Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-03-11

fuence in the perfect unifcation of
our people.
I have altogether rejected the sug-
gestion of special executive policy
for any section of our country. 1t is
the duty Of the executive to admins
ter and enforce, in the methods and
by the instrumentalities pointed out
and provided by and constitution, all
the laws enacted by congress. These
laws are general, and their admins
tration should be uniform and equal.
As citizen may not elect what laws
he will obey, neither may the execu-
tive elect which he will enforce. The
duty to obey and to execute embrac-
es the constitution in it's entirety, and
the whole code of laws enacted under
it. The evil of permitting individu
| ais, corporations or communities to
nullify the laws, because they cross
some selfish or local interests or pref
udices, is full of danger, not only to
the nation at large, but much more
to those who use this pernicious ex-
pedient to escape their just obliga-
tions, or to obtain unjust advantage
over others.
An unlawful expedient can not be-
come permanent condition of gov
ernment. If the educated and infu-
entail classes in a community either
practice or connive at the systematic
violation of the laws that seem to
cross their convenience, what can
they expect when the lesson that con-
venience or supposed mass interest
is sufficient cause for lawlessness
has been well learned by the ignor-
ant classes? A community where law
is the rule of conduct, and where
courts, not mobs, execute it's penal
ties, is the only attractive field for
business investment and honest labor.
Our naturalization laws should be
so amended as to make the inquiry
into the character and good disposi-
tion of persons applying for citizen
ship more careful and searching. Our
existing laws have been in their ad-
ministration an unimpressive and Of
ten an unintelligible form.
The privileges of American citizen
ship are so great and its duties SO
grave that we may we'll insist upon a
good knowledge of every person ap-
plying for citizenship, and a good
knowledge by him of our institutions.
We have happily maintained pol
icy of avoiding all interference with
European affairs. We have been only
interested spectators of their conten-
tions in diplomacy and in war, ready
to use our friendly offices to promote
peace, but never obtruding our ad-
vice and never attempting unfairly to
coin the distresses of other powers
| into commercial advantage to our
selves. We have a just right to eX-
pect that our European policy will be
the American policy of European
courts.
We shall, in the future, as in the
past, use every endeavor to maintain
and enlarge our friendly relations
with all the great powers, but they
will not expect us to look kindly upon
any project that would leave us sub
ject to the dangers of hostile OBJ
servation or environment. We have
not sought to dominate or to absorb
any of our weaker neighbors, but
rather to aid and encourage them to
establish free and stable governments
resting upon the consent of their own
people. We have a clear right to eX-
pect, therefore, that no European gov
ernment will seek to establish colonial
dependencies upon the territory of
these independent American states.
That which sense of justice restrains
us from seeking they may be reasona-
bly, expected willingly to forego.
We shall neither fail to respect the
flag of any friendly nation or the just
rights of its citizens, nor to exact the
like treatment for our own. Calm
ness, justice and consideration should
characterize our diplomacy. The Of
fees of an intelligent diplomacy or of
friendly arbitration in proper cases
should be adequate to the peaceful
adjustment of all international diff
culties. By such methods we will
make our contribution to the worlds
peace, which no nation values more
highly, and avoid the opprobrium
which must fall upon the nation that
ruthlessly breaks it.
A high sense of duty and an ambi-
ton 10 improve the service should
characterize all public officers. [
Sudll oApoCG luOS0 WHO'LL may dp-
point to justify their selection by
conspicuous efficiency in the discharge
of their duties. Heads of departments,
bureaus and all other public officers
having any duties connected there
with will be expected to enforce the
civil service law fully and without
aversion. Beyond this obvious duty
1 hope to do something more to ad-
vance the reform of the civil service.
The ideal, or even my own ideal, I
shall probably not attain. Retrospect
will be a safer basis of Judgment
than promises. We shall not, how
ever, ] am sure, be able to put our
civil service upon a non-partisan ba-
sis until we have secured an incum-
hency that fair-minded men of the op-
position will approve for impartiality