Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-07-25
tial modification Of Chat law would be in many

tial modification Of chat law would be in many
respects advantageous.
My observation in the department Of state
confirmed the conclusions Of my Legislative
experience, and impressed me with the con-
vction that the rule Of impartial appointment
might with advantage be carried beyond any
existing provision Of the civil service law. It
should be applied to appointments in the con-
pular service Consuls should be commercial
sentinels-oncircling the globo with watchful-
ness for their country's interests. Their in
| tellgence and competency become, therefore,
matters Of great public concern. No man
should be appointed TO an American consulate
who IL not well instructed in the history and
resources Of his own country, and in the re-
| quirements and language OF commerce in the
country to which he is sent. The Same rule
| should be applied even more riRidly to secre-
taries Of legation in our diplomatic service.
The people have the right to the most eff
cient agents in the discharge Of public busi-
ness, and the appointing power should regard
this as the prior and ulterior consideration.
THE MORMON QUESTION
Religious liberty is the right of every cti-
zen Of the republic. Congress is forbidden
by the constitution TO make any law 'respec-
ting the establishment of religion, or prohib-
iting the free exercise thereof" For CEN
tury, under this guaranty, Protestant and
Catholic, jew and gentle, have worshiped
God according TO the dictates Of conscience.
But religious liberty must not be perverted to
the justification Of offensos against the law.
A religious sect, strongly intrenched in one Of
the territories Of the Union, and spreading
rapidly into four other territories, claims the
right to destroy the great safeguard and mu-
niment Of social order, and to practice as a
religious privilege that which is crime pun
ished with severe penalty In every state Of
tho Union. The sacredness and unity of the
family must be preserved as the foundation
of all civil government, as the source Of or
derly administration, as the surest guaranty
Of moral purity.
The claim of the Mormons that they are di-
vinely authorized TO practice polygamy should
no more be admitted than the claim OF certain
heather tribes, II they should come among
us, to continue the rite of human sacrifice.
The law does not interfere with what man
believes; it takes cognizance only of what be
does AS citizens, the Mormons are entitled
to the same civil rights as others aud to these
they must be confined. Polygamy can never
receive national sanction or federation by ad-
hitting the community that upholds it as q
state in the Union. Like others, the Nor
mons must learn that the liberty OF the indi-
vidual ceases where the rights of society be-
gin.
oUn CURRENCY.
The people of the United States, though Of
ten urged and tempted, have never seriously
contemplated the recognition OF any other
money than gold and silVer-and currency di-
rectly convertible into them. They have not
done So they will not do So under any ne
cessity less pressing than that Of desperate
war. The one special requisite for the COM
pleton of our monetary system is the fixing
of the relative values of silver and gold.
The large use of silver Rs the money of ao-
count among Asiatic nations, taken in con-
nection with the increasing commerce of the
world, gives the weightiest reasons for an in
ternational agreement in the premises. Our
government should not cease to urge this
measure until common standard of value
shall be reached and established-a standard
that shall enable the United States to use the
silver from its mines as an auxiliary to gold
in settling the balances of commercial ex-
change.
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
The strength of the republic is increased
by the multiplication of land holders. Our
laws should look to the judicious encourage
ment OF actual settlers on the public domain,
which should henceforth be held as q sacred
trust for the benefit of those seeking homes.
The tendency to consolidate large tracts of
land in the ownership of individuals or cor
porations should, with proper regard to vested
rights, be discouraged. One hundred thous-
and acres OF land in the hands of one man is
far less profitable to the nation in every way
than when its ownership is divided among
1000 men. The evil of permitting large tracts
of the national domain to be consolidated and
controlled by the few against the many is en-
hanced when the persons controlling it are
aliens. 1t is but fair that the public land
should be disposed of only to actual settlers
and to those who are citizens of the republic,
or willing to become So
OUR SHIPPING INTERESTS.
Among our national interests one languish-
es-the foreign carrying trade. 1t was very
seriously crippled in our civil war, and an
other blow was given to it in the general sub
stitution of steam for sail in ocean traffic.
With a frontage on the two great oceans, with
a freightage larger than that of any other ma
tion, we have every inducement to restore
our navigation. Yet the government has
hitherto refused its help. small share of
the encouragement given by the government
to railways and manufactures, and a small
share of the capital and the zeal given by our
citizens to those enterprises would have cAr-
ried our ships to every sea and to every port.
A law just enacted removes some of the bur.
dens upon our navigation and inspires hope
that this great interest may at last receive its
due share of attention. All efforts in this di-
rection should receive encouragement
sAoREDNEss OF THE BALLOT.
This survey of our condition as nation re-
minds us that material prosperity is but a
mockery II it does not tend to preserve the
liberty OF the people. A free ballot is the
safeguard of republican institutions, without
which no national welfare is assured. pop
ular election, honestly conducted, embodies
the very majesty of true government. Ten
millions Of voters desire 10 take part in the
pending contest The safety of the republic
rests upon the integrity of the ballot, upon
the security of suffrage TO the citizen. To de-
posit fraudulent vote is no worse a crime
against constitutional liberty than to obstruct
the deposit of an honest vote. He who cor
rupts suffrage strikes at the very root of free
government. He is the arch enemy of the
republic. He forgets that in trampling upon
the rights of others he fatally imperils his own
rights. "It is good land which the Lord
our God doth give u.s. but we can maintain
our heritage only by guarding with vigilance
the source of popular power. am with great
respect, your obedient servant
JAMES g. BLAINE.