Hon. Wm. L. Webber's Acceptance

The followiug is tho letter of Hon. Wtn. L. Webber accepting the nouiiuation tor Governor : East Saqijïaw, Aug. 15, 1876. Hon. Geo. V. N. Lothrop, President Democratie Stato Conventiou : My Dear Sir - I beg loave to acknowledge the receipt of yoür letter informing me that at the cunvention, held in Detroit on the 9th inst., I reoeived the uuanirnous noiuication us a candidato for Goyernor on the Democratie State tic:kt. My personal preferenco would have been gratilied hitd the choioe of the conventian fallen upon sorae one other than myself. I have livtid long enough to kauw that official station cannot of itself coufer honor. It affjrds opportunities, and if the dutiea be performed wisely and well, the people will give respect and honor ; if otherwise, reproach aud dishonor. I know full woll tho cares and re8poii8ibilitie8 which an eleotion will impose and I do not court them. I recognize, however, the right of the people to cali any of their number to serve them in official station, and I accept the nomination. For the very nattering manner in which it was made, and for the kind terms in whioh you have officially advised me, I beg leave to return my thanks. But while accepting the nomination, in recognition of the principie above stated, I desire to say that I do not regard such acceptance as imposing any obligation upon me to labor for my own election, and Qousequently shall hold myself bound to labor in the political field only the same as any other citizen. 1 still hold to the opiuion, horetofore expressea, tnac me gooa ol ttie oountry would be subserved if candidates would work more efficiontly for the people after eleotion, rather than devote their time and strength in laboring for them8elve8 before election. The principies announced in the resolutions of the State Convention at Lansing in May last, those stated in the national platform adopted at St. Louis, and those in the resolutions adopted by the convention of the present inonth at Detroit, have my entiro concurrence. The theory upon which our republican governruent was foundod recognizi'S the people as the souree ot' all power and governments as instituted for their benefit and protection. On this theory offices are created' and officers chosen only to serve the best interests of the people. The officers thus elected have such power and duties only as are prescribed by law, and the exercise by them of powers not clearly conferred by law is a wrongful assumption of the prerogative of the people. De Tocqueville observes that " men are not oorrupted by the exerciso of power or debased by the habit of obedience, but by the exercise of a power which they believe to be illegitimate and by obedience to a rule which they consider to be usurped and oppressive." I believe this a sound proposition, and that the exercise of power not conferred by law is corrupting to those exorcising it, and obedience to such authority is debasing to the people ; and I canuot avoid the conclusión that the truth ot the proposition is demonstratod by the present condition of alf'airs. The protection of the law extends alike to all within its jurisdiction, and if the aduiinistration be praiseworthy the power of the State will be exerted tbr the proteotion of the rich and poor, the strong and the weak, and for the punishment of crimes ngainst tbetu, with equal firnmess and vigor. In the eye of the law all are equal. The " spirit of party," said by Washington in his farowell uddruss to bB the worst onemy of a popular govern inent, and against whioh he cautioned his eountrymen, prevails to an extent prejudicial to good governinent. In ordor that no oxpeotations rnay be disappointed I wish to say here that, should I be elected, I shall gtrive to oxercise the powere conferred by law on the Exucutivo in suca manuur as will best promote the general good, without thought whether this paity or that will be affected thereby. Very respectfully, WM. L. WEBBER.