Year: 1877

| men to whom the interests of a,
common country and a common.


humanity are dear, the sweeping


revolution of the entire labor sys


tenn of large portion OF our


country and the advance of four


millions of people from q condi-


lion of servitude to that of citizen


ship and upon an equal footing


vii b their former masters, could


not occur without presenting prob.


lens of the gravest moment, to


be dealt with BY the emancipated


race, by their former masters, and


BY the general government, the


author of the act of emancipation.


That 1t was a wise, just and provi


dental act, fraught with good for


all concerned, is now generally


conceded throughout the country !;
that a moral obligation rests upon
| The National Government to en-


ploy it's constitutional power and
| influence to. establish the rights of
the people it has emancipated, and


to protect them in, the enjoyment


of those rights wher they are in


fringed or assailed is also general
ly admitted. The evils which af-


fiict the Southern States can only


be removed or rene died by the


united and harmonious efforts oil


both races, actuhted by motives OF


mutual sympathy and regard


And while in duty bound and fully


determined TO protect the rights of


all By the constitutional means at


the disposal Of my administration,


l am sincerely anxious to use ev-


cry legitimate influence in favor OF


honest and efficient local self.
government as the true resource OF


those States for the promotion OF


the contentment of their citizens.
| In the effort l shan make TO &C


complish this purpose, | ask the


cordial cooperation Of all who


cherish an interest in the welfal e


of the country, trusting that party


ties and prejudice of race will be


freely surrendered in behalf of the


great purpose to be accomplished.
| In the important work Of re


storing the South, 1t is not the
4 political situation alone that mer-


its attention, the mate,ial develop


ment of that section of the coun-


try has been arrested by the social


and political revelation through


which it has passed, and now
needs and deserves the considefate


care of the national government


within the just limits prescribed by
the Constitution aud wise repubil-


can economy.


At the basis of all prosperity
for that as we'll as for every other
part of the country lies the i'm.
: provement of the intellectual and
moral condition of the people,
Universal suffrage should rest up
On universal education. To this
end liberal and permanent pro7is
ion should be made for the sup
port of free schools by the State
, governments, and if need be, sup
plemented by legitimate aid from
national authority. Let me as
: sure my countrymen of The South
I ern Suites, that it is my earnes
I desire to regard and promote thei
truest interests, the interest o
. The white and of the colored peo
2 pie both and equally, and to pu
J. forth my best efforts in behalf o
a civil policy which will foreve
wipe out in our political affair
: the color line and the distinction


between North and South; to th
end that we may not have merel,
: a united North and a united South
but united country.


CIVIL SERVICE REFORM.


: 1 ask the attention of the publ
g TO the paramount necessity of re
t form in our civil service; a reform
b not merely as to certain abuse
I and practices of ,so-called ofhcia
patronage, which have come t
q have the sapction of usage in. th
f several departments of our govern
e ment. but change in the syster
i of appointment itself; a retorr
: that shall be thought, radical an
n complete; return to the princi
pies and practices Of the founder
! of the government. They neithe
. expected NOR. desired that publ
n officers should owe their Who'll
O service to the government and t
j, the people; they meant that th
$ officer should be secure in his ten
d ME as long as his personal charat
= Ter. remained untarnished and tth
y performance of his duties satisfat


tory; they held that appointtnent
.eI to office were not to be made nc
ii expected merely as. rewards fc
"A partisan services, nor merely o
- the nomination of membors of Cor
Il gress as being entitled il, any respe'


to the control of such appointment
- and the fact that bo.h of the gre.
f political parties of the country
= debating their principles prior to IL
= election, gave prominent place I
f,'3 the subject Of the reform of our civ