The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-07-23
ARTHUR's LETTER.
Formal Acceptance Of the Republi-
can Nominee for Vice
President.
Am Able and Eloquent Presenta lion
of the Questions at Issue.

NEW YORK, July 10, 10oU.
DEAR SIR: accept the position assigned
me by the great party whose action you an
nounce. This acceptance implies the approval
OF the principles declared by the convention,
but recent usage permits me to add some ex-
preston of my own views. The right and duty
to secure honesty and order in popular elections
is matter SO vital that it must stand in the
front, The authority of the National Govern
ment to preserve from fraud and force the
elections at which its own officers are chosen
is chief point on which the two parties are
plainly and intensely opposed, The acts of
Congress for ten years have, in New
York and elsewhe e, done much to curb
violence and wrong to which the
ballot and count have been again and again
subjected, sometimes despoiling great cities,
sometimes sitting the voice Of a, whole State,
often seating not only in Congress, but on the
bench and in Legislatures numbers of men
never chosen by the people The Democratic
party since gaining possession of the two houses
of Congress has made these laws the object of
bitter, ceaseless assault, and, despite all resist
ance, has hedged them with restrictions, cum
ningly cOntrived to battle and paralyze them.
This aggressive majority boldly attempted to
extort from the Executive his approval of vari-
GUS enactments destructive of these election
laws by revolutionary threats that con-
stitutional exercise of the veto power
would be punished by Withholding appropria-
tons necessary to carry on the Government
and those threats were actually carried out by
refusing needed appropriations and by forcing
an extra session of Congress, lasting formonths
and resulting in concessions to this usurping
demand which are likely in many States to SUBJ
ject the majority to the lawless will of q minor
ity. Ominous signs of public disapprovaI alone
subdued this arrogant power into sullen sur
render for the time being of part of it's de-
mands The Republican party has strongly
approved the stern refusal of it's representa-
tlves to suffer the overthrow of statutes
believed to be salutary and just 1t
has always insisted, and now insists, that
the Government of the United States of Amer
lea is empowered and in duty bound to effect
ually protect the elections denoted by the con-
stitution as national. More than this, the Re
publican party holds as the cardinal point in it's
creed that the Government should, by every
means known to the constitution, protect all
American citizens everywhere in the full enjoy
ment of their civil and political rights. AS a
great part of it's work of reconstruction the Re-
publican party gave the ballot to the emanci-
pated slave as his right and defense. A large
increase in the number of members of Congress
and the Electoral College from the former
slave-holding States was the immediate
result. The history of recent yerrs
abounds in evidence that in many ways and in
many places, especially where their number has
been great enough to endanger Democratic
control, the very men by whose elevation to
citizenship this increase Of representation was
effected have been debarred and robbed of
their voice and their vote. It is true that no
State statute or constitution in SO many words
denies or abridges the exercise of their
political rights, but bodies employed to
bar their way are no less effectual. It is a
suggestive and startling thought that the
increased power derived from the enfran-
chisement of race now denied it's share in
governing the country. welded by those who
lately sought the overthrow of the Govern
ment, is now the sole reliance to defeat the
party which represented the sovereignty and
nationality of the American people in the great
est crisis of our history. Republicans cherish
none of the resentments which may have ami
mated them during the actual conflict Of arms
They long for full and real reconciliation be-
tween the sections which were need
lessly and lamentably at strife. They
sincerely offer the hand of 81 good
will, but they ask in return pledge of good
faith They deeply feel that the party whose
career is SO illustrous in the great and patriotic
achievement will not fulfill its destiny until
peace and prosperity are established in oil the
land; nor until liberty Of thought, conscience,
and action, and equality Of opportunity shall
not be merely cold formalities Of statute, but
living birthrights, which the humble may conf
IDENTITY claim and the powerful dare not deny.
The resolution referring to the public service
seems to me deserving of approval. Surely, no
man should be the incumbent of an Office, the
duties of which he is for a cause unfit to per-
who 10 loOly obi ala
tegrity, which proper administration of such
an office demands. This sentiment would doubt
less meet with general acquiescence, but opinion
has been evidently divided upon the wisdom and
practicability of the various reformatory schemes
which have been suggested, and of certain pro-
posed regulations governing appointments to
public Office. The efficiency Of such
regulations has been distrusted mainly be-
cause they have seemed to exalt mere
educational and abstract tests above the
general business capacity, and even special
fitness for the particular work In hand tt
seems to me that the rules which should be app
piled to the management of the public service
may be properly conformed in the main to such
as regulate the conduct of successful private
business. Original appointments should be
made upon ascertained fitness The tenure
of Office should be stable. Positions of re-
sponsibility should, SO far as practicable, be
filed by the promotion of worthy and efficient
officers. The investigation of all complaints
and tho punishment of oil official misconduct
should be prompt and thorough. These
views, which have long held, >. repeatedly de-
clared, and uniformly applied, when called up
on to act, I find embodied in the resolution,
which, of course, approve. -
will add that by the acceptance Of public
Office, whether high or low, one does not, in my
Judgment, escape any Of his responsibility as .
citizen, or lose or impair any OF his rightsas a
citizen, and that he should enjoy absolute lib
erty to think ana speak and act in political mat
ters, according to his own will and conscience,
provided only that he honorably, faithfully and
fully discharge his official duties.
The resumption of specie payments one of
the fruits of the Republican poicy-has
brought the return of abundant prosperity and
The settlement of many distracting questions.
The restoration of sound money, the large re-
duction of our public debt and burden of inter-
est, the high Advancement of public credit, all
attest the ability and courage Of the Republican
party to deal with such financial problems as may
hereafter demand solution. Our paper cur
rency is now as good as gold, and silver is per-
forming it's legitimate functions for the pur-
pose of change. The principles which should
govern the relations of these elements of cur
rency are simple and clear. There must be no
deteriorated coin, no deprecated paper, and
every dollar, whether of metal or paper, should