Ellsworth American., 1877-11-01
Mr.. Seelyes Address at Holyoke.

stand Oy the Iresi iuent. An enthusiastic
Hayes meeting at Holyoke, last week, was
addressed by Mr.. Seelye as follows:
Our public men are not leaders OF the
nation. but are led BY current of public
opinion pightier than they. This is true
In the Revolution. and all through the his
tory Of the nation. Those have been our
leaders and great men who, in the real
movement of the nation, have been willing
to stand IN front and be borne along. No
part OF our history has been planned by
human forethought, but has come from un-
expected and almost unconscious inspira-
ton Of the people. What has been true in
this particular hitherto, is true STILL There
is an underlying force-sometimes unseen,
but always felt-which Is like the great
power OF gravity In the swelling sea of our
public life. Whatever we call this force,
whether public opinion or the historic spir-
II of the nation, the tides ebb and fi,w,
and the surging waves rise and fall at its
bidding. The administration of President
Hayes has prosperous voyage before it.
IL Ii catches and moves with the currents
In which this force Is setting, and the men,
be they great men or small, who essay an
opposite course, will resistlessly be sub
merged or tossed aside.
But what indications does this force give
US OF its tendencies Al the present time?
what Is the real voice OF the people-the
cor populi, which l. the r3r Die-respect-
ing the two points Of public policy thus far
most prominent In the course of President
HAYES? What t. and must be the issue OF
this conflict about civil service reform, and
the proper treatment ot the south II
mistake not. there are al the present time
certain tendencies Ia public opinion al.
ready making themselves felt. and sure to
81. -. k,t .
points, which will secure 70 President
Hayes the manifest approval and perma-
nent gratitude of the nation.
There Is no one thing. believe, In our
public life, which eXcit"s a kerncr or
more deep seated and wide-reaching dis
gust. than the way IN which our public ufIl-
cr. have been 80 often sought and bestOw-
ed. We have been sahdlcd with the doc
trlnc that public Office is spoil, and that
To the victors IN a political party belong
the spos Our offices have been made
matter OF bargain and booty. and even
where they have been filled be wise and
honorable men. they have too often been
regarded as dignity TO Oe enjoyed. rather
th9n y a SACRED trust TO be administered.
No man ever lc-crved an Office. and no
man can be- r'ehtfuiy said to have claim
upon an office. In office Is not reward.
but a requirement. If a man who has
helped elect me to some high office. there
Nrc. comes.and claims my help to put him
into some other office, this only means in
pain language either that he is capable of
R fraud, or that he thinks am. For If he
has voted for me because he expects from
my election some personal or private ad-
vantages which the public cannot share.
he has thus shown himself capable OF TAX
ing bribe, and Is unworthy to exercise
the sacred rights OF freeman; while, if
regard his vote as a personal service to me
for which | am to render some compensa-
tion, thus show myself capable OF Offer
Ing bribc and am therefore unworthy OF
confidence. and ought not to exercise any
public trust.
President HAYES takes higher stand on
this question and 4 better one than has
been taken by anv administration for the
last finy years. When in his letter ac-
cepting his nomination 10 the Presidency.
he declared thar personal fitness and not
party service. was the only proper qualih-
cation tor office, his words thrilled the ma
ton with hope and joy. They were words
which this generation had never heard
IRON a candidate for the Presidency before
They were exactly what the people had
been waiting for and wishing to hear from
some such quarter. and | DO not doubt
that they yoiCeG the living. and what is
sure TO be the controlling sentiment Of NE
nation. II the Republican manager. t.,
the campaign had Only had the cony .clious
and the courage OF their candidate. do
not believe that The election would have
been a matter OF doubt, or that we should
have had the weary weeks In which we
watched and waited for the issue after the
election day was over.
The promise which Governor HAYES
made as a candidate. was not made to be
broken. President Hayes has kept his
word. Not since John Quincy Adams
time has a President spoken so clearly
and shown himself resdy to follow so res
olutely the truth which lies at the root of
all administrative efficiency and reform
do not believe that he will ialter. He is
not a man who does things by halves. Let
Us bid him God speed, however and as
sure him that he has correctly interpreted
the sovereign will OF the American people.
and let us mark the men. and put a ban
upoL them whatever their name or sta
tion, who seek to hinder the righteous ex-
ercise which he seeks for this, his righte-
Gus purpose.
believe President Hayes is also right,
aud will have the approval of the nation,
IN his treatment of the southern question.
lie has done no more and no less. as | un-
derstand 1t, to resfilrm. with all the au-
thority aud power which his high office
gives him. the equal rights before the con
stitution of each and all these United
States and for this do not doubt that the
unerring instinct Of the people will honor
him more and more. He has certainly
seized the true spirit of our institutions.
He has put himself in the actual line of
our historical progress hitherto and he
cannot tail. unless oar history is meaning
less, and our institutions are a delusion.
Again, say, let us stand by him. and
give him our cheer. A quiet Unpreten-
tious man, not pushing himself into his
high place, but accepting it modestly vet
with self-reliance and self-possession. un-
dismayed by the peculiar difficulties which
beset him. but neither rash nor thought
less IN his treatment OF them. he bids fair
to add new lustre to the exalted station
which he fills, by the singleness of eve,
and the steadness aud simplicity with
which he has seen and followed the living
and controlling will Of the people MAY
God guide and guard and bless him in all
things continually.