The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-22
GARFIELD's GABBLE.
He Accepts the Nomination
of the Chicago Convention.

of the Chicago Convention.
HIS LETTER.
The following is the letter of Gene.
raj Garfield accepting the nomination
of the Chicago Conventions:
MENTOR, OHIO, July 10, 1880.
DEAR SIR On the evening of the
9Th of June last 1 had the honor to re-
ceive from you, in 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
their candidate for President of the
United States. I.accept the nomina-
it implies, and with deep sense of
of the responsibilities it imposes. I
cordially indorse the principles set
forth in the platform adopted by the
convention. On nearly all the SUBJ
jects on which it treats my opinions
are on record among the published pro-
ceedings of Congress. I venture, how
ever, to make special mention of some
of the principal topics which are likely
to become 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 passions of the
late war, it should be said, that while
the Republicans fully recognize and
will strenuously defend all the rights
retained 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 of the National
Government, and at one time brought
the Union very near to destruction.
They insist that the United States is a
Nation with ample powers of self
preservation; that its constitution and
the laws made in pursuance thereof
" are the supreme law of the land :"
that the right of the Nation to deter
mine the method by wich its own Leg
isIature shall be created cannot be sur
rendered without abdicating one OF the
fundamental powers of government;
that the National laws relating to the
election of Representatives in Congress
shall neither be violated or evaded /;
that every elect0r shall be permitted
freely and without intimidation to cast
his lawful vote at such election and
have il honestly counted and that the
potency of his vote shallnOt be des-
trOyed 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 common interest.
Such efforts. will soonest restore to per-
feet peace those who were lately IN
arms against each other, for justice
and goodness will outlast passion.
But it is certain that the wounds OF
of the war cannot be completely heal
ed, 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 ana equai
enjoyment. of every civil and political
right guaranteed by the constitution
and the laws. Wherever the enjoy
ment of these rights is not assured dis
content will prevail immigration will
cease and the social and industrial
forces will continue to Ee disturbed by
migration of laborers and the cOnse-
quent diminution of prosperity. The
National Government should exercise
all its constitutional authority te put
an end to these evils; for all the peO-
pie and all the States are members OF
one body and no man can suffer with
out injury to all.
The most serious evils which now af-
tiict the South arise from the fact that
there is not such freedom and tolera-
ton 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 ty'
rannical and corrupt. The prosperity
which is made possible in the South
nv it's great advantages OF SOIL and cll-
mate will never be realized until every
voter can freely and safely support any
party he pleases.
Next in importance to freedom and
Justice is popular education, without
which neither Justice nor freedom can
he long maintained. Its interests are
intrusted to the States and to the vol
untary action of the people. Whatev-
er help the nation can justly afford
should be generously given to aid the
States in supporting the common
schools but it would be unjust to our
neopIe and dangerous to our institu-
lions to apply any portion OF the reve-
nues of the nation or of the states to
the support of sectarian schools. The
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
the wav of additional statement. The
Dublic debt is now SO well secured, and
the rate of annual interest has been SO
reduced by refunding. that rigid econ
omv in expenditure and the faithful
application of our surplus revenues to
the pavment of the principal of the
debt will gradually but certainly free
the neOple from its burdens, and close
with honor the financial chapter OF the
war. At the same time the govern
ment can provide for all ordinary ex-
and discharge all sacred OBJ
iipations to the soldiers of the Union
aud to the widows ana orphans Oh
those who fell in its defense.
-The resumption of specie payments
which the Republican party so conra,
geously and successfully accomplished
has removed from the field of cOntrO-
versv many questions that long and
seriously disturbed the credit of the
and the business OF the
country, Our paper currency is now
as national as the flag; and resump-
ton has not only made it everywhere
equal to coin, but has brought into use
our store of gold and silver. The cir
culatinx medium is more abundant
than ever before, and we need only to
the equality of our dollars to
insure to labor and capital measure
of value from which no one can surfer
loss. The great prosperity which the
country is now enjoying should not
be endangered by any violent changes
or doubtful financial experiments.
In reference to our custom laws
policv should be pursued which will
bring revenue to the Treasury and will
enable the labor and capital employed
in our great industries to compete fair
Iv in our own markets with the labor
and capital of foreign producers. We
Iegislaie for the pesple of the United
States, not for the whole world, and 1t