The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-07-30
ARTHUR's ANNOUNCEMENT,
4 Letter from the Republican Candidate tor
Woe President.
He Accepts the Provisions OF the Plat.
form, and Adds an Expression
OF Ilis Own Views.
NEW York, July 10, 1880

"
the two parties arc plainly and intensely OPP
posed. The acts OF congress for ten years have
In New York and elsewhere done much to curb
tho violence and wrong To which the ballot and
| count have been again and again subjected,
sometimes despoiling great cities. sometimes
| stiiling tho voice Of the whole state, often
seating not only In congress but on the bench
and IN legislatures numbers OF men never chosen
by the people. The Democratic party since gain
ing possession Of the two houses of congress
has made these laws the object Of bitter cease
ess assault, and despite all resistance has
hedgcd them with restrictions cunningly COLI
tiyed To battle and paralyZe them. This az
gressive majority boldly attempted TO extort
| from the executive his approval of various Oh
actmenta destructive of these election laws, by
revolutionary threats that constitutional ex-
ercise Of the veto power would be punished by
Withholding appropriations necessary To carry
| on the government, and these threats were ac-
tually carried out by refusing needed appropri-
atoms and by forcing an extra session OF con-
| gress lasting for months and resulting In con-
cessions to this usurping demand which are
: likely in many states to subject the majority to
| tho lawless will Of minority. Ominous signs
| OF public disapprOval alone subdued this AFRO
CANT power into sullen surrender for the time
being Of part Of its demands. Tho Republic
an party has strongly approved the stern refus-
al Of its representatives to suffer the overthrow
Of statutes believed to be salutary aud just. II
Ihb always Hhlhtcu, ana now lNblhth, Jilat inc
government of the United States OF America IL
empowered and In duty bound to olfcctually
protect the elections denoted by the constitution
| M national. More than this, the Republican
party holds AZ the cardinal point in its creed
that the government should, by every means
known TO the constitution, protect all American
| citizens everywhere IN the full enjoyment of
their civil and political rights. Az a great part
Of it, work Of reconstruction the Republican
| party gave the ballot to the emancipated slave
~ his right and defense. A large Increase in
| the number OF members Of congress and of the
| electoral college from form1 slave-holding
states was the immediate result.
The history Of recent years abound in evr
dence that in many ways and IN many places,
especially where their number has boen great
enough to ondanger Democratic control, the
| very men by whose elevation to citizenship this
increase II representation was effected have
been debarred and robbed of their voice and
their votes. II IN true that no state statute or
constitution in 80 many words denies or abrdges
the exercise of their political rights, but the
bodies employed to bar their way no less cffec-
tual. 1t il suggestive and startling thought that
the increased power derived from the enfran-
chisement Of the race now denied its share in
governing the country, welded by those who
lately sought tho overthrow of the government,
is now the sole reliance to defeat the party
which represented the sovereignty and nation
atty Of American people in a great crisis Of our
history. Tho Republicans cherish none of the
resentment which may have animated them
during the actual conflict of arms. They long
for a full and real reconciliation between the
sections which were heedlessly 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 tho party whose
career IL no illustrious in great and patriotic
achievement will not fulfill its destiny until
peace and prosperity are established in all the
and action and equality OF opportunity shall not
be merely cold formalitics Of statute but living
birthrghts which the humble may confidently
claim and the powerful dare not deny.
The resolution referring to the public service
seems TO me deserving of approval. Surely no
man should be incumbent Of an office the
duties of which no il for u cause unfit 10 per-
form, who IL lacking in ability, fidelity or integ-
rity which u proper administration Of such
Office demands. This sentiment would doubt
less meet with general acquiescence, but Opin-
ion has been widely divided upon the wisdom
and practicabiity Of various reformatOry
schemes which have been suggested aud Of Gers
tain proposed regulations governing appoint
ment to public office. The efficiency Of such
regulation has been distruSted mainly because
they have seemed to cXa!t mere educational and
abstract tests above general BUSINESS capacity
and oven special fitness tcr the particular work
in hand. Ii seems to ne that rules should he
ulphci W tllt management VI tiS ItiDiIC hcTNiCe
that may 10 properly conformcd to III the main
10 such rs regulate the conduct of successful
private business. Original appointment should
be based upon asccrtaiued fitness. The tenure
Of Office should lc stable. Positions of respOn-
sibility should, 30 far aS practicable, be filled by
promotion of worthy and efficient officers. The
investigation of Ill complaints and the punish
mGnt of all official misconduct should be prompt
and thorough.
These views, which have long held, repeat
edly declared and uniformly applied when
called upon to act, find embodied in the reso-
lutions which, Of course, approve.
will add that by acceptance OF public Of
flee, whether high or low, one does not, in my
Judgment, escape any OF his responsibility as a
citizen or lose or impair any Of his rights as q
citizen and that he should enjoy absolute lib
erty TO think and speak and net in political mat
tors according to his own will and conscience;
provided only that lac honorably. faith.
The resumption of specie payment, one of
the fruits Of Republican policy, has brought
return OF abundant prosperity and
| the settlement Of many distracting questions.
| The restoration Of sound money, the large re-
duction of our public debt and the burden Of
interest, the high advancement If public credit,
all attest the ability and courage OF the Repub-
lican party to deal with such financial problems
as may hereafter demand solution. Our paper
currency il az good as gold, and silver il per-
| forming its legitimate function for the purpose
of change, The principles which should govern
the relations of these elements Of currency aro
simple and clear, There must be no deterinratod
coin, no deprecated paper, and every dollar,
whether OF metal or paper, should stand the
test of the worlds fixed standard.
| Tho value of popular education can hardly be
Ovcrated. Although its interests must of nc
cessity be chiefly Ontided to the voluntary effort
and individual action Of the several states, they
IA. 10. Fan Alan "a.
ton permits by the generous cooperation of the
national government. The interests Of the
whole country demand that the advantages of our
common school system should bG brought with.
in tho reach Of every citizen and that no rev.
enues Of states should be devoted to the support
OF sectarian schools.
Such changes should be made OH the present
tariff and system Of taxation as will relieve any
overburdened industry or class, and enable our
manufacturers and artisans to compete success
| fully with those of other lands.
The government should aid works OF internal
improvement, national in their character, and
should promote the development OF our water
courses and harbors wherever the general i'll
| forest of commerce requires,
-Four years ago az now the nation stood at
! the threshold of presidential election, and the
Republican, party in soliciting a continuance of
its ascendancy founded its hopes of success not
upon its promises, but upon its history. Its sub
|
the claims which ii then made to the confidence
and support of the country. On the other hand,
considerations more urgent than have ever be-
fore existed forbid the accession Of Its OPP
popcnts 70 power. Their success, II success at
tends them, must chiefly come from tho united
support of that section which sought f0rcibe
disruption Of tho union, and which according To
oil teachings Of our past history will demand
ascendancy in the council OF the party to whose
triumph 1t will have made by Far the largest
contribution.
There Is the greatest reason for apprehension
that the exQrbitant claims upon the public treas
ury, by no means limited to hundreds Of mil
lions already covered by bills introduced in con-
gress within the past four years, would DO sue
cessfully urged il the Democratic party should
succeed in suppementing its present control of
the national legislature by electing the executive
also. There IL danger in entrusting tho con.
troll of tho whole law-making power Of goyern-
ment to party which has IN almost every
southern state repudiated obligations quite as
sacred as those TO which the father Of the M
ton now stands pledged.
do not doubt that success awaits tho Repub
lican party and that its triumph will assure a
Just, economical and patriotic administration.
! am respectfully, your obcdient servant,
q. A. ARTHUR.
To Hon. Goo. +. Hoar, president Of the Ma.
honal Republican convention.