Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-07-24
ARTHUR ACCEPTS.
NEW YORK, July Is, 49,

New YORK. July 10, 1880.
DEAR SIR Il accept the position
assigned by the great party whose ar-
ton you announce. This acceptance
Implies the approval of the principles
declared by the convention. But re-
cent usage permits me to add some
expression of my own views.
THE BLOODY SHIRT.
The right and duty to secure hon-
ssty and order in popular elections
is y matter 80 vital that it must stand
in the front. The authority of the
national government to preserve from
fraud and force the election at which
it'd own officers are chosen, IS q CHIEF
p6iat on which the two parties are
oIafinIy and intensely opposed. Acts
Of congress for ten years Lave, III
New York aud elsewhere, done much
70 curb the violence and wrong TO
which the ballot and count have been
again and again subjected. Sometimes
despoiling great cities, sometimes
,stihing the voice of a whole state,
often seating, not only III congress
but on the benches of the legislature
numbers of men never chosen by the
-pedp.e.; The democratic party, since
gaining possession of the two houses
Of congress-, his made these Justiaws
the object of bitter. ceaseiess assault:
and despite all resistance has hedSed
them With restricting cnnning, CON-.
trived 70. battle them. THIS agrees
sive majority boldly attempted TO ex-
tort from the executive his approva!
of the various enactments destructive
of these election laws, by revolution
ary threats that a constitutional ex-
ercise OF veto power wsuid be pun
ished by Withholding appropriations
necessary to carry OIL the govern
ment, aud these threats were actual
" carried out by refusing, not only
approximations, but by forcing an
extra session of congress lasting for
month6 and ending III concessions to
this lusurping demand, which was
likely in many states to subject the
majority to the lawless will of Il
minority. Ominous signs of public
disapproval alone subdued this ardent
power into a sullen surrender for the
time being of parts of its demands.
The republican party has strongly
approved The stern refusal of its
president to an overthrow of statutes
believed to be salutary and inst. 1t
has always insisted, and now insists,
that the government of the United
States is empowered and i'll duty
bound to efieciually protect the cleo
lions designated by the constitution
as national. More than this, the re-
publican party hold "a the coordinate
point I'm its creed, that the govern
ment should, by every means known
to the constitution, protect all Amer
lean, citizens everywhere i'll the full
enjoyment of their civil and political
rights. AS a great party. in its work
of reconstruction the republican pas
ty gave the ballot to the emancipated
slaves, and hence q large increase in
members OF congress md of the cleo
toral college from former slave hold
ing states was the immediate result.
The history of recent years abonnds
IN evidence hat i'll many ways and
many places, especially where THEN
number has been great enough 10 ell
danger democratic control, the very
men. by whose elevation to citizen
ship their increase of representation
"a effected, have been deferred anC
robbed Of their voice and vote. IL Ii
4 true that the state statutes or con
= 4tAtukIOu Ilouy "oioo SisAS
denies nor abrOgates the exercise o
their political rights, but the modes
employed to debar are no less ettectu
al. 1t is q suggestive and startling
thought that the increased power de
rived from the enfranchisement of
xnce now denied its share in govern
ing the country, welded by thos'
who lately sought to overthrow tn
a aoternment, is now the sole relianc'
70 defeat the party which represented
the sovereignty and nationality of tn
American people i'll the creates
crisis of our history. The republi
cans cherish none of the resentment
which have animated them durini
the actual conflict of arms. The,
long for a full and real reconciliatio
between the sections which wer
neediessly and lamentably at strife
TEey sincerely offer the hand of goo
Will but they ask in return a pledg
Of good faith. They deeply feel tina
u the party, whose career is 30 illustr
Gus in great and patriotic achieve
ments, will not fulfill its destiny ul
til peace and prosperity are establish
ed in all the land, nor until hbert
OF thought, conscience and action an
equality of opportunity shall not h
merely cold forinalities of statu'
but living birthrights, which I'll
humble may confidently claim All
the. powerful dare not deny.
CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.
The resolution referring to the pu|
lie service seems to me deserving
approval. Surely no mau should
the incumbent of all office the dutie
of which he is for any cause unit
perform, who is lacking in the abil
ty, fidelity or integrity b admins
tration of such office demands. Tn
sentiment would doubtless meet wit
general acquiescence, but opinio
has been widely divided upon IL
wisdom and p~ractlcabllity of the v;
rious reformatory schemes whit
have been suggested, and of certai
proposed regulations governing II
appointment to public office. III
efficiency of such regulations h
beea distrusted, mainly because thu
have seemed to eXalt mere educatiO
al and abstract lists above the gene
al business capacity and even speci
fitness for the peculiar work in han
1t seems to me that rules whi'
should be applied to the manageme
Of the public service may proper
conform in this main to such as re
ulats the conduct of a successful pl
vate business. Original a%ppeintmel
should be based uppn ascertained
ness. The tenure OF office should
stable; positions of responsible
should, SO tar as practicable. be fill
by the promotion of worthy and e.
II Client officers. The investigation
all complaints and the punishment
all official misconduct should
prompt aud thorough. These viev
which 1 have long held. repeated
declared and uniformly applied WI
called upon to act, | find embodi
I'm the resolutions, which | of couI
approve. L will add that by the
ceptaDcs of public Office. whetl
high or low,O ne does not i'll my ju'
ment escape any of his responsible
As q citizen, and that he should en-.
absolute liberty to think aud sp'
and act in political matters accerd
TO his own will and conscience, p
vi,'ed only that he hOnorably. ia
fully aud fully discharges all
official duties.
tfHEGOLD DOLLAR STANDARD
u The resumption of specie payne
one Of the fruits of the republi
policy, has brought a return Of alb