Middletown transcript., 1877-03-10

4
it must not be forgotten that only To-
cal government, which recognizes and
maintains inviolate the rights of all is a
true self-government. With respect to
the two distinct races whose peculiar re-
lations to each other have brought upon
as the doplorable complications and
perplexities which exist in those States,
it must be a government which guards
the interests Of both races carefully and
equally. It must be a government
which submits loyalty and heartily to
the constitution and the laws. the laws
Of the nation and the laws Of the States
themselves, accepting and obeying faith
fully the whole constitution as it is :
Resting upon this sure aud substantial
foundation the superstructure of bene6-
cial local governments can be built up
and not otherwise In furtherance Of
such obedience to the letter and spirit
of the constitution. and in behalf of all
that its attainment implies. all so-called
party interests lose their apparent i'm
portance and party lines may well be
permitted to fade into insigni6cance
The question we have to consider for
the immediate welfare Of those States Of
the Union is the question Of government
or no government, OF social order and
all the peaceful industries and the hap
piness that belong to it, or a return to
barbarism. 1t is question in which
every citizen of the nation is deeply in
terested, and With respect to which we
ought not to be in partisan sense either
Republicans or Democrats, but fellow
citizens and felloB-men, to whom the
interests of a common country and a
common humanity are dear
WHITE AND BLACK BOTH TO BE REGARDED
The sweeping revolution of the entire
labor system of large portion Of cur
country, and the advance of 1900, 900
of people from q condition of servitude
to that Of citizenship upon an equal
footing with their former masters, could
not occur without presenting problems
of the gravest moment, to be dealt with
BY the emancipated race, BY their for
mer masters, and BY the General Gov
ernment, the author of the act Of eman-
ci2ation. That it was a wise, just and
providential act, fraught with good for
all concerned, is now generally conce-
ded throughout the country. That a
moral obligation rests upon the Nation
al Government to employ its constitu-
tional power and influence to establish
the rights of the people it has emanci.
pated, and to protect them in the en-
joyment Of those rights when they are
infringed or assailed, is also generally
admitted. The evils which aflict the
Southern States can only be removed
or remedied by the united and harmo-
nious efforts of both races. actaated by
motives Of fmutual sympathy and regard
And while in duty bound and fully de-
termined to protect the rights of all, by
every constitutional means at the dis
posal of my administration, / am sin
cerely anxious to use every legitimate
influence in favor Of honest and eff
cient local self-goverHment as the true
resource Of those States for the promo
tion of the contentment and prosperity
of their citizens. In the effort | shall
make to accomplish this purpose | ask
the cordial cooperation of all who cher
ish an interest in the welfare of the
country. trusting that party ties and the
prejudice Of race will be freely surren-
dered in behalf Of the great purpose to
be accomplished. In the important
work Of restoring the South, it is not
the political situation alone that merits
attention. The material development
of that section Of the country has been
arrested by the social and political rev.
olution through which it has passed,
and now needs and deserves the consid-
crate care of the National Govern ment,
within the just limits prescribed by the
constitution and wise public economy
But as the basis Of all prosperity, 10
that as well as for every other part Of
the country, lies in 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,
if need be. supplemented by legitimate
aid from national authority. Let me
assure my couutrymen Of the Southern
States that il is my earnest desire to re-
gard and promote their truest interests.
the interests of the white and of the col
Ored people both, and equally, and to
put forth my best efforts iu behalf 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 mere
ly united North or a united South, but
a united country.
THE COHESIVE POWER OF PUBLIC PLUMBER
MUST BE DISSOLVED
l 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 sanction of usage in the
several departments Of our government,
but change in the system of appoint
ment itself-a reform that shall be
thorough, radical and complete, a re-
turn to the principles and practices of
the founders of the government. They
neither expected nor desired from pub
lie 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 bis tenure as
long as his personal character remained
and the performance Of bis
duties satisfactory. They held that ap-
pointments to Office were not to be made,
nor expected. merely as rewards for
partisan services, nor merely on the