn n,, 7 -Ia1I 80 g..