The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1880-07-22
General Garfield's Letter Accepting the
Republican Nomination.

MENTOR, O., July Il.
General Garfield has forwarded to
Senator Hoar, of Massachusetts, the
following letter Of acceptance of the
nomination rendered him by the Re-
publican National Conventions:
MENTOR, O., July Il, 1880.
DEAR SIR: On the evening of the Sth of
June last had the honor to receive from
you, In the presence of the Committee of
nouncement that the Republican National
Convention at Chicago had that day nomi-
mated me as their candidate for President of
the United States l accept the nomination
and with q deep sense of the responsible
ties It imposes. cordially indorse the prin-
ciples set forth in the platform adopted by
the Convention. On nearly all the subjects
OF which it treats my opinions are on rec
ord among the published proceedings OF Con-
gress. I venture, however, to make special
mention Of some Of the principal topics
eusson, WisSous seviesU9 the sSnsroyersies W sizes
which have been settled during the last
twenty years, and with no purpose or wish to
revive the passions of the late war.
STATE SUPREMACY.
1t should be said that, while the Repub-
licans fully recognize and will strenuously
defend all the rights retained by the people,
And all the rights reserve to the States they
supremacy, which SO long crippled the func-
tions of the National Government, and at
one time brought the Union very near to
destruction. They insist that the United
States is q Nation, with ample powers of
self-preservation; that its Constitution and
the laws made In pursuance thereof "are
the supreme law Of the land;" that the right
OF the Nation to determine the method by
| which its Legislature shall be created can
not be surrendered without abdicating one
OF the fundamental powers Of government;
that the National laws relating to the cleo
| tiOn of RRDrpsanta N CnuOrass shall
neither be violated nor evaded; that every
elector shall be permitted freely, and without
intimidation, to cast his lawful vote at
such election, and have it honestly counted;
and that the potency of his vote shall not be
destroyed by the fraudulent vote of any other
person. The best thoughts and energies OF
questions of National well-being, in which all
have q common interest Sucn efforts will
soonest restore to perfect peace those who
were lately in arms against each other, for
justice and goodwill will outlast passion.
But it is certain that the wounds of the war
cannot be completely healed, and the spirit
| OF brotherhood cannot pervade the whole
country, until every citizen-rich or poor,
| equal enjoyment of every civil and political
right guaranteed by the Constitution and the
laws. Wherever the enjoyment Of these
rights is not assured discomfort will prevail,
| immigration will cease, and the social and
| industrial forces will continue to be dis
| turbed by the migration of the laborers
and the consequent minution Of prosperity.
The National Government should exercise
| all its Constitutional authority to put an end
| to these evils, for all the people and all the
States are members of one body, and no
member can suffer without injury to all. The
most serious evils which now affisct the South
| arise from the fact. that there is not such
| freedom and federation of political opinion
and action that the minority party can exer-
| else an effective and wholesome restraint
upon the party in power. Without such re-
straint q party rule becomes tyrannical and
corrupt. The prosperity which is made pos
sible in the South by its great advantages of
| soil and climate will never be realized until
every voter can freely and safely support any
party he pleases.
| EDUCATION.
| Next in importance to freedom and Justice
| IL popular education, without which neither
! justice res freedom can be permanently main
I tanned. It's interests are intrusted to the
States and to the voluntary action of the peo-
afford should be generously given to aid the
| States In supporting common schools; but it
| would be unjust to our people and dangerous
to our institutions to apply any portion of the
revenues Of the Nation or Of The States to the
| support of sectarian schools. The separation
of the Church and the State, in everything
relating to taxation, should be absolute.
NATIONAL FINANCES.
On the subject of National finances my
| views have been so frequently and so fully
expressed that little is needed in the way of
| additional statement The public debt is
/ now 30 well SeCuIeu, anu the rate Ol duuual
interest has been SO reduced by refunding,
that rigid economy in expenditures and the
faithful application of our surplus revenues
viii wi T sraduailV but certainIy Free u the enc peopIe @
from its burdens and close with honor the
financial chapter Of the war. At the same
time the Government can provide for all its
cred obligations to the soldiers of the Union
and to the widows and orphans of those
who fell in its defense. The resump-
lion Of specie payments which the
successfully accomplished has removed from
| the field of controversy many questions that
| long and seriously disturbed the credit of the
| Government and the business of the country.
Our paper currency is now as National as the
nag, and resumption has not only made II
| everywhere equal to coin, but has brought
into use our store of gold and silver. The
than ever before, and we need only to
maintain the equality OF all our dollars to
insure to labor and capital a measure OF
value from the use of which no one can suffer
| is now enjoying should not be endangered by
any violent changes or doubtful financial eI.
| periments.
OUR CUSTOMS LAWS.
In reference to our customs laws, q policy
| should be pursued which will bring revenue
to the Treasury and will enable the labor and
capital employed in our great industries tc
compete fairly in our own markets with the
labor and capital Of foreign producers. We
lie :islate for the people of the United States
not for the whole world, and it is our glory
that the American laborer is more intelligent
and better paid than his foreign competitor
| Our country cannot be independent unless it
people, with their abundant natural resources
possess the requisite skill at any time tt
clothe, arm and equip themselves for war, ant
in time of peace to produce all the necessary
implements of labor. 1t was the manifest in
tention of the founders of the Government tc
provide for the common defense, not by
standing armies alone, but by raising among
the people greater army of artisans. whose
Intelligence and skill should powerfully con-
tribute to the safety and glory of the Nation
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Fortunately for the interests of commerce
there is no longer any formidable opposition
to appropriations for the improvement of oul
harbors and great navgable rivers, provided
that the expenditures for that purpose art
strictly limited 20 works Of Nat onai impor
tance. The Mississippi River, with its great
tributaries, is of such vital importance to sc
many millions of people that the safety of its
nav CATION requires exceptional consid'
the control of all its waters President Jeffer
son negotiated the purchase of vast terri
the Pacific Ocean. The wisdom of Congress.
should be invoked to devise some plan BY
which that great river shall cease to be {
terror to those who dwell upon its banks, ant
Industrial @ PRODUCTS c q IS 6oo @ ooo Of % people %
The interests of agriculture, which is the
basis of all our material prosperity, and il
which seven-twelfths of our population are
engaged, as well as the interests of manu-
factures and commerce, demand that the
facilities for cheap transportation shall be
increased by the use of all our great water
courses.
IMMIGRATION.
The material interests of this country, tn,
traditions of its settlement. and the senti
ments Of our people have led the Govern
ment to offer the widest hospitality to emf
grants who seek our shores for new an(
happier homes, willing to share the BURDEN
as well as the benefits of our society, and in
tending that their posterity shall become al
und .stiDguishablc part of our population
| The recent movement of the Chinese to ou
Pacific coast partakes but Little of the quail
ties of such an emigration, either in its pur
| poses or its result. 1t is too much like al
importation to be welcomed without restric
ton; t, o much like an invasion 10 be locke,
upon without sole tude. We canrOt consen
TO allow any form Of servile lahor t,