The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1877-03-15
DIsINTEREsTED ADVICE.
Tennessee Republicans Offer
Mr.. Hayes a Small Supply
of that Article,
Without the Hope or Expecta-
tiOn of Personal Reward"

IlOn Oh FeFSOna1 heHdEOs
At recent adjourned meeting OF
a caucus held by the Republican
members of the Tennessee Legisla
ture, called for the purpose of con
siderlng what course should be pur-
sued by the incoming National Ad-
ministration touching the civil
service of Government of the
State, the following address to MIR.
Hayes was unanimously agreed to,
as embodying their sentiments in
that regard:
To His Excellency Rutherford b.
Hayes, President of the United
States: The Republican members
of the Legislature of Tennessee con-
gratulate you upon the peaceful
termination of the dispute over the
Presidential election, and your ele
vation by a lawful and just decis-
ion to that high Office.
1t behooves all good citizens,
and especially all good Republicans,
to give you their moral support in
redeeming the pledges made to the
country through the party platform,
and your letter of acceptance in re-
gard to reform in the civil service
of the Government, and the pacifi-
cation of the South.
The faults of the administration
just closed are we'll defined, and in
spite of its many excellencies, and
the excellence of Republican princi-
plies, came near losing 10 the party
the con idence and support OF the
country. To fully regain that con-
fidente and restore to the party its
former strength, it is necessary to
consider and avoid those faults.
Among them the management of the
civil service may, perhaps, be re-
garded as the gravest. and to that,
more than to any other cause, may
be attributed the deterioration of
the Republican party at the South;
and whatever of responsibility at
taches to the national administra-
ton for the unsettled condition of
affairs there, is directly traceable to
the appointment of improper per-
sons to the local civil offices. With
such, office holding has become a
profession; they depend upon pat
ronage for livelihood; it is the life
and inspiration OF their Republican
ism; and the growth of the par
ty by the accession to its ranks
of solid, respectable people, who
would dispute their ascendency, is
as far from their desires as it is ia
tai to their interests. They have
placed themselves between the Ad
ministration AID the people; and
the people judging the Administra
ton by the character of its APP
pointees, have learned not only to
mistrust it's good intentions and
honesty, but to look upon it with
that feeling of conte-npt which its
representatives too often justly in
spired. This popular disapproval
of their character and conduct, has
been plead by them as persecution
on account of their principles, and
that which should have swept them
out of public position, converted
into the mama of public life.
While this is not the only, or even
the chief cause to which the unsat- |
isfactorv condition of Southern af
fairs is attributable, it is the one
for which the Republican party is |
responsible, and which it should |
seek, without delay to remove. 1t is
not altogether enough that these par
astes, wherever found, shall be dis
missed ;that mon of dignity and char
acter, identified in feeling with the
community in which they live, and |
selected with due regard to the pop
ular wish of the locality, should sue
ceed to their places. In other words
the offices are for the people, and be-
tween honest and capable appli- |
cants, whose claims alone should be
considered, he should be selected |
who is Objectionable to the smallest |
number of those whom he is to
serve.
The evils herein family portrayed,
no less than the necessities of the |
party, if it would longer main
tain Its ascendency, call aloud for
the long promised reform, so ably |
set forth in your letter of accept
ance. We ask for vigorous inau-
guration of this policy in Tennes-
see, and pledge to it our earnest
support, without the hope or ex-
pectat:on of personal reward. The
presence of a large liberal ele-
ment here, acting with the Demo
cratic patty under protest, renders a
change in the political sentiment Of
Tennessee, if we are only aided by
a sound administration o. Federal |
affairs, among the early probabili-
ties.
Hereafter let the patronage of
the Government he employed in
building up the party, by bringing
to it, through the character Of the
appointments made, the confidence
and respect of the people wherever
that has been forfeited, instead of
feeding the parasites whose official
presence threatens it with destruc-
tion, and we predict that the most
satisfactory results will speedily fol
low.
On motion, Col. I. II. Reeves, of
Jonesboro, was chosen TO lay the
address before the President.
NJ. ID. BKARDEN, Chm.
W. E. KINDRIcK, Secretary.
Words of Wisdom.