Year: 1877

Tie country, Is tHt improvement OF tne IN
tellectual and moral condition of the
people. Universal suffrage should rest
| upon universal education. To this end
| liberal and permanent provision should be
made for the support of free schools by the
State government, and, ii need be, supple
mented by legitimate and firm national
| authority. Let me assure my c0untrymen
of the Southern States that it is my earnest
desire to promote their truest interests,
the interests OF the white and OF the colored
people, both and equally, and to put forth
my best efforts in behslf of civil policy
which will forever wipe out from our politi.
cal affairs the color line and the distinction
between North and South, in the end that
we may not have merely a united North or
a united South, but united country.


ask the attention of the public to
the paramount necessity of reform in
our civil service-a reform not merely as
to certain politial abuses and practices of SO.
called official patronage, which have come
to have the sanction of usage in several de-
partments of our government, but change
in the system of appointments itself is the
reform that shall be thorough, radical and
complete return to the principles and prac-
tices of the founders of the government.
They never expected Tor desired from pub.
| lie officers any partisan service. They
meant that public officers should owe
| their whole service to the gov.
ernment and to the people. They meant
that the officer should be secure in his tenure
as long as his personal character remained
untarnished and the performance of his
duties satisfactory. They held that appoint.
ments to office were not to be made nor
expected merely as rewards for partisan
services, nor merely on nomination of men,


bers OF Congress as being entitled in any


respect to control of such appointments.
The fact that both political parties of the
country, in declaring their principles prior
to the election, gave a prominent place


to the subject of the reform of our
civil service, recognizing and strongly
urging its necessity in terms almost identical
in their specific import with those have
here employed, must be accepted as con.
elusive argument in behalf of these
measures. 1t must be regarded as an ex.
preston of the united voice and will of the
whole country upon this subject, and both
| political parties are virtually pledged to
give it their unreserved support.


The President of the United States of
necessity owes his election to office to the
suffrage aud Jealous labors of a political
| party, the members of which cherish with
ardor and regard, as OF essential Importance.
the principles of their party organization !:
but he should strive to be always mindful Of
the fact that he serves his party best who
serves the country best.


In furtherance of the reform we seek, and
in other respects, l recommend an amend.
ment to the Constitution, prescribinga term
of six years for the Presidential office and
forbidding reelection.


With respect to the financial condition of
the country shall not attempt an extended
| history of the embarrassment and prostra-


ton which we have suffered during the past
three years. The depression in all our varied
commercial and manufacturing interests
throughout the country, which began in
September, 1873, still continues. 1t is very
gratifying, however, to be able to say that
| there are indications all around us of g.
coming change to prosperous times


Upon the currency question, Intimately
connected as it is with this topic, NAV be
permitted to repeat here the statement made
in my letter of acceptance, that in my iudg-
ment the feeling of uncertainty inseparabIe
from an irredeemable paper currency, with


its fluctuations of values, is one of the great
est obstacles of d return to prosperous times.
The only safe paper currency is one which
rests upon a coin basis, and is at all times
and promptly converted into coin. l adhere
| to the views heretofore expressed by me in
favor of Congressional legislation in behalf
of early resumption of specie payment, and
am satisfied not only that this is wise, but
that the interests, as well as the public
sentiment Of the country, imperatively de.
mand it.


Passing from these remarks upon the con.
ditiOn of our country to consider our rela-
tions with other lands, we are reminded by
| international complications abroad, threat
ening the peace of Europe, that our tradi.
tional rule of noninterference in affairs of
foreign nations has proved of great value
in past times, and ought to be strictly OBJ
served. The policy inaugurated by my


honored predecessor, President Grant, Of
submitting 10 arbitration grave questions in
dispute between ourselves and foreign
powers, points to the new and in
comparably best instrumentality for
| preservation OF peace, and will,
as / believe, become the benefcent example
| of the course to be pursued in similar emer-


gencies by other nations. If, unhappily,


questions of difference at any time duriDg G


the period of my administration arise


between the United States and any foreign
government it will certainly be my disposi.


ton and my hope to aid in their settlement


in the same peaceful and honorable way,


ings of peace and mutual good offices with


all nations Of the world.


FellOw-citiZens, We have reached the close


of a political contest marked by the excite.


ment which usually attends the contest be.


tween great political parties whose members


espouse and advocate with earnest faith their


respective creeds. The circumstances were


perhaps in no respect extraordinary, save


in the closeness and the consequent uncer


tainty of the result. For the first time in


the history of the country it has been
deemed best, in view of the peculiar


circumstances of the case, that the


objections and questions in dispute
.. with reference to the counting OF the


Electoral votes should be referred to thu
decision of tribunal appointed for thi.
purpose. That tribunal established by law
/, for this sole purpose, its members all o.


them men Of long established reputation fo
integrity and intelligence, aud with the ex
, ceptions of those who are also members O
the Supreme Judiciary. chosen equally from
both political parties, its deliberation en-
, ightened by the reseai ch and theargument
of able counsel, was entitled to the fulles
confidence of the American people. Its de
cisions have been patiently waited for ant
!. accepted as legally conclusive by the genera


Judgment of the public. For the presen
opinion will widely vary es to the wisdom
of the several conclusions announced b,
that tribunal. This is to be anticipated
, In every instance where matters of disput
are made subject of arbitration under tn
J forms of law, human judgment is never IN
: erring and is rarely regarded as otherwis
! than wrong by the unsuccessful party in tn
: contest. The fact that two great politica
!. parties have in this way settled disput
in regard to which good men differ as t
: the law, no less than as to the prope
! course to be pursued in solving the que,
! ton in controversy, is an occasion 70
: general rejoicing. Upon one point there
: entire unanimity in public sentiment-ths
Z conflicting claims to the Presidency must b
! l amicably and peaceably adjusted, and tbs
y when so adjusted the general acquiesence G
I the nation ought surely to follow. Ithas bee
!, reserved for a government of the people
! where the right of suffrage is universal, t
give to the world the frstexanple in histor
!. of great nation, in the midst of struggl
of opposition parties for power, hushingi i
l. party tumults to yield the issue of the coI
: test to adjustment according to tt
y forms of law, looking for th
J guidance of that Divine han
. by which the destinies of natioI
y y and individuals are shaped. l call upo
e you, Senators, Representatives, Judge
e fellow-citizens, here and everywhere,
u unite with me in an earnest effort TO secul
o to our country the blessing, not only
,, y material prosperity, but of justice, pea'
and union-a union depending not upon Il
, constraint of force, but upon Il