Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-07-16
GENERAL GARFIELDs LETTER OF
ACCEPTANCE.


MENTOR, July ~.
General Garfield has forwarded TO Senator
Hoar, Of Massachusetts,, the following letter
| Of acceptance Of the nomination rendered him
by the Republican National Convention;
MENroR. ONO. July 10, 1880,
DEAH BfR On the evening Of the 8th of June
last had the honor 10 receive from you. in the
Ss ooa U5 mnEs
Republican National Convention at Chicago had
that day nominated me as their candidate for
accept the nomination with gratitude for the
confidence IL implies and with deep sense of
the responsibilities IL imposes.
| cordially indorse the principles set forth in
the platform adopted by the convention on near
iy all the subjects on which IL treats.
NV opinions are on record among the pub
lshed proceedings of Congress. venture. how
ever, to make special mention of some of the
principal topics. which are likely to become sub
Without reviewing the controversies which
have been settled during the last twenty years,
sions 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 20 the States,
they reject the pernicious doctrine of State
premacy. 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 sef-preservation; that its
Constitution and the laws made in pursuance
thereof arc the supreme law of the land; 1" that
the right of the Nation 20 determine the method
by which its own Legislature shall be created
cannot be surrendered without abdicatinR one
of the fundamental powers of Government; that
the National laws relating TO the election of Rep
resentatives in Congress shall neither be viola
ted or evade1; that every elector shall be per-
mitted freely and without intimidation to cast
his lawful vote at such election and have it hon.
estly counted; and that 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-being in which all have a common
interest Such efforts viii soonest restore to per-
feet peace those who were lately in arms against
each other for justice and goodwill will Outlast
passion.
But it is certain that the wounds of the war
cannot be completely healed and the spirit of
brotherhood cannot fully pervade the whole
country until every citizen, rich OF poor white
OF black, is secure in the free and equal enjoy
ment of every civil and political right guaran-
teed by the Constitution and the laws. Wher-
ever the enjoyment of these rights is not assured,
discomfort will prevail immigration will cease,
and the social and lndustii ial forces will con-
tinue to be disturbed by the migration of labor
eTs and the consequent diminution of prosper
ity. 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 man can suffer
without injury to all.
The most injurious evils which now affict the
South arise from the fact that there is not such
freedom and toleration of political opinion and
action that the minority party can exercise an
effective and whole esome restraint upon the party
in power. Without such restraint, party rule be-
comes tyrannical and corrupt The prosperity
which is made possible in the South by its great
advantages of soil and climate will never be re-
allied until every voter can freely and safely
support any party he pleases.
Next in Importance to freedom and Justice is
popul lar education. without which neither justice
nor freedom can be permanently maintained.
Its interests are intrusted to the States and to
the voluntary action of the people Whatever
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 people and dangerous to our Institutions to
apply any portion of the revenues of the Nation
or of the States to the support of sectarian
schools. The separation of the Church and the
State in everything relating to taxation should
be absolute
On the subject of National finances nv views
have been so frequently and fully expressed that
little is needed in the way of additional state
ment. The public debt is now so well secured,
and the rate of annual interest has been so re-
duced by refunding, that rigid economy in ex-
penditure and the faithful application of our
surplus revenues to the payment of the princi-
pal of the debt will gradually but certainly free
the people from its burdens, and close with honor
the financial chapter of the war. At the same
time the Government can provide for all ordi-
nary expenditure and discharge its sacred obli-
cations TO the soldiers of the Union and to the
widows and orphans of those who fell in its de-
fense.
The resumption of specie payments, which
the Republican party so couraReously and sue
cessfully accomplished, has removed from the
field of controversy many questions that lono
and seriously disturbed the credit of the Cow
ernment and the business of the country. Our
paper currency is now as national as the flag;
and resumption has not only made it every
where equal to coin, but has brought into use
our store of gold and silver. The circulating
medium is more abundant than ever before and
we need only to maintain the equality of our
dollars to insure to labor and capital a measure
of valve from the use of which no one can suf-
fer loss. The. great prosperity which the coun-
try 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 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 legsIate for
the people of the United States not for the whole
world, and 1t Is our glory that the American la
his foreign competitor. Our country cannot be
independent unless its people with their abund-
ant 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.
it was the manifest intention of the founders
of the Government 10 provide for the common
defense, not by standing armies alone, but by
raising among the people greater army of arti-
sans, whose intelligence and skill should power
fully contribute to the safety and glory of the
Nation
Fortunately for the interests of commerce,
there IS no longer any formidable opposition to
appropriations for the improvement of our bar
bors and great navigable rivers. provided that
the expenditures for that purpose Are strictly
limited to works of national importance. The
Mississippi River with its great tributaries is of
such vital Importance to so many millions of
people that the safety of its navigation re-
quires exceptional consideration. In order to
secure to the Nation the control of all its waters
President Jefferson negotiated the purchase of a
vast territory extending from the Gulf of Mexi-
CO to the Pacific Ocean. The wisdom of Con-
gress should be invoked to devise some plan by
which that great river shall cease to be a terror
to those who dwell upon its banks and by which
its shipping may safely carry the industrial
HnPf nf mt -fixyar lion cnf
The interests of agriculture which is the basis
of all our material prosperity, and in which
seven-twelfths of our population are engaged, as
well as the interests of manufacturers and COM
merce demand that the facilities for cheap
transportation shall be increased by the use of
all our great water courses.
The material interests of this country, the
traditions of its settlement and the sentiments
of our people have led the Government to offer
the widest hospitality to emigrants who seek
our shores for new and happier homes, willing
to share the burdens as well as the benefits of
our society and intending that their pOsterity
shall become an undistinguishable part Of
the Chinese to our Pacific coast partakes
but little of the qualities of such an i'm
migration. either in its purposes or its re-
suits. 1t is too much like an importation to
be welcomed without restrictions too much like
an invasion to be looked upon without solicit
Jude; We cannot consent to allow any forms of
servile labor to be introduced among us under
the guise OF immigration. Recognizing the
gravity of this subject, the present administra-
ton, supported Dy Congress, mas sent 10 China
purpose of securing such modification of the
existing treaty will prevent the eVilslikely to
arise from the present situation. 1t is confident
ly believed that these diplomatic negotiations
will be successful, without the loss Of CONNER
cial intercourse between the two powers, which
promises a great increase of reciprocal trade and
the enlargement of our markets. Should these
efforts fail, it will be the duty of Congress TO
mitigate the evils already felt and prevent their
increase by such restrictions as, without vio-
lence OF injustice will place upon a sure fOunda-
tion the peace of our communities and the free
dom and dignity of labor.
The appointment of citizens to the various
Executive and Judicial offices of the Government
is perhaps the most difficult of all the duties
which the Constitution has imposed upon the
Executive. The convention wisely demands that
Congress shall cooperate with the Executive
Departments in placing the civil service on a
better basis. Experience has proved that, with
our frequent changes of administration, no sys-
ten of reform can be made effective and perma-
nnnt NYithnnt the aid of lenislnfinn. Annninf-