Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-03-08

mG1e the 1ntbor oil the act of emaucI-
paticA TIT il VS. . wise. jss@ and
peoSaesfsd sef, fraught with good Tor
all cDncexped. Is now gene1Ally con-
ceded throughout the country. That
nogal otlikalson rests upon tke National
Go~ernasent tcemploy its constitntiooal
rover and influence 10 establish the
riEbts of the people il has emancipated,
and to protect them in the enjoyment
of those rights when they are infringed
or assailed. is also generally admitted.
The evils which afilict the Southern
States can only be removed or remedied
by the united and harmonious eforts Of
both races, actsated by motives Of ma
tual sympathy and regard. And while
in duty bound end fully determined 10
protectahe rishtsef sifby every consti-
tutisnal means ct the disposal Of nv I'll.
ministraiion, / am sincerely snxioas to
use every legitimate in0uence IN favor
of honest and efficient local seffeovesa-
ment q the true resource Of those
States for The Promolioo of THE content
ment and prosperity Of their citizens.
In the effort shall make 10 accomplish
this purpose ] ask the cordial co-opesa-
ton Of I'll Who. cherish IN interest in
the welfare. Of the eos6tSy, trusting thst
party ties and the prejudiee,ef race win
be freely surrendered On behalf u the
great purpcse fnbe aecomptished. In
the important work Of restoring the
South. it j. 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
il has passed, and now needs and de-
serves the considerate care OF the Ma
tional Government within the just linn
its prescribed by the Constitution and
wise public economy.
But at the basis Of all prosperity, for
that - 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,
il need be, supplemented by legitimate
aid from national authority.
Let me assure my countrymen Of the
Southern States, that II is my earnest
desire 10 regard and promote their truest
interest, the interests Of the white and
of the colored people both and equally,
and to put forth my best efforts in be-
half 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 q united North or a 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 seve-
raj departments OF our Government, but
change in the system Of appointment
itself; 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 puhlic.officers
any partisan service. They 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 a. long
as his personal character renamed I'M
tarnished, and the performance OF his
duties satisfactory. They held that ap-
pointments to office were not to be made
nor expected merely as rewards for par
tisan services, nor merely on the NOM
,nation Of members OF Congress, as be-
ing entitled in any respect to the con-
troll of such appointments.
The fact that both political parties Of
the country. in declaring their princi-
Piles prior to the election, gave prom
inent place to the subject Of reform OF
our civil service, recognizing and strong
ly 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 these measures. II must be
regarded as the expression OF the uni
ted voice and will of the whole coun-
try upon this subject, and both political
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 a
political party, the members OF which
cherish with ardor and regard as ofessen-
tialimpoftance the principles oftheir par
ty organization. But he should stri, e
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 change
of great importance, recommend an
amendment tothe Constitution prescrib-
ing term Of six years Tor the Presiden-
tial office, aud forbidding q reelection.
With respect to the financial eondi-
ton OF the country, shah 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 interests throughout
the country. which began in Septembe
1878, still continues. II Is very graft
fying, however. to be able to say that
there are indications all around us of q
coming change to prosperous times.
Upon The currency question. intimately
connected as II is with this topic, may
be permitted to repeat here the state
ment made in my letter Of acceptance
that. in my judgment. the feeling OF un-
certainty inseparable from an irredeem-
able paper currency. with its fuctaa-