Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1880-07-31
General Arthur's Letter Accepting the
Nsninstion for tho Vice. Presidency.
New YORK, July IL
Following is the letter Of acceptance
of General Arthur:

principles declared by the Convention, but re
cent usage permits me to add sOrno express
sion Of my own views.
ELECTIONS.
Tho right and duty to secure honesty ant
order In popular elections is matter so vita
that It must stand In the front. The auth or
! from fraud and force elections ut which IT.
own officers are chosen IL chief point OF
: which the two parties are plainly aud intensely
opposed. Acts OF Congress for ten ycars have
in New York and elsewhere done much ia
curb the violence and wrong to which the bal
I lot and count have been again and again
subjected, sometimes dcspoiliny great cities
sometimes sitting the voice of whole State
often placing not only in Congress, but or
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, ccasclcss assault
with restrictions c,inningly contriyed TO baf-
fie and pnralyze thcm. This aggressive ma.
tority boldly attempted to extort from the
Executive his approval of various cnactmcnts
destructive of these election laws by rcvolu-
tionnry threats that II constitutional exercise Of
tho veto power would be punished by with
holding appropriations necessary to carry on
the Government, and these threats were actu-
ally carried out by refusing needed appropria-
tion5 and by forcing an extra session OF Com
gress lasting for months and resulting in
concessions to this usurpng demand which
are likely, In many States, to subject tho
majority to the lawless will of a minority.
subdued this arrogant power into snlen sur
render for the time being of n part of its de-
mands. The Republican party has strongly
approved tho stern refusal of its represents
tives to suffer the overthrow of statutes be
lievcd to be salutary and just. II has always
insisted. and now insists. that the Government
and in duty bound to cfrectuslly protect the
elections denoted by the Constitution as ma
tiOnal. More than this, the Republican party
holds as the cardinal point In its creed that the
monte kTiny Tn
the Constitution protect all American citizens
everywhere in the full enjoyment of their
civil and political rights. As u great part Of
its work of reconstruction, the Republican
party gave the ballot TO the emancipatcd
! Slave as his right and defense. large in
crease in the number of members of Congress
and of the Electoral College from former
slavehoding States was the immediate result.
! The history of recent years abounds in evil
especially where their number has been great
enough to cndangcr Democratic control. the
very men by whose elevation to citizenship
thi. -, increase of represen,ation represent was ,,, ei,
| of their voice and their vote. 1t is
true that no State stutute or Com
stitution in so many words denies or abridges
the exercise of their political rights, but
| bodies employed to bar their way no less
eifectual. 1t is II suggestive and Startling
! thought that the increased power derived
try, welded by those who lately sought
the overthrow of the Government is now
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 reseitments
which may have animated them during the
actual conflict of arms. They long for full
and real reconciliation between the sections
which were ncedlcssly and lamentably ut
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
achievements will no, fulfill its destiny until
peace and prosperity are established i'll all the
and, nor until liberty OF thought. conscience
and action, and equality of opportunity. shall
not be merely cold formalties of the statute,
but living birthrights which the humble may
confidently claim, and the powerful dare not
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
nee the duties OF which he is for acause unfit
to perform. who is lacking in ability, fidelity
or integrity which Il proper administration of
such Office demands. This sentiment would
doubtless meet with general acIuiescence,
but opinion has been widely divided upon
the wisdom and practicablify of various re-
formatory schemes which have been sug-
gestcd and OF certain proposed regulations
governing appointments TO public office.
The efficiency of such regulations has been
distrusted mainly because they have seemed
To cNalt mere educational and abstract tests
abtve general business capacity and even
special fitness for the particular work in
hand. 1t seems to NE that the rules which
should be applied to the management of the
public service may be properly cOniormed in
the main TO such regulate the conduct of
successful private business. Original appoint
mcn's should bc based upon iscer:ainei lit
ness. The tenure of Office should be stable.
Positions of rc-pon -ibil!ty should, so far rs
p-acticable- be illed hy the promotion of
ton OF al complaints ard the punishment of
all official misconduct should be prompt and
thorough. These views, which l have long
held repeatedly deci red, and uniformly APP
pied when called upon t. act find cml odicG
in the resolution, which of course approve.
viii tdd that by the acceptance Of public
oilice. whether high or low, one does not. in my
judgment. escape any al his responsibility us
a citizen or lose ~ impair auv of his rights as
u citizen, AMI tnat he slpud enjoy absolute
liberty to think AMI speak, and net In political
matters according to his own will aud con-
science, provided only that h. hon prab!y. faith
SPECIE PAYMENTS.
The resumption of spcce-payments-on of
the fruits of the Republican policy-has
brought return of abundant prosperity and
the settleuent OF many distractin. questions.
TIE re>,o ration OF sound nonc., the large re-
duction OF our pubic debt and the burden of
interest, the high advancement of the public
credii-aii attest the ability and courage of
the Republican party TO deal with such
financial problems as may hereafter demand
solution. Dur paper currency is now As good
n gold ani silver is performing lis legitimate
principles which should govern the relations
If these clements OF the currency are simple
coin, no deprecated paper, and every dollar,
metal ur paper. should stand the
test of the worlds fixed standard.
kDECATION.
The value of popular education can hardly
b. Ovcistatcd. Although lis interests must of
cce-sity lie chiefly conidcd 70 the voluntary
.i!ort and individual action of the several
states, they should be encouraged so far us
he Constitution permits by the generous CO.
operation of the National Government. The
interests OF whole country demand that the
advantages OF orr cOnmOn-sclOOl system
should he brOu lht within the rcacn nf every
.itlzcn, and thar no revenues OF the Nation or
h States should be devoted to the support of
ectariau choDlS.
TARIFF A:'D INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
Such changes should be made III the present
aiiif and system of taxation will relieve
my Uvetbur'iened ministry or class, and en-
Ible our manufacturers and artisans to conn
,etc successfully with those OF other lands.
The Government snuuld aid works Of in
crnal Improvement. national in their char
ctcr, and should promote the development of
'ur water courses and harbors wherever the
General interests of commcfce require.
THE PARTY. ,
Four years ago, as now, the Nation stood !
N the threshold OF II Presidential election, and I
he Republican party, in soliciting Il contn- 7
lance of its ascendcncy. founded its hope of
uccess, not upon its promises, but upon q
is history Its subsequent course has been /
uch nS to strengthen the claims which it l.
ii'h ~ cufp''lt vi
he country ON the other hand considera- l
ions more urgent than have ever before cX- v
sted forbid the accession of its op- RI
oncntS to power Their success, if sue
ess attend them, must chiefly come from Il
he united support of that section which T
ought the forcbIe disruption of the Union. .
nd which. according to all the teachings of u
ur past history, will demand acsendency in +
be councils of the party to whose triumph it I,
lii have made by fur the largest contribution. v
here is the gravest reason for the apprehcr- II
n,.
reasury, by no means limited to the hum !.
re DIS of millions already covered by bills in i, L.
reduced in Congress within the past four L
ears. would be successfully urged if the n
party should succeed in supple =
renting its present control of the National &
egis!atlire by clecting the Executive also. Il