Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-12-08

Fsiloso Citisens Of the SeH1te and House II Repre-
seHfdfires
congratulate YOU on the continued and increas-
ing prnsperty Of our country. BY the favor oil III
vine Providence we have been blessed, during the
past wear, with health, with abundant haiNesls,
with profitable employment for all our people, ana
with cOntentment at home, and with peace anu
with other nations.
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
The occurrence Of the twenty-fourth election OF
chief magistrate has afforded another opp9r.uhtt
to the people OF the United States n exhibit TO the
world a significant example Of the peaceiu ann
safe transmission of the power and authority :"
government from the public servants whnse seI',s
of office about to expire, TO their newly chsen
SUCCESSORS The example cannot fail To impress
profoundly, thoughtful people Of other countries
with the advantages which republican INSTITUTIONS
afford The immediate, general, and cheerlui ~
auescence of all good citizens in the result OF the
election gives gratifying assurance To our country
and 10 its friends throughout the world, that gov
eminent based the free consent of an intelligent
and patriotic people possesses elements OF strengu'
stability, and permanency not found In any other
form of government.
BALLOT BOX FRAUDS.
Continued opposition to the full and free enjoy
ments of the rights of citizenship, conferred upon
the colOred people by the recent amendments TO the
constitution, still prevails in several OF the late
slaveh0lding states. II has, perhaps, not beeh
manifested in the recent election to any large eX'
tent in acts Of violence or intimidation IL mas
however, by fraudulent practices IN connection
with the ballots, with the regulations MS 10 inc
places and manner OF voting, and with counting
returning and canvassing the votes cast, been sue.
cessfu in deie ltng the exercise OF the right pre-
sentative Of all rights the right of suffrage, when
the constitution expressly confers upon our en-
franchised citizens.
sECTIoNALIsM.
1t is the desire of the good people of the whole
country that sectionalism factor in our pollucs
should disappear They prefer that no section o.
the country should be united in solid 0pposluoh lt
any other section. The disposition TO refuse
prompt and hearty obedience to the equal rights
amendments to the constitution is all that now
stands in the way of complete obllterauon OF sec
tonal lines in our polit al contests. AS long aS
either Of these amendments is tiagrIntly violated
dsregarded, it is safe to assume that the people
who placed them in the constitution, as emnOdylhp
the legitimate results of the war for the union, ant
who believe them 30 be wise and necessary, VII
continue to act together, and to insist that thel
shall be Obeyed. The paramount question sun Is
as to the enjoyment of the right by every NmercaI
citizen who has the requisite qualifications, To tree
" cast his vote and to have it honestly counted
With this question rightly settled, the country VII
be relieved of the contentious of the past Dygohe
will indeed be bygones; and political ami party IF
sues with respect to economy and efficiency OF al
mnistratiOn, internal improvements, the tarif, 10
nestle taxation, education, finance, ana Other I'M
pOrtant subjects, will then receive :her lul snare
of attention; but resistance to and nulllnctuoh
the results of the war, will unite together IN reso
lutte purpose for their support all who MAINTAIN
the authority of the government and the perpetutN
of the union, and who adequately appreciate inc
value of the victory achieved This determination
proceeds from no hostile sentiment or feeling u
any part of the people of our country or 10 any o
their interests. The inviolability of the amend
ments rests upon the fundamental principles OF ou
government. They are the solemn expression o
the will of the people of the United States'
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.
The sentiment that the constitutional rights of al
our citizens must be maintained, does not grow
weaker. 1t will continue to control the government
of the country. Happily, the history OF the latt
election shows that in many parts OF the country
where opposition to the fifteenth amendment hlt
heretofore prevailed it is diminishing, and is likely
to cease altogether, If firm and well considered ac
ton is taken by congress. tru~t the mouse Oh rep
resentatives and the senate which have the RICH
to judge of the elections, returns, and qualltcaton
of their MEMBERS will see to it that every cast
of violation of the letter or spirit of the hiteentt
amendment is thoroughly investigated, anu thal ne
benefit from such violitOn shall accrue to any per
son or party. 1t will be the duty OF the executive
with sufficient appropriations for the purpose u
prosecute unsparingly all who have been engage.
in deprivug citizens of the rights guaranteed tt
them by the constitution.
EDUCATION.
1t is not, however, to be forgotten that the Des
and surest guarantee of the primary rights OF clt
zenship is to he found in that capacity for sefpro
lection which can belong only to II people whOs'
right to universal suffrage is supported by unlVer
sal education. The means ut the command OF The
local and state authorities are, III many cases
wholly inadequate to furnish free instruction To al
who need it. This is especially true where, before
emancipation, the education OF the people was neg
~ lc VI l;i ~, ti riisct Of nnnuI,r eIu
tin' nrves the nnrnest attention of the peopl,
of the whole country with view to wise and com
prehensve action by the government of the Unite
sIatin ana win nrounr snleguortIS
supplement the local educational funds IN the sew
eral states where the grave duties and responsl
ui,ies 4, a,,i Nv dev"tinp IN the nurnose Grant
G t ,Iin fandE and if necessary nv nunropri
otinns ron, tho treasury of the Tinted states
Wh,,,ar ,rovarnucnt ron fairly do ia uromote irp
w 'e,e, Iovtimn nT,rht tn ia dnna Whrreve
Pupui"ii i,'t,n,, "a ft,,nd neara WHINE and al
i ir ,,r,,,siI and rivi and Religions hhert,
oidi oiten P'''"i'' "'' VIVA 80"
"ie ec'"i''
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM
In my former annual messages have asked the
ottnntion of congress to the urgent necessity of ;
aErn,,tion Of the civil service system of the GOV
eminent NV views concerning the dangers o.
,,,tr"nnge or aupolntmcnts for personal or parti
a,n observation-disclosures have been strengthened by my
osarvntion and cXperence in the executive Office
"nJ heInve these dangers threaten the STABILITY o
~, royornment Ahsps so serious in their natur,
cannnt he nrrm lnentlv tolerated They tend to be
a,', ora oinrnin with the enlargement of adj
ii trnti,e snrvIrp ns the growth of the country
H.; ,,nniation incraasas the number of officers and
nIacemem employed The reasons are imperative
en- tLo oJonIinn Of xed rules for the regulation,
AZ o,,,oint,nents promotions and removals estab
iistilnror mminr,n method having exclusively II
viaw in every Instance the attainment of the best
1,1t
dit,tnn ,innn is consistent with liz, canal rights %
liz nitis nd tha most economical and r1i,icn
riministratinn of the bubble business Connective
observation-disclosures in ait OF imuartial appointment,
80 ,i,o,,,,,ti'rs have hren rontuctrd for som,
',r nat in ."verni Of the rxeculiyp departments
go n diroction this svsirm has bern uIIoute
;'' Wy ~ mn bo,,sns and host Offices of the large
~ " tho rnmntrv In thn city of New York Owe
@ ,,uSnnG mnsiiions in the civil service hay,
49, ,,Siot in their annnintments and Tenure n
u G ~ ;h nmaratinp II nuhshe rules for thi,
pn ,so ,i,,rni, tho mast two wears The results n
ho ar ,cticnI trals have been yer, satisfactory
WI ~, cnntirn Il nv nniniop in favor of th
s,-tnn, nr Selection All are subjected to the sHm
go 80" nn thn rasult il free from nrencc Inv ner
nni partisan influence II secures foT fin
;t;n n',,,iia f,r tho host uualiirntinns attain
'on the comnetnp nupIicnnts II is an rt
ttni ,,rraction IRON, th nresstirp nf ninnrtInit
L; 49, ~ othnr cnursn uursneI lar rnIv "a \
~ ,h ti,',n ma attention Of anuniufin,r nnirrrs
~ thir rrnnt letriment in the ischnIlf9 oi othe
m mi Ira nroventiny the nhuse of t6c sarvir
60. tha n,ore f,,rtharnnce of uriyp or marty nurnc
loi ',v i;t 10 a,,1nI,t,,a nf tho ,,nvrpnnnni
e &c, a. - H. SoliTot;nns n,n0sed NV untrnn.g,
-, da,tanJ SnIol, mon merit for retention ami mi
vancement; and with this constant incentive TO eN
anu ttpinaS in hirh Jn~rae in the onine
nv 49, 81 H. ,is CO.. 'nnn7nt,cnt hv cn,nn,titi,
mnviI oG hnva haan anniied matbni ,hin
| b"e 50 onnrnvnd Itself III eynerimnntuI to.ts a
-, a, hora snch tosts NOV ha fairly nonsi,J,,o
Polnits ,onih No tanylaJ re az Ii;,
o ;t;,s t,,,1iar tho ,,ovnrnmont I hoIiaya H..
P, ,d n, ~, Snnllic sontimart nn,,ni - ~
oJ J;,o ,oesnras for sarnrjnr AMI onfnrc;n H.
1870, Ill, a;n;ancy in t6o n;rI sarr;aaS
po2erot 49,, a., S 1871 un i1e, ~
lss P; 'o rard to e. Iap'ons'rtd - ~, '
III W 80 80 mn NV a;n,i ' nc ie ~
ston bnmsas and most. otiices have haan hoid VI
i @ 80 l r itI 80, oit' u
~ AZ nip IT. anL,,ntad iho,, , r. I'LL, ~ ,ot y
'ondnhia ;,tarest in the mnrovements nr t NH