Year: 1877




thorough, radical and complete return
to the principles and practices of tn,
founders of the government. They
never expected nor desired from public
officers any partisan service. They
meant that public officers should owe
their whole service to the government
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 appointments to office were
not to be made nor ex-
pected merely as rewards for partisan
services, nor merely on nomination of
members of Congress as being entitled
in any respect to control of such appoint.
ments. 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 re-
form of our civil service, recognizing and
strongly urging its necessity in terms
almost identical in thei, specific import
with those have here employed. must
be accepted as a conclusive argument in
behalf of these measures. 1t must be
regarded as an expression 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 and jealous labors of po-
litical party, the members of which
cherish with ardor and regard, as of es-
sential 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
amendment to the Constitution, pro-
scribing a term of six years for the
Presidential Office and forbidding re-
election.


With respect to the financial condition
of the country / shall not attempt an
extended history of the embarrassment
and prostration which we have suffered
during the past three years. The depres-
sion in all our varied commercial and
manufacturing interests throughout the
country, which began in September,
1873, still continues. 1t is very gratify-
ing, however, to be able to say that there
are indications all around us of a coming
change to prosperous times. Upon the
currency question, intimately connected
as it is with this topic, may be per-
mitted to repeat here the statement
made in my letter of acceptance,
that in my judgment the feeling of
uncertainty inseparable from an ire
deemable paper currency, with its huc-
tuations of values, is one of the greatest
obstacles of return to prosperous times.
The only safe paper currency is one
which rests upon coin basis. and is
at all times and promptly converted into
coin. l adhere to the views heretofore
expressed by me in favor of Congress
sional legislation in behalf of early re-
sumption of specie payments, and am
satisfied not only that this is wise, but
that the interests as well as the public
sentiment of the country, imperatively
demand it.


Passing from these remarks upon the
condition Of the country to consider our
relations with other lands, we are re-
minded by international complications
abroad, threatening the peace of Europe,
that our traditional rule of non-inter-
ference in the affairs of foreign nations
has proved of great value in past times,
and ought to be strictly observed. The
policy inaugurated by my honored pre-
decessor, President Grant, of submit
ting to arbitration grave questions in
dispute between ourselves and foreign
,Nnfnto tA hA onA in.
comparably best instrumentality for
preservation of peace, and will,
as believe, become the beneficient ex-
ample of the course to be pursued in
similar emergencies by other nations.
If, unhappily, questions of difference at
any time during the period of my ad-
ministration arise between the United
States and any foreign government it
will certainly be my disposition and my
hope to aid in their settlement in the
same peaceful and honorable way, thus
securing to our country the great bless
ings of peace and mutual good offices
with all nations Of the world.


Fellow.citizens, we have reached the
close of political contest marked by
the excitement which usually attends
the contest between the great political
parties whose members espouse and ad-
vocate with earnest faith their. respec-
tive creeds. The circumstances were
perhaps in no respect extraordinary,
save in the closeness aud the consequent
uncertainty 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 count
ing of the Electoral votes should be re-
ferred to the decision of q tribunal ap
pointed for this purpose. That tribunal,
established by law for this sole purpose.
its members all of them men of long es.
tablisbed reputation for integrity and
Intelligence, and with the exception oi
those who are also members of the Su.
preme judiciary, chosen equally from
both political parties, its delibera
ticn enlightened by the research and the
arguments of sble counsel was entitled tC
the fullest confidence of the American
people. Its decisions have been pa
tiently waited for and accepted as le
gally conclusive by the general judg
ment of the public. For the present
opinion will widely vary as to the wis
dom of the several conclusions an
nounced by that tribunal. This is II
be anticipated. In every instance wher,
matters of dispute are made subjects o.
arbitration under the forms of law
human judgment is never unerring ant
is rarely regarded as otherwise thar
wrong by the unsuccessful party il
the contest. The fact that tw,
great political parties have il
this way settled dispute in regard t,
which good men differ as to the law, n,
less than as to the proper course to b'
pursued in solving the question in con
troversy, is an occasion for general re
joicing. Upon one point there is entir'
unanimity in public sentiment-tna
conflicting claims to the Presidenc,
must be amicably and peaceably adjus
ted, and that when so adjusted the
general acquiescence Of the natior
ought surely to follow. 1t hai
been reserved for government
of the PEOPLE, where the righ
| of suff,aoa Ia nm; varaal IN rive the wor L.