Hendricks Letter

Injuanapoliíj, Ilkïi, -Tíily 4, 187O. Gentlemeíí: I havo the honor to ai JlfnoV11'' the receipt of yoür cominunication in which y'ott havo forninliy notiïlcd Die of my uomination by the NationM Democratie Convcntion at St. Louis, aé tf'ii' '-"lidiante for tho office of Vico President of tlie United Ctíiie?; ít is a nomin&tion which I had iHithrr expected nor dkei'ed, Una fel I recognize and appreciate the high honor dtíne tpo.bf the con vontion. The cholee of nucti a bouy, bid pronounced with BUCb uuuhiial unanimity. and accompanied with so gencrous an exp reasion of estconi and cmifideuoo, ought to ontwelgh. all merely prmn:ii desires and Jh-cfefcnct:' of my own. It is with thls fet-Nog, and I tiKHf., iASth frrtti - iloi-t) pense of public duty, li-:it I nów accept the i!..jUiifllion, and Bhall abidethe judgitiftuf of iuy country mên. It wotild have been ittirfrf.Mc. fWr rrïe to necf-pt the noralnatinn if I could not ticaitil, iiMÍore th platform oí tH'. ;mvention. I ain ratiiiod, ihtJreïofè, to ho abln nn aiiivucallv to declare, that Eiriee la the JrJnciplep, ntui Hynrr&thixe with the purposes cuncciated in tliat pmtioi i-1. Üie 'njitMufiouB of our couutry have bem Koreiy tried uy tíín fíigeMcs of civil waf, and aince ,tlio pcace by ;i sellinii ttíla t'Truift lííanagement of DUbUc affaire which has shanied Oj bezore civiïi.i'rt tnanblnd. By nuwisoandpartial Icprislation, cvery iiulustry and interest of' tlie pnople bas boen ñiade to suffer, and in the fxecutive (lepartnicute of the tcvefuuuint flinhoucsty, rapacity, and venaiity Kavo dfebanclitl Üte nwWlc ervice. Men hnown ttf be Ttnortiï j íiáve fïeeü pt'fnuAú, whtlst others have Lecii obgra&d fot fiaelity io o'ïïcial duty. Pablic ot'uCt í'aí bcísn dado íhe meaíns of ptlYate proftt, and the coimtrV !$ bèéiï ofndcd to 8öe a class of men who boaat th? ii'i?li'3ft'iip Öf fho ƒ worii protectors of the Btate amassin fortUní1? riy &cf randing tho public treasury and by oorrilpÜog ttx Bervants of tbc people. In Buoh a crisia of the hietory of the country, I rejoico that tho conventioi: at Si. LiitiiA :&$ 80 nobly ral&cd the standard oí reform. Kothiu íV.n w WtfJ] "witjj bb or witli our affairs until the public cuí!st'íKii'V;f;hotlíed by tlip enormona evil and abnsoa which prcrvaiJ, RÍiSil Mvc demanded and conipelled an nuBparintj reformatiou of our national adminintration in it,n head ald in its meihoerd!, In such a reformation t'no removal of a single officer, even the ?reaident, ia oomparatively a trifling matter, ïf the eyötein tvbicli he representí", and whicli has foetered Uim as lie has ftfBtored it( is auffefed to remnin, the l'reeident alone must not ha Inad the ftcapegoat for the euormitiea of the öyötem bich infecta the public servioe and threatens tho deSLfuctiön of our inntitiii tions in some respects. I hold tüat the píeseíit ExCcutiífí has been the victim ra-ther than the auth r of that vic'ioTis ystoni; the CongreB&ional and party leaders have been sironpor than the President. No onc man could h;ivc crcaíeu ií nd thñ removal of lio one man can amend it. It is lhoroííghv corrupt, anl must be swept remorsclcssly by the eeleciiuïi of a goyernment compoRcd of etëmenti cntirely ncw and pledged to radical reform. Tlie first vork of reform raust evideiitly be the rcatoration of the normal operation of the constitución of the United Statefl with L.H its amendmeutfi. The necessitiea of war cannot be pkaded in timp of pcaco. Tho right of local self-government, guaran t eed by the constitutiniij Ettust be evetywhere rostored, and tlie centralized- almost personal - fmperialisxn which has been practised muat be done away with, or the first principies of tho republicaii gorernmeut rill be lost. 0"r ñnancial system of expedienta mïiRt bo re fortned. Gold and ilver are the roal Standard of valúen, and our utional currency will not be a perfect medium of exchang nntil it shall be convertible at the pleasnro of the heldert As I have heretofore aaid, no oue desire a return to ipecie payments more carneatly than I do; but I do not l)eliee ít will or can be rearhod in harmony with the Interest of tho pooplo by artificial measures for the contraction of the currency, au y more than I believe that wealth or permanent prosperity can be created oy an inflatiou of curren;y The laws of ftnance caDnot be disregarded with ïmpunity, The financtal pollcy of tho Government, if, indce-d, it deserves the name of pohcy at ;i!l, bas been in disregard of tbese laws, and, the ro f ore, haB disturbed the commercial and busiutsa confldence, as well as iiindercd a return to specie payment. One feature oí that pplioy ;is tho rosumption claxiae of tho et of 1875, which has embarraased the country by the antifiipation of a compylsory resum}tiou for which no jiroparation had been niadc and without any as.surance that it would bc i"ricticablo. Iherepealof that clauae is necessary, tbat the natural operation of fniaucial laws niay be rcftirti(l ; that the busineps of the country may be relieved f rom its difiturblng and depressiug influcncet and that a return lo specie payments may be facititatod by the substitution of wiser and more prudent leielation which shall mainly rely on a judicious pystcm of public ecouomies and oillcial rctrembmebts, and above all on the promotion of prosperity in all tho industries of the people. I do not uuderstand the rejieal oí the resumption clause of tho act of 1875 to be a backward step in our return to specie payments, bxit the reoovcry of a false Btep, and although the nptal may for a time be prevented, yettho determinatiou of the Democratie party on the subject bas been distinctly deciared : ' Thero Phould be do hüidrancc put in the way of a return of specie payments. As suoh a hindrauce," says tbc" platform of the St. IjOiiíb Convention, " We denolineo Iho resuinptíon clauflo of 1875, and detuaud lts repeal." I thoroughly believe tliat, by public: cconomy, by oflicial retrcnchments, and by wise finance enabliiig B to aeeuinulato the prceious metal, roRumption at an cari y period ia possible, without pruduclug an artificial searcity of eurrenoy, or disturbin-j public or commercial credit, aud that these rcforms. together with tho restoration of pure coveinmeut, will restore general conñdence, eucourago tlie ii.-ifu] investinent of ra; it;i!, furmsh einploywent to labor, and relieve the paralysis of hard times. Wifch the industries of the people there havo bef n freijuont intorfereiiees. Our platform trui y gayn that many industries have been impovcrishod to siibBídizo a few. Our eommerce has been detfraded t an inferior poeUion on the high soae, maiutyctuxea have been dixnimshcd, agricultitro has oéen embarrarse ü, and tho di&tress of tli fiaduBtrial fliifscs il iiunuls thiit llu'so thiugs Bhall bo rcformcd. The burdeuB of tho peoplo must also bc lightencd by a ffrriit QhailgQ iu OttT system cf public expenses, '1 hr proflígate í'xpenditures which increased taxalion f rom $3 per capita iü I8G0 to $18 in 1870 tcllsita Öwn Ktory of our eed of fiscal reform. Our treaties with foreign powers phould aleo he revlsed and amended in so far as they leave citizens of foreign birth in any pirticiilar Icbs secvre in auy country on oartli than thcy woolcl bfi if they had been i)oru upon our own soil, and the lniquitona coolie eystem, which, throuii the agency of wi-althy compank'h, importa Chinewe boudmou aml i'stublishrs ;i RpecietB of fUavcry aud interferes with tbe jnet rcwarrÏH of labor on ouv Pacific coast, ehould be utterly alvolished. In tlui reform of our civii sorrlqe I most hoartily indorse that soction of tho platform which declaren tbat tho civil Bervice ouht not to bc subject to change at evcry elnction. and that it ought not to bc1 m.uïe the brief reward of partv zeal, but it oiight to be awardfd for provftd competrncy and hcM tor fldelity in the public einploy. I hope uover agaiu to neo the cruel and remorsplesa jiroscription for pólitrcal opininiiB whicli luis diSgrsced the admini-stration of the laat eifiht yoars. liad a the civil service now ia, ft all kuow. it h;is somo men óf tried intogrity and proved ability. Such men and bucIi men only sbould bo retained iii ofllóe, but nu man ehould ha roiitined OB any contüderation who Uae prostituted his oflico tí) the purpoRC of partiBan intimidation or compulsión, ur who han furnished mouey to corrupt the elections. ThiH is dono and has beon done in almost cvery county of the land. Itisablight npcm the moráis of tho country and ought to be reformrd. Of spctional contentions, and in respect to our cominon HChools, 1 hn-ve only t his to tay: That in my jiKlgmeut tho man or party that would involve our schools in politioal or MOHttáfi controvorsy is au onemy to tïio cliotfiit. The coiuuiou schools aro bo far under the fowtcring care of all the peoplo, rtherthan luulf-r the oontfol i any party r Keet. JThey iuiiPt bc ucilhor sectarian nor partisan, and jiere must.be neilher división or misappropríaUou of tlio í "undH for thoir support. LJkewtoe Irjgaidül uwm who would arouso or 'okIct BOÓUODal auinioKitieH and intaoiufims among lis countrTinen as a dangerous enemy to hls country. All the pooplo must be made to feej and know that ouee more thcre ia efitabliehed a purpose and policy imdor which all citizeiis uf cvi-ry i-ouilition, ■ace and color will bc secure in tho enjoymentof tt'hatevor rights the oö&stXttltion vnd laws declare jt rocojfni2et anl that in controverieB.thatmaj' iriec tho Government is not a parüqan, but within ts conetitutioual anthority tne jnt and powerful ;uardian of their righle aud aafety. AU the strife jetwecn the races and sfctious will cease as oon as In.' powor f"r evil is taïtWl away from a party who nako jiDhtical ain out o{ üt'-t lus of vioif-nce and jloodshed, and the constitutional authoriiy is ïlaced in tho hands of men whose politica! welfare equirqa Ibat poac and good order hall bc proerved everywlierO It will be been, f-:entU'mon, that I am in entiw acord wi:li the platform of conventlon by which i ïavo been üdnnnawd :l i a candidate for tho ofnee of iet; President of the United BtBtu, J?cruiit niu, 1:1 ■■HK-hisiiiii, u ( xpross my fistisfac(ou at oeftlg asftociatèd with a candidato for tho Jríídoncy who is iirst axnong hi equalR as a repreentatiyo of the Bpirit or of tuc acbleveinent oí reonn. ïn'liis official oafeéï afl tho ExooutlYe 4f the Tcat Stato of Nrw York, he has, iu a coiuparativcly hort pcrioil, raf oimd t'.n publio ser1ce and re!nced tbc public birrden eo as tohaveoarnedat onco mc Rratitmlo of his Btate aud tho admiration )f tho cqnutry. l he pepple ltinv bino to be l ;nrmjihly in earnest. JU; ha shown hfniaflf to be ïossoi-scel wilh powors which üt him in au eminent legree for the grcatworlc of refürmatlon which this otuHry now ïufdp, and if he hall bechoHcn by tne icoplo to the bjgh oiüco of L'rrïdein. of the United ïtatos, T belii Hiat tho day of his Inaugiirauoil vtll be the lieginiiliip of a iww fera of peiBei piirity md proKptirity in all Uitíiitiaenis il' our (Jiivurnncut. I am, Kenth'i:;!!, youróbedièni Bervaut, Thomas a. HundutokÍi IÏoh. -T. A, McCluuüud, ObftlnaiDj uuil othpi-s, oí tho OommittMof tiic ?itinmi Oeuip' ■íUOñ, '