The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-07-21
GARFIELD's LETTER.
HE ACCEPTS WITH FEELINGS or GRAFT
TTUDE AND RESPONSIBILITY

MENTOR, ONO, July 12.-General
Garfield has forwarded to Senator
Hoar, Of Massachusetts,, the follow
ing letter Of acceptance OF the nomi-
nation rendered him by the Rcpub-
lican National Convention:
MENTOR, ONO, july 10.
DoQr Sir On the evening OF the
Sth OF June last | had the honor to
receive from you, in presence Of the
committee of which YOU were chair
man, the announcement that the
Republican National Convention at
Chicago had that day nominated me
for their candidate for President of
the United States. | accept the nom
ination with gratitude for the conf
dence it implies, and with a deep
sense OF the responsibilities it impo-
ses. | cordially endorse the princi7
| pies set forth in the platform adopt5
ed by the convention. On nearly
/ all the subjects on which it treats
| my opinions are on record among
the published proceedings Of Con-
gresS. venture herein to make
special mention Of some of the prin-
cipal topics which are likely to be-
come subjects of discussion, without
renewing the controversies which
have been settled during the past
twenty years, and with no purpose
or wish to revive the passions of the
late war, 1t should be said that
while Republicans fully recognize
and viii strenuously defend all the
rights maintained by the people and
all the rights reserved to the states,
they reject the pernicious doctrine
of state supremacy, which so long
crippled the functions ofthe nation
al government and at one time
brought the Union very near to de
struction. They insist that the Cni-
ted States is a nation, with ample
power Of self-preservation that its
constitution, and laws made in pur-
suance thereof, are the supreme law
of the land; that the right of the
nation to determine the method by
which its own legislature shall be
created cannot be surrendered with
out abdicating one of the fundanen-
tai powers OF the government That
the national laws relating to the
election of representatives in Con-
gresS shall neither be violated nor
evaded, that every elector shall be
permitted, freely and without intim-
ldation, to east his lawful ballot at
such an election and have it honest
/ ly counted, and that the potency of
his vote shall not be DESTROYED by
the fraudulent vote Of any other
person. The best thoughts and en-
ergies of our people should be di-
rected to those great questions OF
national well-being in which all
have a common interest. Such et-
forts will soonest restore perfect
peace to those who were lately in
arms against each other, for justice
and good viii will outlast passion ;
but it is certain that the wounds OF
4 the war cannot be completely heal
ed, and the spirit Of brotherhood
cannot fully pervade the whole
country until every citizen, rich or
poor, white or black, is secure in
/ the free and equal enjoyment Of ey-
cry civil and political right guaran-
teed by the Constitution and the
laws.
Wherever the enjoyment OF this
right is not assured discomfort viii
prevail. immigration viii cease,
and the social. and industrial force
win continue to be disturbed by the
migration of laborers and the conse-
quent diminution Of prosperity. The
national government should exercise
all its constitutional authority 10
put an end to these evils, for ali the
people and all the states are mem
bers of one body, and no member
can suffer without injuryto ell. The
most serious evils which now afiiiet
the South arise from the fact that
there is not such free, om and toler-
alton of political opinion and action
! that the minority party can exercise
an effective and wholesome restraint
upon the party in power. Without
such restraint party rule becomes
tyrannical and corrupt The pros
perity which is made possible in the
South, by its great advantages Of
soil and climate, will never be real
lied until every voter can freely and
safely support any party he pleases.
Next in importance to freedom and
justice is popular education, without