The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-20
TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 20.
Gen. Arthur's Letter.
The following is the full text of Gen. Ar

New YORK, July 10, 1880.
Dear Sir-I accept the position assigned me
BY the great party whose action you announce.
This ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS approval of the princi-
pies declared by the convention but recent
usage permits me to add some expression of
my own views. The right and duty to secure
honesty and order in popular elections is a mat
tei SO vital that it must stand i'll 'front.' The
authority of the national government to pre-
serve from fraud and force elections at which
its own officers are chosen is the CHEF point on
which the two parties are plainly and intensely
opposed. Acts of Congress for ten years
have in New York and elsewhere done much
to curb the violence and wrong to which the
ballot and the count have been again and again
subjected, sometimes despoiling great cities,
sometimes sitting the voice of whole state,
often seating not only in Congress but on the
bench and in the legislatures numbers of men
never chosenshy the people. The Democratio
party since gaining possession of the two
houses OF Congress has made these Just laws
the object of bitter, ceaseless assault and de-
spite all resistance has hedged them with re-
striotions cun1ingly contriIed to battle and
paralyze them. This aggressive majority bold
~ attempted to extort from the executive his
approval of various enactments destructive of
the election laws by the revolutionary threat
that the constitutional exercises 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-
ations and by forcing an extra session of Con-
gress, lasting for months and resulting in con-
cessions to this usurping defiand,swhich are
likely in many States to subject the majority
to the lawless will of minority. Ominous
signs of public ,disapproval alone subdued the
arrogant power into sHllen surrender for the
time being of part of its demands
The Republican party has strongly approved
the stern refusal OF its representatives to suffer
the overthrow OF statutes believed to be salu-
tary and just. {. 1t has always insisted and now
insists that the government of the United
States OF America is empowered and i'm duty
bound to effectually protect the elections
denoted by the constitution as national More
than this. The Republican party hollis as a
cardinal point in its creed that the govern
ment by every means known to the constitu-
ton protect all American citizens every
where in the full enjoyment of their civil and
political rights. As great part of the work of
reconstruction the Republican party gave the
ballot to the eMancipated slave as his right
and defence Alarge increase in the number
OF members OF Congress and of the Electoral
College from the former slave holding States
was the immediate result. The history of re-
cent years abounds zin evidence that in many
ways and many places especially where their
number has been kreat enough to endanger
Democratic control, the very men by whose
elevation to citizenship this increase of re-
presentation was effected have been debarred
and robbed Of their voice and their VOTE 1t is
true that no State statute or constitution in so
many words denies or abridges the exercise of
their political rights, but the modes employed
TO par their way are no less effectual
1t is suggestive and startling thought that
the increased power derived from the en-
reimbursement OF a race now denied
Its share in governing the country-wielded
by those who lately sought the over
throw OF the governments now the sole
reliance to defeat the party which rep
ionf
ty OF the American people in the greatest
crisis OF our history. Republicans cherish
none OF the resentments which may have ami
mated them during the actual conflict of arms.
They long for q full and real reconciliation be-
tween the sections which were needlessly and
lamentably at strife. They sincerely offer the
hand OF good will, but they ask in return the
hand OF good faith. They deeply feel that the
party whose career is so illustrious in great and
patriotic achievements will not fulfill its des-
in all the land, nor until liberty of thought,
conscience and action and equality of opportu-
nifty shall be not merely cold fornaiities of
statutes, but living birth-rights, which the
humble may confidently claim and the power
ful dare not deny.
The resolution referring to the public service
seems to be deserving of approval. Surely no
man should be the incumbent of an Office tho
duties of which he is for any cause unfit To
perform, who is lacking in ability, in fidelity
ord ihntegfi t which proper administration Of
doubtless meet with general acouies
cence, but opinion has been widely di-
vided upon the wisdom and practical
bility OF various reformatory schemes which
have been suggested and of certain proposed
Office. The efficiency IF such regulations have
been distrusted mainly because they Seemed
to enact mere educational and abstract tests
above general business capacity and even snec-
lal fitness for the particular work in hand II
seems TO me that the rules which should be ap-
pied to the management of the public service
may properly conform in the main to such MS
regulate the conduct of successful private bus
mess. Original appointments should be based
ON ascertained ftnesss, the tenure of office
should be stable; positions of responsibility
should so far as practicable be filled by promo
ton OF worthy and efficient officers; inyestiga-
lion OF all complaints and punishment of all
ofhcial misconduct should be prompt and thor
ough. These views which have long held. re-
peatedly declared and uniformly applied when
solutions which, of course. approve. I will
add that by the acceptance of public office.
whether high or low, one does not in INV
Judgment escape any of his responsibilities as
citizen nor lose or impair any Of a citizens
.lghts; mat ne should enjoy absolute liberty
.ceording to his own will and conscience pro-
'lded only that he honorably, faithfully and |
uIiy discharges all his official duties
resumption OF specie payments, one of the
rul.s OF the Republican party, has brought |
|. return OF abundant prosperity and the Set |
cement of many distracting questions. The
estoration of sound money, large reduction Of |
ur public debt and of the burden of interest.
ND the high advancement of public credit ali
ttest the ability and courage of the Republican
s may hereafter demand solution. Orr naner
urrency is now as good as gold
nd silver is performing it's legitimate
nnct'ons for the purposes of chance
me PRINCIPLES ~ which should govern the reia
NM, and clear. There must be no deterio.
ted CO.. n, no deprecated paper, and every
,lIar. whet, 'er OF metal or paper, should stand
Ie test Of the ), -orld's fixed standard. '''
The value of Dol, llar education can hardly
overstated. Aitho,n Ugh its interests of me-
ssity must be confined 70 voluntary effort
i'd the individual action OF rae several states,
ey should be encouraged, SO l.r as the con-
tuition permits, by generous cooperation Of
10 national government. The intei estS of
10 whole country demand that the advSn
ges OF our common school system should be
Fought within the reach of every citizen, and
lat no revenue of the nation or of the state
lould be devoted to the support of sectarian
hools
Such changes should be made in the present /
riff and system of taxation as will relieve !
~ overwhelmed industry or class, and ena- |
Q our manufacturers and artisans to compete i
lccessfully with those of other lands.
The government should aid works of inter
al improvement national in their character,
I'D should promote the development of our
alter courses and harbors wherever the gem
al interests of Congress require it,
-Four years agosas now, the nation stood at !
10 thresh I'D OF a Presidential election, and |
le Republican party founded its hope Of sue
'ss, not upon its promises, but upon its his
Try. Its subsequent course has been such as |
strengthen the claims which it then made to |
le confidence and support of the country. On
le other hand, considerations more urgent
ian have ever before existed forbid the eleya-
on OF their opponents to power. Their sue
'ss, II success attends them, must chiefly
,me from the united support of that section
hich sought the forcible disruption of the
MON, and which, according to ali teaching of
lr past history, will demand ascendency, in
le councils of the party to whose triumph it
i'll have made byfar tbe largest CONSTITUTION.
here is the gravest reascsn for apprehension
lat exorbitant claims on the public treasury,
= no means limited to the hundreds of mil. |
ons already covered by bills introduced in
congress within the past four years, wcald be
lccessfully urged If the Democratic party
lould succeed in supplementing its present |
ontrol OF the national legislature by electing
he executive also. There is danger in intrust-
lg the control of the whole law-making power
the government to q, party which has, in al