The Colfax chronicle. (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1876-1877, 1877-03-17

I'm. 1t Is u question III which every
,;tizen OF the nation is deeply interested.
aud wit. respect to which we ought no,
10 LIE, il partisan sense, eat er Repub-
licans or Democrats, but tellow-citizens
and !, llow-men, to whom the interests #
cu.nnon country and II common hui
n:a..ity axe dear. The sudden revolution
o. Ire entire labor system If large
portion Of our country, and the advance
OF .oue million OF people from a cOndi-
ton of servitude to that OF citizenship
npon an equal footing with their former
masters, could not occur without pre-
senting problems of the gravest .moinen
to be dealt with by the emancipated race
by their former masters, and by the Gen.
eral Government. The language of the
author of the act of emancipation that
WIS wise, just and providential act,
fran: hit with good for all concerned, is
now generally conceded throughout the
country, and moral obligation rests upon
the National Cover ment To employ its
cons .tutional 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
iniringed or assailed is also generally adj
Mitted. The evils which afflict the
Southern States can only be removed or
remedied by the united and harm onious
efforts of both races actuaied by motives
Of mutual sympathy and regard, and,
while in duty bound and fully determin-
ed to protect the rights of all by every
constitutional means at the disposal OF
my administration, L ain sin cerely ARK
lous to use every legitimate influence in
favor of honest and effective local sell
government rs the true source OF those
States for the promotion of the content
ment and prosperity Of their citizens.
| ask tie cordial cooperation of all who
cherish an interest in the welfare of the
country, trusting that party ties and the
preJudlces of race will be freely
surrendered in behalf of the great pur-
pose to be accomplished in the important
work OF restoring the South. 1t is nor
tie political situation alone that merits a
mention. The material DEVELOPMENT of
that section Of the country has been al
rested by the social and political reyoiu-
ton through which it has passed, and
now Leeds and deserves tie consIderate
care OF the National Government, within
the just limits prescribed by the Lonstl
tutlCn and wise public economy, but at
the basis of all prosperity for thai, as
well rs Tor every other part Of the coun-
try hes III tile Improvement Of the intel
leciuai anu moral condition Of the Leo
pie. Universal Suffrage siiouid resi- upon
universal education. To this end liberal
and permanent provision should be made
for the support Of Tree schools by the
State governments, and, If heed be. SUR.
piemented 10y legitimate AID flom the la
tional autharity. Let me ASSUME nv
'countrymen OF the Southern States II, 4
1t Is my earnest desire to regard AMI
promote their lntei ests-the interests q.
the white and oil the colored people. both
and equally-and to put iorth my best
efforts III behalf of civil policy which
VIII forever wash Out of our political
Affairs the color line, and the distinction
between North and South, to the end
that VIC may not have merely united
North or Il United South, but a unit.d
country. AJAX the attention of the pub
ilc to the paramount necessity of reform
III our civil service, reform not merely as
To certain abuses and practices of So
called Official patr Cnage which have come
TO have the sanction Of usage III the sew
efd departments OF government, but a
change III the system OF appointment
Itself, reform thorough, radical and
conp!ete-a return to the principles |
and practices of the founders of the |
government. They never expected nor |
desired from public officers any par-
tisan service; they meant that public
officers should owe their whole services
to the government and to the people
they meant that the officer shall be Sc
gre in his TENURE SO long as his per-
'onal character remained untaruislied
and the performance of his duties
satisfactory; they held that appoint
nents TO Office were not to be made or
expected merely as rewards for partisan
services, nor merely on the nominations
'i members OF Congress, rs being emit
led III any respect to the control of
such appointments. The fact that in
The start the great political parties of
Ihe country, in declaring their princi-