The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1880-07-29
General Arthur's Letter Accepting the
Nomination for the Vice.Presidency.
NEW YORK, July Is
Following Is the letter OF acceptance
of General Arthur:

nrinciples declared BY the Convention, but re-
cent usage permits me TO add some express
sion Of my own views
ELECTIONS ,. -,
The right and duty TO secure honesty ana
order in popular elections Is a mater so NltaI
that il must stand in the front me dutnor-
jty of the National Government TO preserve
from fraud and force elections at when lts
own officers are chosen is a chlef point on
which the two parties are plainly ana intensely
opposed Acts of Congress for ten years nave
Ia New York and elsewhere done much 10
curb the violence and wrong 10 whlcn the oal-
lot and count have been again ana again
subjected, sometimes despOilng great cites,
sometimes sitting the voice OF Whole state,
often placing not only in Congress, out on
the Bench and in Legislatures NUMBERS OF
men never chosen by the people. The DEM
ocratic party, since gaining possession OF the
two Houses of Congress, has made these
laws the object of bitter ceaseleSs assault
and despite all resistance has hedged them
with restrictions cunningly contrlVed 10 DAT
tle and paralyZe them. Ihls aggressive ma
Executive his approval of various enactments
destructive of these election laws Dy reNOlu-
tionary threats that constitutional exercise OF
the veto power would be punished by with
holding appropriations necessary TO carry on
the Government, and these threats we're actu-
ally carried out by refusing needed approprla-
tions and by forcing an extra session OF Con
gress lasting for months ana resulting IN
concessions to this usurping demand wnlch
are likely, in many States, TO subject the
majority TO the lawless Will OF minority.
.
subdued this arrogant power into sullen sur
render for the time being of a part of its de-
mands. The Republican party has strongLy
approved the stern refusal of its representa-
tives to suffer the overthrow OF statutes De-
/ lieved to be salutary and Just. 1t mas always
insisted, and now insists, tnat the government
of the United States of America is empowered
and in duty bound to etfectually protect the
elections denoted by the Constitution as ma
tional. More than this the Republlcan party
holds as the cardinal point in its creed that the
! Government should by every means known 10
| the Constitution protect all American cltlZens
! everywhere in the full enjoyment OF lnelr
| civil and political rights As great part OF
/ its work of reconstruction, the hepuolcan
| party gave the ballot to the emancipated
| slave as his right and defense. Gg IN
crease in the number of members OF Congress
| and of the Electoral College from former
/ slave-holdng States was the immediate result.
| The history of recent years abounds IN eVl-
dence 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 cltlzenshlP
this increase of representation was eff
fected have been debarred and robbed
of their voice and their vote. 1t is
true that no state statute or Son-
( stitution in so many words denies or abridges
| the exercise of their political rights, but
bodies employed to bar their way are no less
effectual. 1t is suggestive and starting
! thought that the increased power derived
from the Acknowledgement of race now
denied its share in governing the coun-
try, welded by those who lately sought
| the sole reliance to defeat the party
which represented the sovereignty and
nationality of the American people IN
/ the greatest crisis of our history. Re
/ publicans cherish none of the reSentments
/ which may have animated them during the
| actual conflict of arms. They long Tor a tull
! and real reconciliation between the sections
! which were needlessiy and lamentably at
strife They sincerely offer the hand OF good
| will, but they ask in return pledge OF good
| faith. They deeply feel that the party whose
! career is so iustrious in great and PATRIOTIC
achievements will not fulfill its destiny until
peace and prosperity are established IN all the
and nor until liberty of thought, conscience
and action, and equality of opportunity, snail
not be merely cold formalitieS OF the statute
but living birthrights which the humble may
confidently claim, and the powerful dare moi
deny.
THE CIVIL SERVICE.
The resolution referring to the public serv-
ice seems TO me deserving OF approval sure
ly no man should be the incumbent OF an OF
flee the duties of which he is for cause unht
to perform, who is lacking in ability, fidelity
or integrity which a proper administrator Qi
such office demands. This sentiment woulC
doubtless meet with general acquleScence
but opinion has been widely divided upon
the wisdom and practicability OF various re
fOrmatOry schemes which nave Deen sug
gested and of certain proposed regulations
governing appointments TO public ONCE
The efficiency of such regulations has been
distrusted mainly because they have seemed
to eXalt mere educational and abstract tests
above general business capacity and ever
special fitness for the particular work III
hand. Ii seems TO me that the rules which
should be applied to the management of ;h(
public service may be properly coniormed II
the main to such as regulate the conduct %
successful private business. Original appoint
. mentS should be based upon aScertalned ut
ness. The tenure of Office should be stable
Positions of responsibility should, so far a
. practicable, be filled by the promotion o.
. worthy and efficient officers. The lnNesuga
ton of al complaints and the punishment o
all official misconduct should be prompt ah'
y-iar uvbfa Ia
held repeatedly declared, and uniformly ap
piled when called upon to ACT, find embodied
in the res solution, which of course approve
will add that by the acceptance of pubh'
Office, whether high or low, one does not, in m.
Judgment, escape any of his responsibility a
a citizen or lose or impair any OF his rights a
q citizen and that he should enjoy absolute
liberty to think, and speak, and act in pOlitiCa
, matters according to his own will and con
science, provided only that he hon lIably, faith
fully and fully discharges al, his official duties
SPECIE PAYMENTS.
The resumption Of specIe-payments-one o
the fruits of the Republican pOlicy-ha
brought return of abundant prosperity AM
: theiettement of many distractng questions
The restoration of sound money, the large re
ductiOn of our public debt and the burden o
interest, the high advancement of the pubh
credit-aIl attest the ability and courage o
| the Republican party TO deal with sue
financial problems as may here after deman
solution our paper currency Is now as goo
a. gold and silver i peri Orming its Legitimate
J function for the purpose of change. Ih'
principles which should govern the relation
a of these elements of the currency are simpl
and clear. There must be no deteroraJe'
% coin, no deprecated paper, and every dollar
whetherOf metal or paper should stand IN
test of the worlds fixed standard.
EDUCATION.
The value of popular education can hardl
> be overstated. Although its interests must G
necessity be chiefly contided TO the voluntar
effort and individual action of the severi
States they should be encouraged so far a
the Constitution permits by the generous &C
5 operation of the National Government III
; interests of a whole country demand that IN
e advantages OF our eOmmOn-sChoOl sySteI
/ should be brought within the reach OF ever
= citizen, and that no revenues of the Nation G
} / the States should be devoted to the support
I TAEiFF AND INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
o Such changes should be made IN the presen
;, | tariff and system of taxation as Will rcliev
p / any oyerburdened industry or class, and Ell
T. able our manufacturers and artisans to CON
70 pete successfully with those of other lands.
a The Government should aid works Of Il
4 / ternal Improvement natlon's IN their cha
4 | acter, and should promote the development q
p ! our water courses and harbOrS wherever IN
? general interests of commerce require.
= THE PARTY.
p Four wears ago. as now, the Nation stoC
n on the threshold of a Presidential election, an
4 the Republican party, in soliciting a contll
o uance of it's asCendency, founded its nope {
d success, not upon its promises, but upO
4 its history. Its subsequent course has bee
o such as TO strengthen the claims which
n then made to the confidence and support {
Il the country. On tine other hand, consider
h tons more urgent than have ever before e.
= listed forbid the accession OF rs o.
. poncnts to power. Their success, # su
4 cess attend them, must chiefly come frol
/ the united support of that section WhiC
d sought the forcibie disruption OF the InlO
d and which, according to all the teachings
e our past history, will demand acsendency
l. the councils of the party to whose TRIUMPH
e will have made by far the largest contribute
5 There is the gravest reason for the apprene
> sion that eXOrbitant claims upon the publ
r Treasury, by no means limited TO the hu
v drCds of millions already covered by bll!s l
IL. .-l In -. nL-Ith