Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-14
sENERaL GARTIELD's LETTER OF AC-
CEpTANCF.

| luuueSty oiiiJ S1ueliSt - - "
| plicity. Il is one of those rare papers
which nov and then light up political
campaigns by the steady beams OF states
manship. There is noticeable in it an alb
sence of all attempt at fine writing, OF
rhetorical flourish and of appeal to par
tisan feeling. It's calm simplicity, its
concise arrangement, commend it to the
general reader and make it clear to the
most ordinary intelligence ; and all these
things testify in strong terms of the entire
sincerity and candor of the writer. With
out praise, thus much the bitterest oppo-
nent of General Garfield must accord to
his letter, if he views it from the impair
tial standpoint the critic ought to take,
however much he may find TO object to on
analysis of the subdivisions of the docu-
ment
But under this test we find the letter to
bear the searching light even better than
in its general character, for it is the letter
of a man nominated for the Presidency
who opens the campaign by proposing to
do something, and who does not fear to
announce definitely what that something
is. He accepts the nomination, in tie
first place, as the tender of a party with
the doctrines and principles of which he is
in harmony, and he points to his record in
Congress in testimony of the fact. But
with regard to some of the more prominent
positions OF the party he deems it proper
he should place himself anew upon the rec
ord, and to representation OF these
points we devote this article. Thus
he pronounces unquestionably against
"t the pernicious doctrine of State suprem-
lacy which has SO long crippled the func-
'stions of the National Government, and
"at one time brought the Union very near
to destruction. A more terse presenta-
tion of the great issue OF the present cam
paign has not been made. In this state
ment the whole question is laid bare. The
Democratic party, by its persistent enun-
citation of the doctrine of Estate Rights, y
brought the issue to the test; first at the
ballot box, when the people repudiated the
doctrine by the election of Lincoln; sec
ondly, by the civil war, when the arbitra-
ment of the sword decided against the pet
theory.again. Secession was the legitimate
outgrowth of this doctrine, and at its death
! = - t,,,- %ol- 70 no with II
| the mother of its being. General Hancock
gained all the renown he has, battling in
field against this very doctrine for which
the Democratic party has now made him a
shield. If his civil life was in accord with
his military career, he would to-day be
standing with General Garfield in the de-
claration that 60 the United States is ma
" tion with ample powers of self-perserva-
&c ton that its Constitution and the laws
"made in pursuance thereof are the SUI
''preme law of the land ; that the right
"of the nation to determine the method by
(which its Legislature shall be crea ed
"cannot be surrendered without abdicating
"one of the fundamental powers OF the
Government" But instead OF this he is
found at the head of that party, one of the
electors of which, opened the campaign in
this city, few weeks ago with the declar-
alton g this is not nation"
General Garfield points out that the best
thoughts and energies of the people, if
directed to these and similar great natural
questions, will soonest restore the country
to perfect peace, and that the wounds of
the war will only be completely healed
when every citizen, rich or poor, white or
black, is secure in the free and equal en-
ioyment of every civil and political right
guaranteed by the Constitution and the
laws. His declaration of the sacred in
volatility Of the sums of money devoted
to the support OF common schools, is but
| the echo of the best sentiment of the most
thoughtful and patriotic Of the people.
Regarding financial questions his expression
is in keeping with his established record,
and is intensified by his protest against
any violent changes or financial expert
mental tinkering at q time when the coun-
try is prosperous. His expressions con-
corning the policy which should be mani
fest in the custom laws are in harmony
with his well-known Congressional record,
and with which the country is familiar, and
in the full knowledge of which the whole
country represented in the National Con-
vention extended to him the nomination.
But now we come to what is very re-
markable portion of the letter remark
able for It's wisdom and positiveness, two
| qualities not always to be found in the
acceptances of candidates who are bid
ding for votes. He declares unhesitat-
ingly in favor OF preserving to the uses of
the people the great nayigable Highways
| the rivers-in such state rs to make
theIa not only rivers in name, but full car
riers, and in favor Of the improvement of
harbors, "provided that the expenditures
90 for that purpose are strictly limited to
works of national Importance" 1t Is
unusual for Presidential nominees to leave
generalities, so often meaningless, and
treat of localized matters. But General
Garfield has evidently been studious dur
ing his long public career, and is not ignor-
ant of the fact that to-day in freight-car-
rying the rivers are to the railroads as one
is to thirty; that is, for every dollar
of freight transported by the natural water
highways thirty dollars of freight goes by
rail, and the conclusion is too patent to need
to be drawn in print. He evidently foresees
how the Mississippi river can be made, in
its foundations, blessing instead of a
% terror, and how it can in the highest
degree become the source of prosperity
"to twenty-five millions of people. y
It's waters belong to the nation,
and it requires no great mental effort
to discover in General Garield's con-
else sentences the determination in
his mind to maintain the doctrine against
all the State Rights sophistries that can be