Year: 1877

disposition, as my hope, to aid in
their settlement in the same peaceful
and honorable way, thus securing to
our country the great blessings of
peace and of mutual good offices with
jail nations of the world.


Fellow-citizens, we have. reached
the close Of political contest marked
with the excitement which usually at
tends the contests between 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 pe-
culiar circumstances Of the case, that
the objections and questions in dispute
with reference to the counting of the
electoral votes should be referred to
the decision of a tribunal appointed
for this purpose, That tribunal, es-
tablished by law for this sole purpose,
it's members, all Of them, of long es.
tablished reputation for integrity and
intelligence, and with the exception of
those who are also members of the su-
preme judiciary, chosen equally from
both political parties-its 6eliberation
enlightened by the research and the
arguments of able counsel-was enti.
tied to the fullest confidence of
the American people. Its deci-
sions have been patiently waited for


and accepted as legally conclusive by


the general judgment of the public.


For the present opinions will widely


vary as to the wisdom of the several


conclusions announced by that tribu-


nal. This is to be anticipated in every


instance where matters Of dispute are


made the subject of arbitration, under


the forms of law. Human judgment


is never unerring and rarely regarded


as otherwise than wrong by the unsuc-


cessful party in the contest. The fact


that two great political parties have


in this way settled dispute in regard


to which good men differ as to the law


no less than as to the proper course to


be pursued in solving the question in


controversy, is an occasion for general


rejoicing. Upon one point there is


entire unanimity in the public senti-


ment-that the conflicting claims to


the presidency must be amicably


and peaceably adjusted, and that


when so adjusted the general acquies-


cence of the nation ought surely to


follow.


It has been reserved for a govern
ment of the people, where the right
Of suffrage is universal, to give to the
world the first example in history
of great nation, in the midst of a
struggle of opposing parties for power,
hushlng it's party tumults to yield the
issue OF the contest to adjustment &C.
cording to the forms of law.


Looking for the guidance of that
divine hand by which the destinies Of
nations and individuals are shaped, l
call upon you, Senators, Representa-
tives, Judges, fellow citizens, here and
everywhere, to unite with me in an
earnest effort to secure to our country
the blessings not only of material
prosperity, but Of justice peace and
Union-a Union depending not upon
the contestants of force but upon the
loving devotion of a free people-that
all things may be so ordered and SET
tied upon the best and surest founda.
tions; that peace and happiness, truth
and justice, religion and piety, may
be established among us for all genera
tiOns.