Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-03-09

order and all peaceful industries and hap
lines4 that belong to it. or return to
satbG-ism. Ii is a question in which every
citizen IL deeply interested, and with res
pect to which We ought NOT to be in partisan
sense either republicans or democrats, but
fellow citizens and fellow men, to whom
the interests of a common country and q
common humanity are dear.
THE DUTY OF TIE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT TO
me SOUTH.
The sweeping revolution of the entire
labor system of a large portion of our coun-
try, and the advance of four millions of peo-
pie from the condition of servitude to that
of citizenship, upon an equal footing with
their former masters, could not occur with
out presenting problems of the gravest mo-
ment to be dealt with by the emancipated
race, by their former masters. and by the
general government, the author of the act
Of emancipation. That it was a wise, just
and prOvidential act, iraught with good for
all concerned, Is now generally conceded
throug bout the country. That the moral
obligation rests upon the national govern
ment to employ its constitutional power and
influence to establish the rights OF the Deo-
pie it has emancipated, and TO protect them
are infringed or assailed, is also generally
admitted The evils which afilict the South
ern States can only be removed or remedied
by the united and harmonious efforts of
both races, actuated by the motives of mu-
tual sympathy and regard; and while in
duty bound. and fully determined to pro-
tect the rights of all by every constitu-
tiOnal means NJ the disposal of my ad-
ministratiOn. | am sincerity anxious
to use every legitimate influence in favor of
an honest and efficient local sell govern
men., a. the true resource OF those States
for the promotion of contentment and pros
perlty OF their citizens. In the effort | shall
make TO accomplish this purpose | ask the
cordial cooperation Of all who cherish an
| interest in the welfare of the country, trust
ing that party ties and prejudice of race
will be freely surrendered in behalf of the
great purpose to be accomplished in the i'm
pOrtant work of restoration Of the South.
THE EDUCATIONAL QUEsTIoN-LIBERAL SUP
PORT RECOMMENDED FOR FREE SCHOOLS.
1t is not the political situation alone that
merits attention. The material develop
ment of that section of the country has been
arrested by the social and political revolu-
ton through which it has passed, and now
national government within the Just limits
prescribed by the constitution, and wise
| public economy. But at the basis of al
prosperity of that, as well as of every
other part Of the country, lies the improve
ment of the intellectual and moral cnndi.
ton of the people. Universal suffrage
should rest upon universal education. To
this end liberal and permanent provision
should be made for the support of tree
| schools by state governments and if need be
| supplemented by legitimate aid from
national authority. Let me assure my
| countrymen of the southern states that it is
my earnest desire to regard and promote
| their truest in:erests-the interests OF the
white and of the colored people both. and
| equally-and to put forth nv best efforts in
behalf Of a civil policy which will forever
wipe out in our political affairs the eolOl
line and distinction between north and
south, to the end that We may have moi
merely united north or united south, but
a united country.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
ask attention to the paramount neces.
sary of reform in the civil seryice,-reform
not merely as to certain abuses and
| practices of so-ealled official patronage
which have come to have the sanction Of
usage in the several departments of ouI
govcrnment,-but a change in the system Of
| appointment itself reform that shall be
| thorough, radical and complete "a return
to the principles and practice of the found
ers OF the government. They neither ex.
| pected nor desired from public officers any
partisan service: they meant that public
| officers should owe their whole service tO
the government and the people; they
meant that the officer should be secure in
his tenure as long as his personal character
remained untarnished. and the performance
of his duties was satisfactory. They held
that appointments were not to be made nor
| expected merely as rewards for partisan
services, nor merely on the nomination oil
members of Congress, as being entitled in
any respect to the control Of such appoint
nents. The fact that both the great poll
teal parties OF the country in declaring
their principles prior to the election gave
prominent plaes to the subject of the reform
OF our civil service, recognizing and strong
" urging its necessity in terms almost
identical in their specific import with those
| have here employed, must be accepted as
conclusive argument 10 behalf of these
measures. Ii must be regarded as
an expression of the united voice
and Will of the whole country. Both
political parties are virtually pledged
to give 1t their unreserved support. In
the furtherance OF the reform we seek, and
IN other important respects, change of
great Importance, | recommend an amend
ment TO the constitution prescribing the
term of six years for the Presidential Of
tiee, and tOrbidding reelection.