The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-07-22
General Garfleld's Letter Accepting the
Republican Nomination.

OcHaCOr E1Odr, Oh MaSSaenuS0CCe, Cn0
following letter Of acceptance Of the
nomination rendered him BY the Re.
publican National Conventions:
MENTOR, O., July IL, 1880.
DEAR SIR: On the evening of the Sth Of
June last had the honor to receive from
you, in the presence of the Committee Of
nouncement that the Republican National
Convention at Chicago had that day toii;:
hated me as their candidate for President of
the United States. ! accept the nomination
with gratitude fOf the confidence it implies,
and with a deep sense Of the respohsibili=
eiples set forth iii the platform adopted by
the Convention. On nearly all the subjects
OF which it treats my opinions arc on rec
ord among the published proceedings OF Con.
gress: venture, however, to make special
which are likely to become subject of dis
cussion, without reviewin, the controversies
which have been settled during the last
twenty years. and with no purpose or wish to
revive the passions of the late war.
STATE SUPREMACY.
1t should be said that; while the Repub-
icans fully recognize and will strcnuOusly
defend all the rights retained by the peoples
and all the rights reserve to the States, they
regret the perrkcious doctrine of State
supremacy s;p which so long crippled the fune.
oiOuS Va tuC ANdtiOuttl uOVCEuuttuO, 0uu al
one time BROUGHT the Union very near to
destruction. Thcy insist that the United
States is Nation, with ample powers of
self preservation; that its Constitution and
the laws made in pursuance thereof fare
the supreme law of the land;" that the right
OF the Nation to determine the method by
which its Legislature shall be created can
not be surrendered without Indicating one
OF the fundamental powers of government;
that the National laws relating to the cleo
ton of Representatives in Congress shall
neither be violated nor evadel; that every
intimidation, to cast his lawful vote at
snch election, and have it honestly counted;
and thai 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-bcing, in which all
have common interest. Sucl efforts will
soonest restore to perfect peace those who
were late.y in arms against each other, for
Justice and goodwill will outlast passion.
But 1t is certain that the wounds of the war
cannot be completely healed, and the spirit
OF brotherhood cannot pervade the whole
country. until every citizen-rich or poor,
white or black-is secure in the free and
equal enjoyment 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,
industrial forces will continue to be dis
turhcl by the migration Of the laborers
and the consequent minutiOn of prosperity.
The National Government should exercise
all its Constitutional authority to put an end
to these evils for all the people and all the
states ave members of one body, and no
member can suffer without injury to all The
most serious evils which now atil.,t the South
arise from the fact that there is no. such
freedom and to: eration of political opinion
and action that the minority party can exer-
else an effective and Wholesome restraint
upon the. party in power. Without such re-
straint party rule becomes tyrannical and
CORFU I. The prosperity which is made pos
sible in the South by its great advantages of
soil and climate will never be realized until
every voter can freely and safely support any
party he p!eases.
EDUCATION.
Next In Importance to freedom and justice
Is popular cduca'ion, without which neither
justice nor freedom can be permanently MAIN
tanned. Its interests are intrusted to the
States and to the voluntary action of the peo-
pie. Whatever help the Nation can Justly
states IN supporting common schools; but 1t
would be unjust to our people and dangerous
to our institutions to apply any portion of the
revenues OF the Nation or of HE States to- the
support OF sectarian schools. The separation
OF the Church and the State, in everything
NATIONAL FINANCES.
On the subject Of National finances nv
views have been so frequently and so fully
expressed that little is needed in the way Of
additional statement. The public debt is
now so well secured, and the rate of annual
interest has been so reduced by refundiDg,
that rigid economy in expenditures and the
faithful appl cation of our surplus revenues
to the payment Of the principal of the debt
VIII gradually but certainly free the people
from Its burdens and close with honor the
financial chapter of the war. At the same
ordinary expenditures and discharge its sa-
cred obligations to the soldiers Of the Union
and to the widows aud orphans of those
who fell in its defense. The resump-
ton of specie payments which the
successfully accomplished has removed from
the field OF controversy many questions that
long and seriously disturbed the credit of the
and the business of the country.
Our pal er currency is now as National as the
fag, and resumption has not only made it
everywhere equal to coin, but has brought
into use our store of gold and silver. The
circulating medium is now more abundant
than ever before, and We need only to
maintain the equality of all our dollars to
insure to labor and capital a measure of
value from the use of which no one can suffer
loss. The great prosperity which the country
is now enjoying should not be endangered by
any violent changes or doubtful financial ex-
pcrimcnts.
OUR CUSTOMS LAWS.
In reference to our customs laws, a policy
should be pursued which will bring revenue
to the Treasury and will enable the labor and
capital employed in our great industries to
compete fairly in our own markets with the
labor and capital of foreign producers. We
e islate for the people of the United States,
not for the whole world, and it is our glory
hat the American latOrer is more intelligent
md better paid than his foreign competitor,
people, W tn their abundant natural resources
possess the requisite skill at any time to
:lothe, arm and equip themselves for war, and
n time OF peace to produce all the necessary
Implements of labor. 1t was the manifest in
'ention OF the founders of the Government to
provide Tor the common defense, not by
standing armies alone, but by raising among
he people greater army of artisans. whose
Intelligence and skill should powerfully con-
L. butte to the safety and glory of the Nation.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
fortunately for the interests of commerce,
mere Is no longer any formidable opposition
20 appropriations for the i'm rOvcment of our
larbors and great navigable rivers, provided
hat the expenditures for that purpose are
strictly limited to works of Nat Onai impor-
ance. The Mississippi River, with its great
is of such vital importance to so
lav cation requires exceptional cons'd-
,ration. In order to secure to the Nation
he control of all its waters, President Jeffer-
ION negotiated the purchase of a vast terri
DRY, extending from the Gulf Of Mexico to
he Pacific Ocean. The wisdom of Congress
hould be invoked to devise some plan by
which that great river shall cease to be q
error. to those who dwell upon its banks, and
~ which its shipping may safely carry the
Industrial products Of 25 100000 of people.
The interests of agriculture, which is the
'asis OF all our material prosperity. and in
which seven-twelfths of our population are
engaged, as well as the interests of manu.
actures and commerce, demand that the
Acilities for cheap transportation shall be
increased by the use Of all our great water
curses.
IMMIGRATION.
The material interests of this country, tho
radit:Ons of its settlement. and the senti-
nenis of our people have led the Cove n
nent to offer the widest hosp. tality to emil
rants who seek our shores for new and |
happier homes, willing to share the burdens
Is well as the benefits of our society, and in |
ending that their pOsterity. shall become an |
ind stnguishable part of our popu' alton. |
The recent movement of the Chinese to our |
'acific coast partakes but little of the quail !!
les of such an emigration, either in its pur-
'oses or its result. 1t is too much like an |
Importation to be welcomed without restric-
Ion: L n much like an invasion IN Ia Looked |