Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1880-08-05
TO THE PEOPLE.
Hancock's Letter of Acceptance.

OF Ofdcf 40. 4U-1Hc Constitution IN
Evc,y Arttclc, Section and Amend
ment Must dc Enforced and Maintainca
New YoRK, July 30.-Tho following is
General llancock's letter Of acceptance
GOVERNORS ISLAND, New YoRK CITY,
July 29.-Gcntlemen: have the honor to
acknowledge nc receipt Of your letter, Of
July l3, $780,, apprising me formally, OF
my nomination to the Office of President of
the United States by 'the National Demo
cratic Convention" lately assembled in
Cincinnati. l accept the nomination with
grateful appreciation OF tho confidence re-
posed in mo. The principles cpunciatcd
by the convention arc those have cher
ishcd in tho past and shall endeavor to
maintain in tho future.
The thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments to the Constitution of the
United States, cmbodying the results OF
tho war for the Union, arc inviolablc. If
called to the Presidency [ should deem it
my duty to resist, with all of my power,
any attempt to impair or cvado tho full
force and effect of the Constitution, which,
in every article, section and amendment, is
the supreme law of tho land. The Con-
stitution forms tho basis of government of
tho United States. Powers granted by it
to legislative, executive and judicial de-
partments, define and limit the authority of
nc General Government. Powers not
delceatcd to .hc United States by tho Con-
stitution, nor prohibited by it to the States,
belong to the Statos respectively, or to The
people. The General and State Govern
mcnts, each acting in its ow2 sphere, with :
out trenching upon the lawful junSsdlcti!on
OF tho other, constitute the Union. Thls
Union, comprising tho General Government
with general powers and the State Govern
mcnts with State powers for purposes local
to States, is polity, tho foundations Of
which wore laid in the profoundcst wisdom
This is tho Union our fathers made
which hos been so respected abroad and so
bencliccnt at home. Tried by blood aud
fire it stands to day model form of free
popular government, n political system
Which, rightly administered, has been and
will continue to be tho admiration Of the
world. May wo not say nearly in the words
of Washington: "Tho unity of tho Gov
CiuluCut WIlcu CONSTITUTES us aS ono people,
is justly dear to us. 1t is the main pillar
in the cdifcc of our real independence, the
support of our peace, safety and prosperity
and of that liberty VIC so highly prize and
intend at cvcry hazard to prcscrve.'
But no form of Government, however
carefully doviscd-no principles, however
sound-will protect the rights of the people
unless their administration is faithful and
efficient 1t is a vital principle in our syso
tenn that neither fraud nor force must be
allowed to subvert the rights of tho people.
When fraud, violcuoe, or incompetence
controls, tho noblcst constitutions and
wisost laws arc useless. Tho bayonet is
not the fit instrument for collecting the
votes of free men. 1t is only by full vote
n free ballot and fair count that tho pco-
plo can rulo in fact, as required by tho
theory Of our government. Take this
foundation away and tho whole structure
falls
Public oflico is trust, not bounty be-
slowed upon tho holder. No incompetent
or dishonest person should be entrusted
with it, or if appointed, they should be
elected. The basis of substantial,
practical civil service reform must first bo
by tho people in filling elective
offices. If they fix high standard of tho
qualifications for Office, and stornly reject
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