Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/149

 RUTHERFORD BIRCHARD HAYES 117 property, the evils of too much legislation, the obli gation to establish equal rights without regard to color, and the necessity of ratifying the 14th amendment to the federal constitution. In his message to the legislature, delivered in November, 1868, he recommended amendments to the election laws, providing for the representation of minorities in the boards of the judges and clerks of election, and for the registration of all the lawful voters prior to an election. He also recommended a com prehensive geological survey of the state, which was promptly begun. In his second annual message he warmly urged such changes in the penal laws, as well as in prison discipline, as would tend to promote the moral reformation of the culprit together with the punishment due to his crime. In June, 1869, Gov. Hayes was again nominated by the Republican state convention for the gov ernorship, there being no competitor for the nomi nation. The Democratic candidate was George H. Pendleton. The platform adopted by the Demo cratic state convention advocated the repudiation of the interest on the U. S. bonds unless they be subjected to taxation, and the payment of the na tional debt in greenbacks. In the discussion pre ceding the election, Gov. Hayes pronounced him self unequivocally in favor of honestly paying the national debt and of an honest money system. He was elected by a majority of 7,500. In his second