Year: 1876

| HO3CGFd, lion. Jos. III. HGoieY, and


others, Committee Of the Republican
National ConUeation


GENTLEMEN In reply to your official
communication of June II, by which | am
informed of my nomination for the Office of
President of the United States by the Re
publican National Convention, at Cincinnati,
[ accept the nomination with gratitude,
hoping that, under Providence, | shall be
able if elected to execute the duties of the
| high office as trust for the benefit of all
the people. [ do not deem it necessary to
enter upon an extended examination of the
declaration Of the principles made by the
convention The resolutions are in accord
with my views, anG [ heartily concur in
the principles they announce In several
of the resolutions, however, questions are
considered which are of such Importance
that [ deem it proper to briefly express my
convictions in regard to them. The fifth
resolution adopted by the convention is of
paramount interest. More than forty years
ago a system Of making appointments to
Office grew up based upon the maxim "to
the victors belong the spoils." The rule,
the true rule, that honesty, capacity and
fidelity constitute the only real qualifca-
tions for Office, ard that there is no other
claim, gave place to the idea that party
services were to be chiefly considered All
parties in practice have adopted this system


1t has been essentially modified since its
first introduction. 1t has not, however,
been improved. At first the President,
either directly or through the heads Of de-
partments, made all the appointments. But
gradually the appointing power in many
cases passed into the control of members of
Congress. The offices in these cases have
become, not merely rewards for party ser
vices, but rewards for services to party
leaders This system destroys the indie
pendence of the separate departments of
the Government 1t tends directly to cx-
travagance and official incapacity 1t is a
temptation to dishonesty. 1t hinders and
impairs that careful supervision and strict
accountability by which alone faithful and
efficient public servants can be secured. 1t
obstructs the prompt removal and sure
punishment Of the unworthy. In every
way it degradcs the civil service and the
character of the Government. 1t is felt,
am confident, by large majority of the
members Of Congress to be an intolerable
burden and an unwarrantable hindrance to
the proper discharge of their legitimate
duties. 1t ought to be abolished. The re-
form should be thorough radical, and com
plete We should return to the principles
and practices of the founders Of the Govern
ment, supplying by legislation when needed
that which was formerly ly an established Gus
tom. They neither expected nor desired
from the public officer any partisan service.
They meant that public officers should OWL
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 remains untarnished
and the performance of his duties satisfac


tory If elected, [ shall conduct the ad


ministration of the Government upon these
principles, and all constitutional powers
vested in the Executive will be employed
to establish this reform. The declaration
of principles by the Cincinnati Convention
makes announcement in favor of single
Presidential term. [ do not assume to add
to that declaration, but believing that the
restoration of the civil service to the sys
tenn established by Washington and followed
| by the early Presidents can be best accom-
plished by an Executive who is under nc
temptation to use the patronage OF his of
f flee to promote his own reelection, [ desire
to perform what regard as duty in stat
ing now my infexible purpose if elected
not to be candidate for election to a Sc
cond term. On the currency question
have frequently expressed my views in pub
lie, and | stand by my record on this sub.
ject. [ regard all the laws of the United
States relating to the payment Of the pub,
lie Indebtedness, the legal-tender notes in
cluded, as constituting pledge and moral
obligation of the Government which must
in good faith be kept. 1t is my conviction
that the feeling Of uncertainty inseparable
from an irredeemable currency, with its
fuctuation Of values, is one of the great
obstacles to revival of confidence and bust


ness and to return Of prosperity. That
uncertainty can be ended in but one way


the resumption of specie payment but the
longer the instability connected with our
present money system is permitted to con
tinue the greater will be the injury inflicted
upon our economical interests and ''all clas


ses of society. If elected shall approve
every appropriate measure to accomplish
the desired end, and shall oppose any steT
backward. The resolution with respect tC
the public-school system is one which should
receive the hearty support of the Ameri


can people Agitation upon this subject is
to be apprchended until by constitutions


amendment the schools are placed beyond
all danger of sectarian control or interfer


ence. The Republican party is pledged tc
secure such an amendment. The resolu
ton Of the Convention on the subject oi
the permanent pacification of the country
and the complete protection of all its citi


zens in free enjoyment of all their constitu


tional rights is timely and of great import