New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-03-06

ess of the white and of the coored people both and
equally, and TO put forth my best efforts i'll behalf of
civil policy which will forever wipe out in our
political affairs the color line, and the distinction
between North and South, 10 the end that we may
have not merely united North or a united South
but united country.
REFORM OF THE CIVIL SERVICE.
ask the attention of the public to the paramount
necessity of reform in our civil service, reform
not merely to certain abuses and practices of So
called official patronage which have come TO have
the sanction of usage in the several departments of
our Government, but change in the system of APP
pointment itself. reform that shall be thorough,
radical, and complete. return to the principles and
practices of the founders of the Government. They
neither expected nor desired from public officers
any partisan services They meant that public
officers should owe their whole service to the Gov
eminent and to the people. They meant that the
officer should be secure in his tenure long his
personal character remained untarnshed and the
performance of his duties satisfactory. They held
that appointments to Office were not to he made nor
expected merely as rewards for partisan services,
nor merely on the nomination of members of Con-
greSs as being entitled i'll 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 civil service, recognizing and
strongly urging it's necessity in terms almost dentl-
cal in their specific import with those have here
employed, must be accepted a conclusive argu-
ment in behalf of these measures. 1t must be re-
eardcd as the expression of the united voice and
will of the whole country upon this subject, and
both political parties virtually pledged to give 1t
their unrcseryed support.
ONE PRESIDENTIAL TERM.
The President of the United States, Of necessity,
owes his election to Office to the suffrage and Jealous
labors of political party the members OF when
cherish with ardor and regard as of essential I'M
portance the principles of their party organization.
But lie should strive to be always mindful of the
fact that he serves his party best who serves the
country best In furtherancc of the reform we seek,
and in other important respects change OF great
importance recommend an amendment 20 the Con-
stitution prescribing term of six years for the
Presidential office, and forbidding reelection.
EARLY RESUMPTION.
With respect to the financial condition OF the
country shall not attempt an extended history oil
The embarrassment and prostration which we have
suffered during the past three years. The deprcs-
sion in all our varied commercial and manufacture
ing interests throughout the country which began
in Scptember, 1873, still continues. Ii is very
gratifying however to he able to say that there are
indications all around us of coming change TO
prosperous times. Upon the currency question: mt
matclv connected as it is with this topic, may lee
pcrmittcd to rcreat here the statement made III my
letter Of acceptance that in my judgment the feel
inc OF uncertainty inSeQaraSlc from an lrrode'iha-
bic uaper currency with It's fluctuations OF values
IA one of the greatest obstacles to return to pros
porous times The only safe paper currency Is one
which rests upon a coin basis anl il az all times
promptly convertible into coin. | adhere to the
Vi rvs heretofore expires ed hy me in favor OF Con-
rre>si0nal legislation in behalf OF an early TtsuHp-
ton of specie payment, and am satisfied not only
that this is WISE but that the interests ms well as
the public sentiment of the country impelatiyely
demand it,
ARBITRATION or ALL DISPUTES.
Passing from these remarks upon the condition of
our own country to consider our relations with other
lands. we are reminded by the international com
plications abroad threatening the peace of Europe,
flat our traditional rule of non-intcrfcrcncc i'll the
affairs of fofcgn nations has proved of great value
in past times, and ought to be strictly observed.
The policy inauguratcd by my hOnorcd predecessor
president Grant of sumitlng 10 arbitration grave
questions in dispute between ourselves and foreign
Powers points to new and incomparahiy the best
fundamentally for the preservation of peace, and
WILL asI believe become a hcnchcent example OF the
course 10 be pursued in similar emergencies by other
nations IF unhapply questions OF difference should
nj any time during the period of my administration
arise between the United States and any foreign
government il will certainly be my disposition and
nv hope to aid in their settlement in the same
peaceful and honorable way, thus securing to our
country the great blessings of peace and mutual
good Offices with all the nations of the world
Fcllow-citizcns. we have reached the close of
poIitical contest marked by the excitement which
USUALLY attends the contests between great po-
litical parties whose members cSpGuSc and advocate
with earnest faith their respective crceds The CIR
culnstances were, perhaps, in 10 respect eXtrdor-
binary, save in clOscncss and the consequent uncrr-
tainty of the result. For the first time III the his
torv Of tbe country il has been deemed best in view
of the peculiar circumstances of the case. that the
objections and questions in dispute with reference to
the counting of the electoral votes should be re-
ferred TO the decision of Tribunal appointed for
this purpose That Tribunal established by law for
this sole purpose, It's members, all OF them,
men Of long-established reputation for i'll
tcgrty and intelligence and with the
execution Of those who are also members Of the
Supreme Judiciary. chosen equally from both polit-
zeal parties its deliberations enlightened by the re-
search and the arguments of able counsel, was en-
titled TO the fullest confidence of the American
neople Its decisions have been patiently waited
for and accented legally conclusive by the general
Judgment of the public For the present opinion
will widely vary as to the wisdom of the several
conclusions announced by that Tribunal. This is to
he anticipated III every instance where matters OF
DISPUTE are made the subject of arbitration under
the forms of law. Human judgment is never un-
erring and is rarely regarded as otherwise than
wrong by the unsuccessful party III the contest.
The fact that two great political parties
1