The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1877-03-13

North and South-to the end that we
may have not merely united North or
a united South, but united country. -
] ask the attention OF the pubic 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 Govern
ment, but change in the system of ap-
pointment is,lf-a reform that shall be
thorough, radical and compete--a re-
turn to the principles ano practices Of
the founders of the Government They
neither expect nor desire from public
officers any partisan service. IheY
meant that public officers should owe
their whole service to the Government
and to the people. They meant that the
officer should be secure in his tenure as
long as his personal character remained
untarnished, and the performance of his
duties satisfactory. They held that sp-
pointments to office were not to be
made nor expected merely as rewards
for partisan services, nor merely on 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 a
prominent place to the subject of re-
form of our civil service, recognizing
and strongly urging is necessity, in
terms almost Identical in their specific
import with hthAA--4-ie--o!-e-o YInplnt. n
must be accepted as conclusive ass5u
ment in behalf of these measures. 1t
must be regarded as the expression of
the united voice and will Of the whole
country, upon this subject, and both po
litical parties are virtually pledged to
give it their unreserved support.
The President of the United States of
necessity owes his election to office, to
the suffrage and jealous labors of po-
litical party, the members of which cher
ish with ardor, and regard as of essen
tial Importance, 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 furthGrance of the reform we seek,
and as in other important respects, a
change Of great importance. l recon
mend an amendment to the Constitution
prescribing tern of six years for the
Presidential office, and forbdding re
election. With respect to the financial
condition of the country, / shall not at
tempt an extended history of the en-
barIassment and prostration which we
have suffered during the past three
years. The depression in all our varied
commercial and manufacturing interests
throughout :he country, which began in
September, 1873, still continues. 1t is
very gratifying, however, to be able to
say that there are indications all around
us of coming change to prosperous
times. e'ac
Upon the currency question, intimate
ly connected rs it is with this topic, !
may be permitted to repeat here the
statement made in my letter Of accept-
ance, that in my judgment the feeling OF
uncertainty inseparahe from an irrr :
dcemable paper currency, with its luc-
lustions of values, is one of the great.
est obstacles 10 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
adhere to the views heretofore ex
pressed by me in favor of Congressional
legislation in behalf of an early resump.
1 ton of specie payment. and i ssu satis
| fed not only that this is wise, bat that
the interests as we'll as the public senti
ment of the country imperatively de-
msnd it.
Passing from these remarks upon the
condition Of our own country to con
sider our relations with other lands, we
are reminded by the international com
plications abroad, threatening the peace
of Europe, that our traditional rule o
non-interference in the affairs of foreign
Eatiuns, has proved of great value in
past times, and ought to be strictly OBJ
served. a
The policy inaugurated by my honor
ed predecessor, President Grant, of sub
mitting to arbitration grave questions
in dispute between ourselves and foreign
powers, points to a new and incompara
bly, the best instrumentality for the pre-
servation of peace, and will, as / be
lieve, become benefeent example O
the course to be pursued in similar
emergencies by other nations. ID
If, unhappily, questions of difference
should at any time during the period ot
my administration, arise between the
United States and any foreign govern
ment, it will certainly be my disposition
and my hope, to aid in their settlement
in the same peaceful and honorable way,
thus securing to our country the great
blessings Of peace and mutual good Of
fees, with all the nations of the world
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 espouse and advocate
with earnest faith their respective creeds.
The circumstances we're, perhaps, in
no respect extraordinary, save in the
closeness and the consequent uncertain
ty of the result.
For the first time in the history of the
country, it has been deemed best, in
view of the peculiar circumstances of
the case, that the objections aud ques.
tions in dispute with reference to the
counting of the electoral votes should
be referred to the decision of tribunal
appointed for this purpose.
That Tribunal-established by law
for this sole purpose--its members, all
of them, men Of long established repu
tation for integrity ard intelligence, and
with the exception of those who are also
members of the Supreme judiciary,
chosen equally from both political par
ties, its deliberations enlightened by the
research and the arguments of. able
counsel was entitled to the fullest con.
fidence of the American people. Its de-
cisions have been patiently waited for,
and accepted as legally conclusive by
the general judgment Of the public =
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