The Writings of Carl Schurz/To Rutherford B. Hayes, June 23d, 1876
TO RUTHERFORD B. HAYES
I hope the letter I mailed to you yesterday morning has reached you. I have since received information from different quarters, especially concerning the Germans East and West, their influential men and papers and the prevailing current of sentiment among them, which impresses me more than ever with the extreme importance of a broad, bold and striking declaration in your letter of acceptance of your own opinions and determined purpose in favor of a straightforward strong specie-payment policy, the purification of the Government and a non-partisan civil service with tenure of office on good behavior. Whatever the party press may say of the present state of public feeling, I know from the very best sources of information that there is among a very numerous class of citizens, naturally desiring to coöperate with the Republican party, so strong a distrust not only of the present Administration, but also of the influences which for years have controlled party politics on the Republican side, that only the strongest personal assurances of reform will keep them from looking for a change through a temporary success of the opposite party. There is no doubt your opponents will be shrewd enough to take advantage of this condition of things; and I believe your language in expressing your own true sentiments cannot possibly be too strong, direct and emphatic.
I pray you, do not consider me presumptuous in urging this matter so persistently upon your attention; for the public interest as well as your own appears to me so vitally concerned in it, that I should feel as if I failed in my duty did I remain silent. So I hope you will pardon me.
In pursuance of a resolution adopted by the independent conference of May last, I have called the executive committee appointed by that body to meet on the 30th inst., and your letter of acceptance will, I trust, furnish the text for an address to our constituents.