Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1880-07-22
GENERAL GARFIELD.
LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE.
The Views Of a Statesman.
Tho Republican Record Review
ed and Approved.
Tho Il ounnfe
The Keynote.

IS =
The Keynote.
MENTOR, o. July 12.-General Gar
field has forwarded to Senator Hoar O
Massachusetts,, the following letter o
acceptance OF the nomination tendercs
him by the Republican National Con
vention:
MEsroR, O, July 10, 1880.
DEAR SIR-On the evening of the stf
of June last, had the honor to receive
from yon, IN the presence Of the Com
mittee of which you were Chairman
the official announcement that the Re
publican National Convention at Chi,
cago had that day nominated me as theil
candidate for President OF the United
States.
/ accept the nomination, with graft.
tude for the confidence Ii implies, and
with deep sense of the responsibilities
1t imposes.
/ cordially indorse the principles sci
forth in the platform adopted by the
Convention On nearly all the subjects
of which 1t treats my opinions are on
record among the published proceedings
of Congress.
venture, however, to make special
mention of some of the principal topics
which are likely to become the subjects
Of discussion. Without reviewing the
controversies which have been settled
during the last twenty years, and with
no purpose or wish to revive the pas
sions of the late war, 1t should be said
that while Republicans fully recognize,
and will strenuously defend ali the
rights retained by the people, and all
the rights reserved to the States, they
reject the pernicious doctrine Of State
supremacy which go long crippled the
functions of the National Government.
and. at one time, brought the Union
very near to destruction.
They insist that the United States is q
Nation with ample powers of self pres
ervation; that its Constitution and the
laws made in purauance thereof ''are
the supreme law of the land;" that the
right of the Nation to determine the
merhod by which its own Legislature
shall be created can not be surrendered
without abdicating one of the funda-
mental powers of Government; that the
National avs relating to the election of
representatives in Congress shall neith-
er be violated nor evaded; that every
elector shall be permitted freely and
without Intimidation TO cast his lawful
vote at such election, and have it hons
es lv counted, and that the potency of
his vote shall not be destroyed by the
fraudulent vote Of any other person.
The best Thoughts and energies OF our
people should be directed to those great
questions of National well being in
which all have a common interest; such
efforts will soonest restore to perfect
peace those who were lately in arms
against each other, for justice and good
will will outlast passion.
But 1t Is certain that the wounds of
the war can not be completely healed.
and the spirit of brotherhood can not
fully pervade the whole country, until
every citizen, rich or poor, white or
black, Is secure in the free and equal
endowment of every civil and political
right guaranteed by the Constitution
and the laws. Wherever the enjoyment
of these rights is not assured, discomfort
will prevail, immigration will cease,
and the social and industrial forces Will
continue to be disturbed by the inigrs-
rion of laborers and the consequent
dimunition Of prosperity. The Ma
tional Government should exercise all
it's Constitutional authority to put an
end to these evils, for all the people and
all the States are members Of one body,
and no member can suffer without III
jury TO all.
=. The most serious evils which now af-
flict the South arise from the fact that
T.. .la,,, nd fnto nj
Of political opinion and action that the
minority party can exercise an effective
and wholesome restraint on the party In
power.
Without such restraint party rule be.
comes tyranical and corrupt. The
prosperity which is made possible In the
South, by It's great advantages Of soil
and climate, will never be realized until
every voter can freely and safely sup
port any party he pleases.
Next in importance TO freedom and
Justice is popular education without
which neither justice nor freedom can
be permanently maintained. Its inter-
ests are intrusted to the States and to
the voluntary action of the people.
Whatever help the nation can justly
afford, should be generously given to
aid the States in supporting common
schools; but it would be unjust to olT
people, and dangerous to our institu-
tions, to apply any portion Of the reve-
nues of the Nation, or of the States, to
the support of sectarian schools. The
separation of the Church and the State
In everything relating to taxation
should be absolute.
On the subject of National finances
my views have been so frequently and
fully expressed that little is needed In
the way of an additional statement
The public debt ia now SO well secured,
and the rate of annual interest has been
30 reduced by refunding, that rigid
economy In expenditures aud the faith
full application of our surplus revenues
to the payment of the principal Of the
debt will gradually but certainly free
the people from its burdens, and close
with honor the financial chapter Of the
war. At the same time the Govern
lnent can provide fer all its ordinary ex-
penditures and discharge its sacred OBJ
legations to the soldier of tie Union and
to the widows aud orphans of those
who fell in its defense.
The resumption of specie payments,
which the Republican party so cour-
ageously and successfully accomplished,
has removed from the field of contr0-
yersy many questions that long and ser.
iously disturbed the credit of the Gov.
ernment and the business of the coun-
try. Our paper currency Is now a;
National as the dag, and resumption
has not only made it everywhere equal
to coin, but has brought into use oul
store of gold and silver. The circula'
ting medium is more abundant than evel
BEFORE, aud ws need only to maintain
the equality Of all our dollars to insure
TO labor and capital measure of value
from the use OF which no one can suffel
loss. The great prosperity which tn.
country is now enjoying shoutd not b,
endangered by any violent changes Of
| doubtful financial experiments.
In reference to our Custom laws, s,
| policy should be pursued which vii
bring revenue to the Treasury, and viii
enable the labor and capital employed
| In our great industries to compete fairl,