The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-03-09

ed In behalf of the great purpose to be
accomplished in the important work of
the restoration of the South.
MATERIAL PROSPERITY OF THE SOUTH.
1t is not the political situation alone
that merits attention. The material
development of that section of he
country has been arrested by the soc
ial and political revolution through
which it has passed, and now needs
and deserves the considerate care of
the National Government within the
just limits prescribed by the Constitu-
ton and wise public economy. But
at the basis of all prosperity for that,
as for every other part of the country,
is t le improvement of the intellectual
and moral condition of the people.
Universal suffrage should rest upon
universal educaticn To this end lib
eral and permanent provision should
be made for the support of free schools
bv the State government, and, if need
be, supplemented by legitimate firm
and nati' nal authority. Lett assure
my countrymen of the Southern States
that it is my earnest desire to regard
and promote their truest interests. the
interests of 'he white and of the color
ed people, both and qually, and to put
forth my best efforts in behalf of a
civil policy which will forever wipe
out from our uoliticle affairs the color
line and the distinc ion between North
and South, in the end that we may not
have merely united North or a united
South, but a united courtry.
CIvIs SERVICE REFORM.
ask the attention of the public to
the paramount necessity of reform in
our civil services reform not merely
MS to certain abuses and practices Uf
SO called official patronage, which have
come to have the sanction of usage in
several departments of our govern
ment, but change of the system of
appointments itself is the reform that
shall be q thorough, radical aud com
plete return of the principles and pracr
tices of the founders of the govern
uent. They never expected nor de
sired FROM public officers any par .izan
service. They ment that public ofh-
GERS should owe their whole service to
the government and to the people.
They meant that the officer should be
secure in his tennre as long as his per
sonal character remained uutarnished
and the performance of his duties sat
isfactory. They held that appoint
ments to Office were not to be made
nor expected merely as rewards for
partizan services, nor merely on nomi-
uation of members of Congress a. be-
ing entitled in any respect to control
of such appointments. The fact that
both political parties of the country, in
declaring their principles prior to the
election. gave prominent place to the
subject of the reform of our civil ser
vice, recognizing and strongly urging
ifs necessity in terms identical in their |
specific import with those / have here
employed, must be accepted rs a con-
elusive argument in behalf of these
measures. Ii must be regarded as an
expression of the united voice and /
will of the whole country upon this
subject, and both political parties are
virtually pledged to give it their unre-
served support.
The President of the United States
of necessity owes his election to Office
to the suffrage and Jealous labors of Q
political party, the members of which
cherish with ardor and regard, as Of
essential 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.
ONE PRESIDENTIAL TERM.
In furtherance of the reform we seek
and in other respects, / recommend
an amendmen mt of the Constitution,
a term of six years for the /,
Office aud forbidding re-
election.
FINANCIAL.
With respect to the financial condi
zion of the country, shall not attempt ,
an extended history of the embarrass
msnt and prostration which we have
suffered during the past three years.
The depression in ell our varied com
mercial and manufacturing interests
the country, which began
in September, 1883, still continue. 1t
is very gratif. ing. however, to be able
to say that there are indications all
around us of a coming change to pros
porous times. Upon the currency
question, intimately connected as it is
With this topic l may be permitted to
repeat here the statement made in my |
letter of acceptance, that in my judg ,
ment the feeling of uncertainty insep- I
arabic from an irredeemable paper \
currency, with its fluctuations of val
ues. is one of the greatest obstacles of !
q return to prosperous times. The
only safe paper currency is one which
rests upon a coin basis, and is at all
times AID promptly converted into
coin. / adhere to the views heretofore I
expressed by me in favor OF Congress
.ional legislation in behalf of early re {
of specie payment, and am
not only that this Is wise, bat
that the interests. as well as the public
sentiments of the country, imperative
ly demanded it.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS II
Passing from these remarks upon !
the condition of our country to con-
slider our relations With other lands, We
are reminded by international compli
cations abroad, threatening the peace
of Europe that our traditional rule of !
noniuterference in the affairs of .
foreign nations has proved of great
value in the past times, and ought I
10 be strictly observed. The policy I
by my honored predeces
sor. President Grant, of submitting to
grave questions in dispute
ourselves and foreign powers,
points to the new and ineomparsbly
best instrumentaiity for preservation
Of peace. and will, as believe, become
the beneficient example of the course
10 be pursued in similar emergencies i
by other nations II, unhappily, ,ques .
lions of differen ,e at any time during c
the period of my administration arise
between the United States aud any
Ioreign governmental it win certainly be
nv disposition and my hope to aid in
heir settlement in the same peaceful
md honorable way. thus securing to
,ur country the great blessings OF peace
md mutual good oinoes- With all m
!ions of the world.