The times., 1897-04-28

nitude and Importance challenge compari-
son with those Of any other Chief Magis-
trate since the Inauguration OF the Govern
| meDt. When he took the helm Of state
the country was in a condition OF ferment
! and disorg aniZation, which is always
| consequent upon a long continued civil
war. The Fifteenth Amendment to the
| Constitution had not yet been ratified by
| the States In the South secret societies
and armed bands OF lawiess men were
creating terror and defeating the ends OF
Justice The prosperity of the country
was stiIl tagging, the public debt was OPP
presSive and iIflationists and repudiators
were weakening the national credit. Our
merchant marine had dwindled To a mere
shadow OF its former self, poll teal ranoor
had enyenomed whole sections Of the
country, Indian wars were brewing, I'M
settled disputes with foreign powers
thres tened the national peace, and the new
Chief Magistrate was confronted with
problems so Formidable that they were
enough to appan the stoutest heart and
discourage the most hopeful mind. In
the letter Of acceptance OF his Romina-
ton for the Presidency, he uttered one Of
sublimest sentences ever penned 10y states
mans hand: Let US have peace" OF all
the many aphorisms which emanated from
him this has been deemed the most fitting
to engrave indeilbiy over the portals of his
tomb 1t is typical Of his nature emblem
atic Of the eternal peace enjoyed by his
soul.
He began his Administration vigorously
ana firmly, but he declared that he would
against the win OF the people IL his
first inaugural address, he urged measures
TO strengthen the public credit and give
TO the werld an unguestonable pledge OF
financial honesty His early experience
among the Indians, while he was serving
on the frontier had erninently fitted him
for inaugurating practical methods for
improving their condition. He took up
earnestly the work OF civilizing ana Chris
tianiZing them, placing them ON reserya-
tions, treating them as wards OF the ma
ton, and fitting them for ultimate citi-
zenship, and thus avoided wars and saved
vast sums Ofuoney. Under his Adminlstra-
ton, the Fifteenth Amendment Go the Con-
stitution was ratified, and al the States
were readmitted to the Union. In 1870 he
recommended the refunding of the national
dtGl, anu On at " dn DdSScu SOOu ttEttf
providing for bonds at 4 per cent, a
much reduced rate OF interest, and they
were successfully negotiated For the
first time in our history, he brought
about a genuine reform in our civil SER
vice, and in the face OF the most persistent
opposition organized the first civil service
board. By bringing to swift justice the
prominent offenders, he succeeded in sup
spreading terror throughout part of the
States, and compelled absolute obedience
to the national authority In the third
year Of his Administration amnesty was
declared, and nearly every person in the
South was again clothed with all his
civil rights. The soldier had become the
pacificator, the destroyer had become the
restorer. In his foreign policy, he mani
tested his sense OF justice when he pro-
claimed: II would eeaI with nations as
equitable law requires individuals to tseal
with each other; would respect the rights
OF al nations, demanding equal respect
for our own He evinced his firrnness
when, by untiring effort, he secured from
foreign powers ample apologies and repara-
ton, which had long been withheld
He brought about settlement OF the
A
airy question, proclaimed thereby his dis
like for war, inaugurated the principle of
peaceful arbitration in national disputes,
and taught the worldits grandest lesson in
the history of modern diplomacy. When the
craze for the initiation of our currency
had unsettled the Judgment OF Legislators
he penned a veto SO logical, SO forceful,
that it preserved the credit of the Govern
ma and saved tho honor Of no r,ofino IF
was a second Appomattox, gained not
with the sword, but with the pen. In
1874 he urged, in letter widely published
at the time, the resumption of specie pay
ments, and his views attracted much at
tention. The resumption act was passed
the next winter. He suppressed the for
nidable band OF conspirators known as the |
whisky ring and brought to justice the |
offenders. His vigorous order for their |
prosecution ended with the famous words,
Let no guilty man escape NJ matter |
what efforts may have been made to rob |
him Of the credit of this work, the honor |
of it belongs primarily to him. In 1875
he summed up his political faith in the ia |
nous Des Moines letter, iii which he snow
ed that he knew neither rank nor race, say
ing, Let us labor for the secarit V of free
thought, free speech, free press, pu re
morals, uufettcred religious sentiments and |
equal rights and privileges for allHien, ire
spective of nationality, color or religiou.''
He said in a speech at Warren, Ohio,
that he was for the party which assures
protection to life and property, the public
credit, and the pa ayTnent OF the debts of
the Government, State, county and munich
patty which encourages the poor
to strive to better their children, enabling
them TO compete successfully with their
more fortunate associates and
which tolerates no privileged classes" Any
American citizen who cannot subscribe
to that political creed must be wholly
given over to the worship of perversity.
His writings treat of every subject en-
1raced between The broa destlines OF war
and craftsmanship. His style is consric-
uously unpretehtious, and while 1t makes
no attempt at elegance or diction. and con-
tains little Of ornament. 1t evinces terse-