The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1877-03-08

elnanclpated race, by THEIR 10riner mas
ters and by the general government
author of the act of emancipation. That
it was wise, just and providential act,
fraught with good for all concerned, is
now. generally conceded throughout the
country. That moral obligation rests
upon the national government to employ
its constitutional power and influence to
establish the 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 ad.
mitted.
The evils which aff1ict the Southern
States can only be removed or remedied
by the united and harmonious efforts of
both races, actuated by motives of mu-
tual sympathy and regard and while in
duty bound and fully determined to pro-
tect the rights of all, by every constitu-
tional means at the disposal of my ad-
ministration, I am sincerely anxious to
use every legitimate influence in favor of
honest and efficient local self-government,
as the true resource of those States for
the promotion of the contentment and
prosperity of their citizens. In the effort
shall make to accomplish this purpose,
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 surren-
dered in behalf of the great purpose to
be accomplished.
| In the important work of restoring the
South, it is not the political situation
alone that merits attention. The mate
rial development of that section of the
country has been arrested by the social
and political revolution through which it
has passed, and now needs and deserves
the considerate care of the national gov
ernment, within the just limits prescribed
by the constitution and wise public
economy; but at the basis of all prosper
ity, for that as well as for every other
part of the country, lies the improvement
of the intellectual and moral condition
of the people. Universal suffrage should
rest upon universal education. To this
end liberal and permanent provision
should be made for the support of free
schools by the State governments, and, if
needed, supplemented by legitimate aid
from national authority.
Let me assure my countrymen of the
Southern States that it is my earnest de-
sire to regard and promote their truest
interests; the interest of the white and
of the colored people both and equally,
and, to put forth my best efforts in behalf
of civil policy which will forever wipe
out, in our political affairs, the color line
and the distinction between North and
South, to the end that we may have not
merely united North or united
South, but united country.
ask the attention of the public to the
paramount necessity of reform in our
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 it.
self A reform that shall be thorough,
radical and complete. A return to the
principles and practices of the founders
Of. the government. They neither eX-
pected nor desired from public officers
any partisan service. They meant that
the public officers should be secure in his
tenure as long as his personal character
remained untarnished and the perform
ance of his duties satisfactory. They
held that appointments to Office were not
to be made nor expected merely as re-
ward for patisan services, nor merely of
the nomination of members of Congress
as being entitled in any respect to the
control of such appointments. The fact
that both the great 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 have
here employed, must be accepted as
conclusive argument in behalf of those
measures. It must be regarded as the
expression of the united voice and will
of the whole country upon this subject;
and both political parties are virtually
pledged to give it their unreserved sup
port. The President of the United States
of necessity owes his election to Office to
the suffrage and Jealous labors of q polit-
ical party, the members of which cherish
with ardor and regard as of essential i'm
portance the principles of their party Or
ganization; 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 in other important respects,
and a change of great Importance, re-
commend an amendment to the constitu-
ton prescribing a term of six years for
the Presidential Office, and forbidding
reelection.
With respect to the financial condition
of the country, shall not attempt an
extended history of the embarrassment
and prostration which we have suffered
during the past three years. The de-
preston in all our varied commercial
and manufacturing interest throughout
the country, which began in September,
1873, still continues. It is very gratify-
ing, however, to be able to say that there
are indications all around us of a coming
change to prosperous times.
.OPOu tuc CulICuOy IucotlOl, 1ublu1otC
ly connected as it is with this topic, I
may be permitted to repeat here the
statement made in my letter of accept
ance-that in my judgment the feeling
of uncertainty inseparable from an ire
deemable paper currency, with its fuc-
tuations of values, is one of the greatest
obstacles to q return to prosperous
times. The only safe paper currency is
one which rests upon coin basis, and
is at all times and promptly convertible
into coin. I adhere to the views hereto
fore expressed by me in favor of Con-
gressional legislation in behalf of an
early resumption of specie payment,
and am satisfied not only that this is
wise, but that the interests as we'll as the
public sentiment of the country impera-
lively demand it.
Passing from these remarks upon the
condition of our own currency to consider
our relations with other lands, we are re-
minded by the international complica-
tions abroad, threatening the peace of