The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1877-03-14
sion should be made for the support of
free schools By the State governments,
and, if need be, supplemented by legit-
Innate aid from the national authority.

and, if need be, supplemented by legit-
Innate aid from the national authority.
THE SOUTH.
Let me assure my countrymen of the
Southern States that it is my earnest
desire to regard and promote their trn-
est interests the interests of the white
and of the colored people, both and
equally, and to put forth my best ef-
forts III behalf of civil policy which
will forever wash ont, on our political
affairs, the color line, and the distinc-
ton between North and South, to the
end that we may have not merely a
united North or a united South. but
united cnuntry.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
ask the attention of the public to
the paramount necessity of reform in
our civil service, a reform not merely
AS to certain abnses and practices OF
so-called official patronage, which have
come to have the sanction of usnare in
the several departments of our Gov
ernment, hut change in the system o.
appointments itself; reform that shall
be thorough, rational and complete; a
return to the principles and practices
Of the founders of the Government
they never expected nor desired from
public officers any partisan service;
they meant that public officers should
owe thelr whole service to the Govern
ment and to the people; they meant
that the officer should be secure in this
Tenure as long as his personal charac-
ter remained untarnished, and the per-
iormance of his duties satisfactory;
they held that appointments to Office
were not to he made, nor expected,
merely rs rewards for partisan SER
vices, nor merely Oh the nominations
OF members Of Congress, as being emit
tied 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, recusni-
zng and strongly urging its necessity
III terms almost identical of their spe
cttic import with those have here en-
plnyed, must be accepted as conclu-
sive argument in behalf of these meas
ures. 1t must be regarded as the ex-
preston of the united voice and will of
the whole country, upon this subject,
and both political parties are virtually
pledged to give it their unreservel
support. The President of the United
States, Of necessity, owes his election
to Office to the suffrage and Jealous Ia
h"rs of a political party, the members
OF " liich cherish, with ardor and re-
gard rs OF essential Importance, the
principles Of tleil party organization;
but lie should strive to be always mind !
Ful of the fact that he serves his party
best who serves the country the best.
AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTR
TIrTIOE
In fnrtherance of the reform vic seek |!
and in other important respects a !
change Of great impor tance Il recon-
mend an amendment to the Cnnstitu-
tiea prescribing tern of six years Tor
the Presidential Office and forbitidiDg a
re -clectinn.
rHE GREAT DEPRESSION IN BUSINESS. |
With respect to the financial could
tiun of the country, shall not attempt |
M extended history of the erbarrass-
ment and prostration which We have
during the past three years.
The depression in all our varied COM
nercial aud manufacturing interests
throughout the country, which began
II September, 1873, still continues. 1t
8 very gratifying, however. to be able
% say that there are Indications all
around US of coming change to pros
,erons times.
THE CURRENCY.
Upon the currency question, init
nately connected rs it is with this to-
,ic, may be permitted to repeat here
he statement made in my letter of ac
'eptance, that in my judgement the
ceiling of uncertainty, inseparable from