Year: 1876




stand by Hayess


This is a reform canvass, and, of cou,se,
everybody is for reform Wehave yet to lind
the man who is opposed to it. The Presi-
dent is for reform and has always said SO.
Mr.. Bristow, Mr.. Jewell and Mr. Pratt are
for reform. The illustrious fugitive, Will
lam NJ. Tweed, always professed that he
was a reformer Mr.. John Morrissey wanted
to reform Tammany, and Mr.. John Kelly
would like to reform Mr. Morrissey. Gen
eral Butler is notoriously for reform, and
thus is in perfect accord with Charles Francis
Adams and George William Curtis. When
We turn to our Western statesmen we find
even Sitting Bull earnestly for reform, which
he proposes to effect by removing General
Terry, General Crook, General Gibbon and
other offensive officers of our army from
their present positions. We rejoice in this
general enthusiasm for what is so much
needed, and honor these great and good
citizens for the almost reckless energy
with which they advocate this abstract
principle. 1t shows that at the beginning





to reform, happy and united people But
these rejoicings must be moderated when
We ask what reform means; and, unfor-
tunately, these gentlemen seem to hold very
different opinions of it's nature. Just now
the President appears to think that the
meaning of reform is revenge. Mr.. Tweed
thought he was a reformer when he captured
six or seven millions of dollars from the
city, and Mr.. John Kelly went for reform
when he opposed Mr.. Tilden at st. Louis,
and is equally strong for reform now that
he supports him. Sitting Bull has ideas
of Indian reform very different from those
of General Sheridan. So we are compelled
to demand of all these eminent gentlemen
something more than merely abstract devo-
ton to virtue. We wish to know what they
mean by this vague word reform" and how
they propose to get it. This is question
which the people earnestly and especially
address to their Presidential candidates.


General Hayes, in his letter of acceptance
of the republican nomination, has not dealt
solely with distractions but has on some
points clearly defined his intentions. 1t is
to his honor that he has positively and in
irrevocable terms declared that if he is
elected President nothing can induce him to
be candidate again. There was nothing
in the republican platform that required him
to give this unexpected pledge to the coun-
try. The Cincinnati Convention had shown
itself afraid to touch the question of re-eec-
ton, and was unwilling to pass one term
resolution, which would have been rightly
construed as condemnation of Grant
Unfettered as he was by any advice from the
republican party, General Hayes might have
plausibly declined to step off its platform to
ground which it was too cautious to occupy,
and thus have kept his chances for second
term of Office open for the future But he
saw that there is something outside Of plat
forms, and what the Convention was too
timid to do for the party he had the cour-
whether this pledge was due to political
shrewdness or to manly frankness, or to
both, but we do know that in giving it Gen
eral Hayes has struck the heart of the peo-
pie. without it his letter, with all its
merits, would have been an ordinary docu-
ment, merely reafirming principles which
nobody would dare to deny. But the one
term pledge gives the whole letter backbone,
and necessarily strengthens every other
declaration that is made. The faith of the
people in the sincerity Of General Hayes
desire to enforce general reform is increased
by the allegiance he has sworn to this spe-
cific reform. 1t is more than profession
that he has thus made--it amounts to the
dignity Of an act, for no matter what might
happen should he be successful he is pro-
hibited by his own words from ever being
candidate for that Office again. If Mr.. Hayes
is elected he WILL no doubt, repeat this pledge
in his inaugural address, as General Harr-
son did after making q similar one at the
outset of his canvass. Harrison, in that in
augural, after expressing his regret that at
tempts to amend the constitution as to re-
eligibility had not succeeded, went on to
say:-'As, however, one mode of correction
is in the power of every President and con-
sequently in mine, it would be useless and
perhaps invidious to enumerate the evils
of which, in the opinion of many
of our fellow citizens, this error of the
sages who framed our constitution may have
been the source, and the bitter fruits which
we are still to gather from it if it continues
to disfgure our system" II give my aid to
the desired object by renewing the pledge
heretofore given, that, under no circum-
stances, will 1 consent to serve a second
term" We expect TO see similar passage