Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-13
POLITICAL.
Denocratic Nee6ag.


and s. W. Walker Of Washington acted rs
secretary. After some informal discussion
of campaign business. the committee ad-
journed until tomorrow afternoon. There
are yet two vacancies on the committee, to
be filled at the present session.
Gen. GarfelA's Letter OF Acceptance.
MENTOR. July IL. Gen. Garfield has for
warded TO Senator Hoar the following letter,
accepting the nomination rendered him by
the republican National convention:
MENTOR, Ohio, July IL.
Dear Sir On the evening Of the Sth of
June last. l had the honor 10 receive from
you, in the presence of committee of which
you was chairman, the official announcement,
that the republican National convention at
Chicago had that day nominated me as their
candidate for President of the L. :. ac-
cept the nomination with gratitude for the
confidence il implies, and with deep sense
of III e responsibility it imposes. | cordially
endorse the principles set forth in the plat
form adopted by the convention. On nearly
all the subjects of which il treats, my opn-
ions are on record among the published pro-
ceedings of Congress.
venture, however. to make special men,
ton of some of the principal topics which
are likely TO become objects of discussion.
have been settled during the past 20 years,
and with no purpose OF wish to renew the
passions of the late war il should be said
that, while the republicans full recognize and
will strenuously defend all rights attained BY
the people and all rights reserved to the
States, they reject the perncious doctrine of
State supremacy. which so long crippled the
functions Of the National government and at
one time brought the Union very near to de-
struction. They insist that the United States
is a Nation, with ample power of self-preser-
walton. That its constitution. and laws made
in pursuance thereof, are the supreme law of
the land. That the right of the Nation to de-
termine the method by which its own legisla-
ton shall be created cannot be surrendered
without abdicating one of the fundamental
powers of the government That the Nation
al laws relating to election of Representatives
in Congress shall neither be violated nor
evaded. That every elector shall be permit
ted freely and without intimidation to east his
lawful ballot at such election and have il
honestly counted, and that the potency of his
vote shall not be DESTROYED by the fraudulent
vote of any other person. The best thought
and energies of our people should be direct, d
to those great questions of National well-being
in which all have common interest. Such
efforts will soonest restore perfect peace to
those who were lately in arms against each
other, for justice and goodwill will out
last passion. But it is certain that the
wounds of war cannot be completely
healed and the spirit of brotherhood
cannot fully pervade the whole country
till 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 laws. Wherever enjoy
&c r,.rbt ;e
tent will prevail, immigration will cease. and
social and industrial forces will continue to
be disturbed by migration of the laborer and
consequent dimuniton 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 are
members Of one body, and no member
can suffer without injury to all. The
most serious evils which now afflict the South
arise from the fact that there is no such free
dom and federation of political opinion and
action that a minority party can exercise
wholesome restraint upon the party in power.
Without such restraint, party rule becomes
tyrannical and corrupt. The prosperity
which is made possible in the South
by its great advantages Of soil
and climate will never be realized
till every voter can freely and safely support
any party he Pie"sts.
Next in importance to freedom and justice
is popular education. without which neither
justice nor freedom can be permanently main
tanned. Its interests are entrusted to the
State, and to the voluntary action Of the
people. Whatever help the Nation can just
" afford should be generously given to aid
the State in supporting common schools. But
it would be unjust to our people and danger
Gus to our institutions to apply any portion of
the revenue of the Nation or of the State, to
the support of sectarian schools. The sep
aration of church and State in everything re-
lating to taxation should be absolute.
On the subject of National finance. my
views have been so frequently and fully ex-
pressed that little is needed in the way of an
additional statement The public debt is
now so well secured and the rate of annual
interest has been so reduced by funding. that
urged economy in expenditures and faithful
application of our surplus revenue to the
payment of the principal Of the debt will
gradually but certainly free the people from
its burdens aud close with honor the financial
chapter of the war. At the same time the
government can provide for all its ordinary
expenditures and discharge its sacred obliga-
tons to the soldiers of the Union, and TO the
widows and orphans Of those who fell in its
ueIence. resumption OF specie payments,
which the republican party so courageously
and successfully accomplished, has removed
from the field of controversy many questions
that long and seriously disturbed the credit Of
the government and in business of our
country. Our paper currency is now as Ma
tional as the flag. and resumption has not
only made it ever, where equal to coin but
has brought into use our share of gold and
silver. The circulating medium is more
abundant than ever before, and we need only
maintain the equality of all our dollars to in
sure 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-
periments. In reference to our custom laws.
policy should be pursued which will bring
revenue to the treasury, and will enable labor
and capital employed in our great industries
to compete fairly in our own markets with
labor and capital Of foreign production. We
legislate for the people of the U. s., not for
the whole world, and it is our glory that the
American laborer is more Intelligent and
better paid than his foreign competitors. Our
country cannot be independent unless its
people with their abundant natural resources
possess the requisite skill at any time to
clothe, arm and equip themselves for war,
and in time Of peace to produce all the
necessary implements of labor. II was the
I