Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1880-08-10
3OST 10. 1880. NEW sERlEs VOL. XV, NO. 80.


which assembled at Cincinnati. As fore>
shadowed in the verbal remarks made bv
me at the time of the delivery of yoar letter.
have now to say that accep. the high
trust with realizing sense of its responsi-
D'ii'y, and am profoundly grateful for the
honor conferred
accept the nomination upon the plat
form of principles sd"ptP' ths conyep>
ton. which cordially ~,,tOve, aud aecep,
1t quite as much because of my faith in the
wisdom and patriotism of tho great statesman
and soldier nominated on the same ticket for
Presiden. of the United States, His eminent
services to his country, his fidelity to the
constitution and the laws; his clear peroen.
sion OF the correct principles of government
as taught by Jefferson; his scrupulous care
TO keep the military in strict subordinatiop
to the civil authorities; his high regard for
civil liberty, personal rights and the rights
of property; his acknowledged ability in
civil as we'll as military affairs, and his pure
aud bIameiess life. llpoint to him as a man
worthy the confidence Of the people, Not
only brave soldier, great commander,
wise statesman and pure patriot but pru-
dent. paInstaklng, practical man of uuuues>
toned honesty, trusted often with important
public duties, faithful to every trust, and in
the full meridian of ripe aud vigorous man,
hood, he is, in my judgment, cminen,Iy fit.
ted Tor the highest office on earth-the
President of the United States. Not oplvi
he the right men for the right place, but the
time has come when the best interests of the
country require that the party which ha,
monopoilzed the executive department of the
general government for tho last twenty wears
should be retired.
1.-The continuance of that party in mower
four years longer would not be beneficial TO
the public or in accordance with the spirit of
our Republican institutions. Laws of entail
have not been favored in our system of GOV
ernment The perpetuatiou of property or
place in one family or set Of men has mover
been encouraged in this country. and the
great and good men who formed our Renub.
ilcan government and its traditions wisely
limited the tenure of office, and in MANY
ways showed their disaprroval Of long leases
OF power. Twenty years Of continuous nova,
is long enough, aud has already led to irreg
uiarlt1cs and corruptions which are not likelv
to be properly exposed under the same party
that perpetrsted them.
Besides, it shouli not be forgotten that
the last four years of power held by that
party were procured by discreditable mcaus.
aud held in d, fance of the wishes of a ma.
Jority of the people. II was q crievous
wrong to every voter and to our system of
self government, which should never be for
gotten or forgiven. Many of the men now
IN "thce were put there because of corrupt
partisan services in thus defeating tho fairly
and legally expressed will of the majority.
and tho Hypocrisy q: the professions Of that
party in favor of civil service refnrm was
shown by placing such men in Office and
turning the whole brood of Federal offiro.
holders l6nsn to influence the elections Tho
money OF the people, taken out Of tho public
treasury by these men for services often
poorly performed at all. is being used in vast
sums with the knowledge and presumed
sanction OF the administration to control the
elections, and even tho members of the osbi,
net are strollno about the country maxine
partisan speeches. instead of being in their
departments at Washington dischargipg the
public duties for which they are paid by the
people. But with all their cIeVerpess and
ability. discriminating public will no doubt
read between the lines of their speeches that
their paramount hope and aim is to keep
themselves or their satellites four wears
longer in office.
THAT perpetuatlng tho power Of chronic
federal ot6ceholders four years longer will
not benefit tho millions of men and women
who hold no office, but earn their daily bread
by honest industry, is what the same discern
ing public will no doubt fully understand as
they will also that it is because of their own
industry and economy and Gods bountiful
harVes's that the country is comparatively
prosperous, and not because ofanv,hing done
by these federal officeholders. The country
is comparatively prosperous, not because of
them, but in spite of them. This contest is,
in fact. between the people endeavorine to
in tha
belongs to them, and to restore the pure.
simple, economical constitutional govern
ment of our fathers. on tho one side. and a
hundred thousand federal oficeholders and
their hackers, paupered with place and
power, and determined to retain them at all
hazards, on the other.
"Heuce the constant assumption Of new
and dangerous powers by the general govern
ment under the rule of the Republican party.
The effort to build up what they call a strong
government, the interference with home.ruIe
and with the administration of justice 10 the
courts of the several States, the interferenc.
with the elections through the medium Of
paid partisan federal oficehoIders interested
In keeping their party in power, and caring
more for that than fairness 10 the elections
-In fact, the constant encroachmen;s which
have been made by that party upon the clear
y reserved rights of the peop pie aud the
St'tes-will. if not checked, subvert the
Liberties of tho people to the government Of
limited powers created by the fathers. and
end in great consolidated central govern
ment. strong indeed for evil and the over
throw of republican institutions.
THE wise men who framed our coustitu-
ton knew the evils of a strong government
and tho long continuance of political power
in the same hands. They knew there was a
tendency in all governments. and consequent
danger 10 republican institutions from that
cause. and took pains to guard against it
The machinery of a strong centralized gem
eral governments can be used to perpetuate
the same sort of men in power from term to