The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-19
DEMOCRATIC ATTEMPTS TO CORRUPT
THE BALLOT
Conditions of Appointment and Reten-
ton in Office.
New YORK, July 1s.-The following is Gen.
Arthur's letter of acceptance.


Arthur's letter of acceptance.
NEW YORK. July 10, 1880
Dear Sir--I accept the'position assigned me
by the great party whose action you announce.
The acceptance implies approval OF the princi-
pies declared by the convention, but recent
usage permits me to give an expression of
my views, thoughts and duty. To secure hon
esty and order in popular elections is a matte,
so vital that it must stand in the front. The
authority of the national government to pre-
serve from fraud and force elections at which
it's officers are chosen is the chief point on
which the two parties are plainly and intensely
opposed The acts of Congress for ten years
in New York and elsewhere have done much
to curb the violence and wrong to which the
ballot and the count have been again andaga in
subjected, sometimes despoling great cities,
sometimes sitting the voice of whole state,
often seating not only in Congress but on the
bench and in the legislature numbers of men
never chosen by the people. The Democratic
party since gaming 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 cunningly contrived to battle and
paralyze them. This aggressive majority bold
ly 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-
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 the lawless will of a minority. Ominious
signs of public disapproval alone subdued the
arrogant power into sullen surrender for the
time being of a 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 in duty
bound to effectually protect the elections
denoted by constitutional as national. More
than this The Republican party holds as
cardinal point in its creed that the govern
ment by every means known to the constitu-
ton would 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. A large 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 in evidence that in many
ways and many places especially, where their
number has been great enough to endanger
Democratic control the very men by whose
elevation to citizenship this increase of re-
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 bar their way are no less effectual.
1t is a suggestive and startling thought that
the increased power derived from the enfran-
reimbursement of a race now denied its share
in governing the country by those whe lately
sought the overthrow of the government,
is now the sole reliance to defeat the party
bJa II, ,tpI& no.
atty 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 a full and real reconciliation be-
tween the sections which We're 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 illustriously great in
patriotic achievements will not fulfill its des-
tiny until peace and prosperity are established
in all the land, nor until liberty of thought,
conscience and action and equality of opportu-
nifty shall not be merely cold formalities of
statutes, but living birth-rights, which the
humble may confidently claim and the power
ful dare not deny.
The resolution referring to public service
seems to be deserving of approval. Surely no
man should be the incumbent of an office the
duties of which he is for any cause unfit to
perform, who is lacking in ability, in fidelity
or integrity, which proper administration of
such office demands This sentiment would
meet with general acquiescence but opinion has
been wildly divided upon the wisdom and practi-
cability of various refOrmatory schemes which
have been suggested and lof certain proposed
regulations governing appointments to public
ONCE The efficiency Uf such regulations have
been distrusted mainly because they seemed
to enact mere educational and abstract tests
above general business capacity and even spec
lal illness for the particular work il, hand. It
fO hot fbnr IL,
Piled to the management of the public service
may properly conform in the main to such as
regulate the conduct of successful private bus
mess. Original appointments should be based
on ascertalned ttnesss, 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; investiga-
ton OF all complaints and punishment of all
official misconduct should be prompt and thor
ough. These views which have long held, re-
peatedly declared and uniformly applied when
called upon to act find embodied in the re-
solutions which, of course 1 approve. will
add that by the acceptance of public office
whether high or low, one does not in my
Judgment escape any of his responsibilities as
citizen nor lose or impair any of citizens
rights; that he should enjoy absolute liberty
to think and speak and act in political matters
according to his own will and conscience pro-
vide only that he honorably, faithfully and
fully discharges all his official duties.
resumption of specie payments, one of the
fruits of the Republican party, has brought
a return of abundant prosperity and the SET
Element of many distracting questions The
restoration of sound money, large reduction of
the public debt and of the burden of interest,
and high advancement of public credit all at
test the ability and courage of the Republican
party to deal with such fnancecial problems
as may hereafter demand solution. Our paper
currency is now as good as gold
and silver is now performing its legti-
The principles which should govern the rela-
tions of these elements of the currency are
simple and clear. There must be no deterio-
rated coin, no deprecated paper, and every
dollar, whether of metal or paper should stand
the test of the worlds fixed standard.
This is all that was received up to O'Clock.
Ed
Life in Leadville.
LEADyILLE. COL .Tulv IA minar oon,ad