Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-07-16
GEN. GARFIELDS LETTER.
A SOUND, SENSIBLE AND STRAIGHTFORWARD
DOCUMENT.

him by the Republican National Convention
MENToR, o., July 10, 1880
Dear Sir: On the evening of the 9Th Of
June last had the honor to receive from
you, in the presence Of the committee of
which you were chairman the official announce
ment that the Republican national convention
at Chicago had that day nominated me as
their candidate for President of the United
States accept the nomination, with graft
tude for the confidence It implies and with a
deep sense of the responsibilities it imposes.
cordially endorse the principles set forth in
the platform adopted by the convention. On
nearly all the subjects of which it treats, my
opinions are on record among the published
proceedings of Congress. venture, howev-
err, to make special mention of some Of the
principal topics which are likely to become
subjects of discussion.
Without reviewing the controversies which
have been settled during the last twenty years.
and with no purpose or wish to revive the
passions of the late war II should be said
that, while the Republicans fully recognize
and will strenuousy defend all the rights re-
tanned by the people and all the rights reserv-
ed TO the States, they reject the pernicious
doctrine of State supremacy which so long
crippled the functions of the national govern
ment and at one time brought the Union very
near to destruction. They insist that the
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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 own legislature shall be created can
not be surrendered without abdicating one of
the fundamental powers of government that
the national laws relating to the election of
representatives in Congress shall neither be
violated nor evaded that every elector shall
NA.I II. =.
to cast his lawful ballot at such election aud
have it honestly counted, and that the poten-
cy of his vote shall not be destroyed by the
fraudulent vote of any other person. The
best thoughts and energies of our people
should be directed to those great questions of
national well-being in which all have a COM
mon interest Such efforts will soonest re-
store to perfect peace those who were lately
in arms against each other for justice and
goodwill will out-last passion. But it is GER
tain that the wounds of the war cannot be
completely healed and the spirit of brother
hood cannot fully pervade the whole country,
until every citizen, rich or poor, white or
black, Is secure in the free and equal enjoy
ment of every civil and political right guar
antoed by the constitution and the laws.
Wherever the enjoyment of these rights is
not assured discomfort will prevail immigra-
ton will cease, and the social and industrial
forces will continue 10 be disturbed by the
migration Of labOrers and the consequent dim
mutton Of prosperity. The national govern
ment should exercise all its constitutional au-
thority 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 affiict the
South arise from the fact that there is not
such freedom and liberation of political opin-
ion and action that the minority party can ex-
ercse an effective and wholesome restraint
upon the party in power. Without such re-
straint, 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 no pleases.
Next in importance to freedom and Justice
is popular education, without which neither
justice nor freedom can be permanently main
tanned. Its interests are intrusted to the
States and to the voluntary action of the peo-
pie Whatever help the nation can Justly af-
ford 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 sepA-
ration of the Church and the State in every
thing relating to taxation should be absolute.
On the subject of national finances, my
views have been 80 frequently and fully ex-
pressed that little is needed in the way Of adj
ditional statement. The public debt is now
30 well secured, and the rate of annual inter
est has been so reduced by refunding, that
rigid economy in expenditures and the faith
full application OF our surplus revenues to the
payment OF the principal of the debt will
gradually but certainly free the people from
its burdens, and close with honor the finan-
cal chapter of the war. At the same time,
the Government can provide for all its ordi-
nary expenditures, and discharge its sacred
obligations to the soldiers of the Union, and
to the widows and orphans Of those who fell
in its defense. The resumption of specie
payments, which the Republican party so
couragoously and successfully accomplished
has removed from the field of controversy
many questions that long and seriously dis
turbed the credit of the Government and the
business of the country. Our paper curren-
cy is now as national as the flag, and resump-
ton has not only made it everywhere equal
to coin, but has brought into use our store of
| gold and silver The circulating medium is
more abundant than ever before, and we
need only to maintain the equality of all our
dollars to insure to labor and capital a meas
ure of value from the use of which no one
can suffer loss. The great prosperity which
| the country is now enjoying should not be
endangered 10y any violent changes or doubt
full financial experiments.
In reference to our customs laws, a policy
should be pursued which will bring revenue
to the Treasury, and will enable the labor
and capital employed in our great industries
| to compete fairly in our own markets with
the labor and capital of foreign producers.
| We legislate for the people of the United
States, not for tho whole world, and it is our
glory that the American laborer is more in
| telligent and better paid than his foreign
competitor. Our country cannot be indie
pendent unless its people, with their album
dant natural resources, possess the requisite
skill at any time to clothe, arm, and equip
themselves for war, and in time of peace to
| produce all the necessary implements of la
| Dor. 1t was the manifest Intention of the
| founders of the Government to provide for
the common defense, not by standing armies
| alone, but by raising among the people a
| greater army of artisans, whose intelligence
aud skill should powerfully contribute 10 the
safety and glory Of the nation. Fortunately
for the interests of commerce, there is no
longer any formidable opposition to appro-
| priations for the improvement Of our harbors
and great navigable rivers, provided that the
expenditures for that purpose are strictly
| limited to works of national importance. The
Mississippi river, with its great tributaries is
of such vital importance to 30 many millions
| of people that the safety of its navigation re-
| quires exceptional consideration. In order
to secure to the nation the control of all its
waters, President jefferson negotiated the
purchase of vast territory, extending from
the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. The
wisdom of Congress should be invoked to de-
wise some plan by which that great river shall
cease to be terror to those who dwell upon
its banks, and by which its shipping may
safely carry the industrial products of 25, 900,
900 of people. The interests of agriculture
which is the basis of all our material prosper
ity, and in which seven-twelfths of our pop
ulation are engaged, as well as the interests
nj