The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-03-06

may nissl =
]. s,orsh and d united sEoiitfs bnt q united
country s! .,ss s'sf
ask the attention Of the ,pnbiic to thu
4 paramount iiecessity or reform In cur civi
service reform not merely to ascertain
ABUSES and practices OF 80. called oficta
patronage which have come 70 have the
sanction Of usage in the several depart
tments Of onr. Government, but a change In
the system Of appointment Itself; a,reforn
Ethatsha1i be thorou rad ical, and complete;
a return to the principles and practices
OF the founders OF the Government. They
neither expected nor desired that public of.
fcers should owe their whole servieest TO the
! Government and to the people. They mean
| that the officer shall be secure in bis office
as ,,anf ps his personal character remains
untarnished and Tho performance Of duties
/ satisfactory. They held that appointments
to office were MOTTO be maden held as re-
wards for; partisan service, nor merely on
the nomination Of members OF Congress as
being entitled in any respect to the control
OF such appointments. .,,.J -rr..
The fact that both Of the great political
parties aof the country in declaring their
principles prior to the election gave pro-
minent place to the subject OF reformo OF our
| civil service, recognizing and strongly
urging its necessity in terms almost identi-
cal in their specific import with those l have
here employed, must be accepted as con-
elusive argument in behalf OF these mea-
sures. It must he regarded; as the express
sion of the united voice and will OF the
whole country upon tins subject, and both
political parties are virtually pledged to give
it their unreserved support. 50
81 y~st 1I INT ~
necessity, owes his election to officesto the
suffrage and zealoEs labors Of political
party the members OF which cherish the
the principles Of the party organization
hut he should strive to- be always mindful
OF the fact that he serves bis party best who
serves his country best.
I'm furtherance OF the reform we seek,
and in other important respects change OF
great Importance, recommend an amend
ment to the Constitution prescribing term
Of six years for the presidential Office, and
forbidding reelection.
With respect to the financial condition Of
the country shall not attempt an extended
history Of the embarrassment and prostra-
ton which we have suffered during the past
three years.
The depression in all our varied CONNER
cia and manufacturing interests through
out the country which began in September,
1878, stM continues. 1t is very gratifying.
however, to be able to say that there are in
dications all around us of coming change
to prosperous tirae.
Upon TIE currency question, intimately
connected as it is with this topic, l may be
permitted to pepeat here the statement made
in my letter Of acceptance that in my
I 2. 50 sxtx,
inseparable from. an irredeemable paper
currency. with ITS fluctuations with
values, is one OF the greatest OBJ
ssacles to return to a prosperous time.
The only safe paper currency is one whish
rests upon coin basis and is ut all times
ard promptly convertible into coin. / ad,
heye to the views heretofore expressed by
me in favor of congressional legislation in
behalf OF an early resumption OF specie
pa yment, and I am not only satisfied that
this is wise, but that The interests as we'll A.
the public sentiment Of the country impela-
tiveET demand it.
Passing from these-remarks upon tue con-
diton OF our country to- consider our rei;I-
tions with other lands we are reminded &y
the international complications abroad,
threatening the peace OF Europe, that our
traditional rule Of non-interference !n
the affairs of foreign nations has provad
OF great value in past times and ought 10
be strictly observed. The policy IN
augrrated by my honored predecessor,
President Grant, Of submitting to- arbiara-
ton grave questions Of dispute between
ourselves and foreign powers, points to a
new and incomparabsy the best instruraen-
tality for the preservation Of peace, and
will, as believe, become beneticent eX-
| ~ fI,n RI he IN
lar emergencies by ether nations.
IT,, unhappily, questions OF difference
should at any time during the period OF my
administration arise between the United
States and any foreign Government it Will
certainly be my disposition and my hope to
aid in their settlement in the same peaceful
ana honorable way, thus securing to our
country the great blessings OF peace and
mutual good offices with all the nations OF
the world.
Fellow-citizeI.s, we have reached the close
OF a political contest marked by the excite
ment which usually attends the contests be-
tween great political parties whose members
esDouse and advocate with earnest faith
their respective crepds. The circumstances
were perhaps in no respees extraordinary
save in the closeness and the consequent uu-
certainty of the result.
FOE the uTSL IlfHC III TIC HlSlOIy VI Iue
country it 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 referred to the decision of a
tribunal appointed for that purpose; that
Tribunal, established by law for this sole
purpose, with its members, al! Of them, Of
long established reputation for integrity and
intelligence, and, with the exception Of
those who are also members Of the supreme
judiciary, chosen equally from Goth politi-
cal parties, its deliberations enlightened by
the research and the arguments OF able
counsel, was entitled to the fullest conf
deuce Of the American people.
! Its decisions have been patiently waited fer
andaccepted as legally conclusive by the gen.
eral 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 be anticipated in every
instance where matters OF dispute are made
the subject Of arbitration under the forms
OF law. Human Judgment is never un-
erring, and especially regarded as otherwise
than wrong by the unsuccessful party in the
contest. The fact two great political parties
have in this way settled dispute In regard
to which good men differ as 70 the facts and
as to the proper course to be pursued in
solving the question in controversy is an
occasion for general rejoicing, Upon one
4 point there is entire unanimity In public
sentiment-that conflicting claims to the
presidency must be amicably adjusted, and