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Mr. Tilden's Better Of Declination

Mr. Tilden's Better Of Declination image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
June
Year
1880
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Ata meatin ; oí' Wie New TorÜ dWogation on Mónd&j the follovi Lng lotter Crom Mr. s. .J. Tilden declining a tiomLuatiön was read by Mr. Wtekhamof N. Y. City: _ , . . NewTobk, June l, 1880. 10 the delesnte nroTn tlie State of líew York and tolh' Democratie Nnüniiai ('.mveniion: Your lirst assembling is an occasion 011 which it is proper for me to state to vuil my relation to the nomination the Presideucy, which yon ,u yonr associales are commissioned tomake in licliall' f tile DiMlloriMl nal I a nt i ha Dniíed States. ' qa e.irly years n an re Illed wiih tniditions of the war wl cl our nati i pendence, and of the stnigglea w nimio our continental system .-i go ernment for the peónle bj the ii ople, i learned to 'dolí , ion i oí' m 'oniiiiy a. ! was edúcate I to belie the dufy of a citizen oí therepublic to :ake his fair allotment of care and '7'1'1" in public affairs. 1 fulfllled thatduyto thenestof myability loi forty reara as a private citizen. Altihough duríog al] in life givingatteasl a 111. íu i thought to public aSairs as to a other objects, I have never accep'ted oílicúil 9 rvioe exceüi for a brief period. lor a sp cml purpose and only w hen the occasioü ■'enicii 10 requireof me that sacrifice of private preferences to public inU;n;sis. My litv iris been substantiallythajt of a private citizen. Il was, i presume, the success of the efforts in whieh as a private citken I hadsharedtooverthrow a rorrupt combination then holding doiniiüoü in our metropolis, and to purify the jndicjary, which had beeome ita tooi, thaiinduoed the Democracy of öie State in 1874 to nomínate me for Gover nor. Thia vras done in siuteof the proteste of a rrjinority that the art I had borne in th ose reforma had oreated an antíigonism Fatal to hkj as a eandidate. I feit constrained to accept tlie nomination ic' the must certaiu means of putting the power of the gubernatorial office on the side of reform, and of removing the impression, wherever it prevailed, that the faithful discharge of one'a rïutv as a nitíznn is fatal lo Iiis usefulness as a public servant. The breaking up of the canal ring, the better management of our public woiks. the large reduction of luxes and other reforma, accomplisked dunng my administraron, doubtless occasioned my nomination for the Presidency by the Democracy of the ÍTnfon, iu the hope that similar processea would be applied to the Federal Government. Fniin the responsibiUties of such undertaking, asit seemed to me ! did nol feel al Liberty to shrink in the canvass whicnensued. The Democratie party represented reform in the administration of tho Federal Government, and a restoration of our complex pomical system to (lie pure ideas of its fouaderSi Upon these issues the people of the United States, by a majority of more than a quarter of a million chöse a majorit? of the doctors to cast tlieir votes for the Democratie candidates for President and Vicê-President. It is my righl and privilege here bo say that I was nominated and elected to the L'residency absolutely freefrom any engagement in respect to the exercise of its powere or the disposal of its patronage. Through the whole period of my relation to the Presidency I did everything u my power to elévate and nothing to loer the moral standing of parties. Bvwhat nefarious means the basis for a false coimt was laid in scveral of the States I need aot rerüe.- These are ïimvmaf1 r of history. abo1 which, no matter whatever divérsity of opinión may have axisted in either of the great parties of the country at the i time of their consiiminiition has since practieally disappeared. I refnsetl to ransom from the Returning Boards of the Southern States the documentair evidence, by the suppression of which, and by the substitution of fraiidirient and forged papera, a pretest wus made for tKe perpetratioD of a false coimt. ïbe constitutional duty of the two bouses of CongreS to count the electoral votes as cast. and to give effect to bhewill of the peplc as expressed by their suffrages was never fulflllod. ,ii Electoral Commteskm, fortheexisl ofwhieh I hftvfi nn rsrwnil :i;i, to il tilti two . . Cong i ated. It was Ui duty to make tlie coimt by a law enacting thal the connt of the comtnissioi s'iould stand as final, unless overruled by th:j concurrent action of the two Hóuaes. lts false count was not overruled, o wing to the oompüeity. of a Bepublican niajority of tbe oommissión. ( byite Republican uiajürity of eigüt to seven, the Electoral Comujission ed m the men nol eleetedbj fchepeople. That subversión of the election created a new issue for the decisión of the people of the Unitjd States, transeeiming in importance all questions of achniiri - tration. It involvprl tlip vital principie of self-gov eminent thronwh the elctions by the people. The immense growth of the means of corrupt influences over the ballot box, wbich is at the disposal of tlie party havinx possession of the Executive administration had already become a present evil and a great danger, tending to make the eleetioöB irresponsive to public opinión feampering the power of the people to ehange teir rulers aiiil eaaobiing the men holding the omoJiiaery of the government to continue and perpetúate their ijower. rt was my opinión in 1870 that the OjJpositton attempting to Chati ge the aflministration needed to include at least uyo-thirus or the voters at the opening of the canvase, In order to retain b tnajority at the electiinn. Tf after such obslacles liad been overeo lie and a majority of the pewpk. luid voted lo cliange the administra liitu of theirgovernment, the men in office Could slil! procure a fa'se count', founded u oi] frauda, per: juiles and forgeries, Pumshing a pretext of documèntary evidenee on which to base that f alsO count, and if suoh a transacíion were not only sucpossfn] but ji fter Htm allotmeril of its benefit were made to its contiivera, abettora and apologista by the eilief bcnclii-iary of the transaction,. it werc condoned by thepeople, a practical deHruction of electior by the people would have been iccomjflished. The, faflure t iustall the candidütes ohosen by the peöple, a ontingeücy consetjueiit upön no act r omission oí mine, and beyoïrd my ontrol, has thus left re for the last hvee years and until now, wlien the Democratie party by iís delégate in National Convention assemblee! shall clioose ;i new leader, the hivohmtaiy but necessary representativo of this Qementous issue. Assuchdenied the nununities of private, li f e, without 11 ie lowers conferred bv public station, subject to onceasing falaehoods and calumnies frow the [iartisans of an administration Laboring in vain to justify its existence, I have, nevertheless, steadfastly endeavored to preserve to the Democratie party of the United States the supreme issue bef ore the people for their decisión next November - wbether thiashall be a governnaent by the povereign people Enrou&h the electipns, or a ffovernment by discarded servante holding over by force and fraud, and I have withheld nosacriflee, and neglected no opportunity to uphold, orgatiize and consolídate against the enernres of the representative institutions of the great party whích alone underöod can effectually resist their overthrow. Having now borne faithfully my fnll share of labor and care in the public service, umi wearing the marks of its bufdena, l desire nothlng so mueh as an honorable discharge. I wish to lay down the honora and toüsof even quasi part; leadership, and toaseek repose of privatelife. In renouncïogthere-nomination and re-election indispensable to an effectualvindieation of therightof the people to elect their rulera violated ín my person, I have accorded as long a reserve of my decisión as posBible; luit [ can not overeóme my repugnance to enter into a new engagemi n1 which involvea fouryeare of eeaseless toil. Tbc dignityof the Presidential office is abovc :i merely personal ambition, but it creates in me no illwsion. lts valuéis asgreat a power for good t thé country. 1 said four y;-urs ago, in aceepting the nomination: "Kun as L do, therefore, trom ;i freeb expeneuco how great tiie dillerencu is ''ween Kli(litií;t1iriiiLrliím official routine ■ ■ id workinti out i reform of systems and policies, il is impossiblë forilleto contémplate what needs tobe clone in the Federal administration ithout au anxlous 8en,seol'the difficulties of thöundertaking. li1 summoaed by the sufCragesofmycountrymei] toattempl work, I shall endeavor, withGod'shelp tobe the -efficiënt instrument of their will. Sncli a work of ronovationaftermanv years of raisrule, such a refonn of systems and policies, tn wlitch I woúld mlly have sacrificerl all 1liai mamoa co me oi neiuth and life, is now, ! fear bevond in.v strength. VVitli imreigned thanks fot the lionors hestowerl upon me, with a heart swelling with emotions oi gratitude totí ratie masses for im support which thev have aven to the cause [ represented, and their steadfast confldence in everj emergenri . I remain, your fellow-citizen (Sigue,!) .SAMl'KLJ. TIL D EÍÍ. When Garfield was caught in the credit mobilier net lic engaged Judge Black of Pennsylvania, ademocrat, and one of the abléstlawyers in thiaeotmtiy to plead for iis acquittal. Mr. Black labored earnestly as he should,inbehali of his cliënt, and wrote a letter affirming his Innoeence, but unfortunatelj fpr i arfleld the reportof the. oommittee flnding him gnilty appeared three days later. WIhmi Mr. Black'a eqnnectfon wlth the case as Öarfleld's attomey, is underatood, 110 democrat will be influenced by his letter appeaHng in rgpuDiican newspapers wliicn are sfarewd enough to omit the ftict tliat Blaok was the proven guilty republican candidate's attorney, and duty to his ■liént trapelled hhn lo do all he couldto clear him. The natiopal holiday is close at hand nul many distinguished politicians are annoüncad to deliver oratiojis. It is a fine opportunity to display intellectual and oratorical ability. Why our catidídate for governor should neglect Ibis occasion to make capital we do not know. Pérhapa Lt's because he hasn't i received an invilation. Ilis oíd friends of Unadilla or Brighton, would honor themselves as well as the speaker by inviting htm to address them on the 4th, as executive duties may prevent acceptance so to do in S1 and '82. As a candidate oí' the prohibition party Neal Dow ísaworthy and consistent candidate. Long known as an anlcwt, tliorougli-going advocate of prohibition, the selection is an admirable one. ifow, if Mr. R. E. Frazer, locally and equally as earnestin the same canse was at all consistent, he would snpportDow for the presidency. Prohibition locally can be no better or worthier cause than prohibition nationajjy. But it is too much to expect from a man who ciianges his politics once in two or thrce years. The moral sense of the republican party lias beccme so blunted by a long careerof politlcal depravity that it is easily rallied to the support of any candidafe. When Greeloy, Sumner, Serrará, Ti-umbiill and Chase stood at its birth and guided its policy,it had a character that commeiidcd it somewhat to the public. 8ince these fathrs wereoblified to teave it to preserve their reputation. the organiza! ion has undergone a procesa of deterioration and now opens ifcg arms to welcomeany candidate without asking qneslions. Consisteacy t a rare jewel. At Chicasro t'ic repuWican nartï ríiolyed ir favor of civil service reform, inuoj iipim inotion of a delégate fromMassnchusetts Mr. Hayes' action in this respect. And the convention nominated Cfeeáter A. Arthur for vice-president, tlie man whom Hayes expelledfrom the New York custom hor.se for refusitig to obey civil service rules and who did all he could to bring civil service reform into disrepute. Is it any wonder tliat platforms are beeoming meaningless documenta when a great party thus stültifles itsclf?

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Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Argus