The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-10-01
Judge Pershing's Acceptance,
HIS INTERPRETATION OF THE ERIE PL

HIS INTERPRETATION or THE ERIE Plat
FoRM-llE WILL NOT RESIGN.
PoTrsvILLE, Penna., September %, 1879.
GENTLEMEN | am in receipt ofyour COM
muncation of the 18th inst. informing me
of my nomination for the Office of Governor
by the Democratic State Convention, which
met ut Erie ON the Sth inst. | avail myself
of the earliest time of relief from judicial
duties to reply. The issues which so long
divided the people of the State and nation
have lost much of their former Importance; /;
many of them have been permanently settled
by constitutional amendments. OF those
who were politically opposed to each other
during the war, thousands have formed new
political relations. In the South the Repub-
lican party is now a powerful organization,
and constitutes the majority in some of the
States. Among its membership are found
those who were conspicuous leaders in the
Confederate army, and who are now in pos
session of lucrative offices conferred upon
them by the National Executive. New issues
are now presented for the consideration of
the people. The question of the currency is
attracting the attention of the thoughtful
minds of all parties Its final settlement
rests with Congress and the President. The
legal-tender issue has become incorporated
lliNp iIlt uuoiutSS Vi tlt NbullIN anu llS Nbl-
stitutionaity has been affirmed by the Su-
preme Court of the United States. | am
opposed in its true sense to imitation, and
initiation is not demanded by the Erie plat
form. The platform stands opposed to any
further contract ion of the currency at this
time of financial distress, when our work
shops, mills and manufactures are closed
and thousands of men willing to work are
out of employment. To expand the volume
of the currency when the people are incur
ring debts and rapidly contract it when the
time for payment has come will prove ruin
Gus to every business enterprise The at
tempt to force the country to resumption
of specie payments under the provisions of
the act passed by the last Congress, will only
intensity the distress which now everywhere
prevails We must cease exporting gold to
pay interest on our Indebtedness abroad before
specie payments can safely be resumed.
favor such volume of currency as the leg
itmate demands of business and the revival
of the industries of the country may require.
Experience will best determine this, and it i.
to be hoped that an adequate standard or test
for regulating the amount of currency, may
be established by our representatives in Con-
gress. ] will only add that | adhere to the
doctrine always held by the Democratic party
hat gold and silver constitute the true basis
for bank-note circulation. This presents a
question different from that of paper cur
rency that is of itself made by the sover-
eign power legal-tender and therefore
money.
l will regard it as my highest duty should
the action at Erie be ratified by the people
to meet the demand for reform in the State
government. The taxes paid into the sink
ing fund have steadily decreased the State
debt. 1t is well known, however, that for
years past large amounts belonging to the
sinking fund have been diverted from it
and applied to other purposes than the pay
ment of the debt of the State. The effect
of this is to leave large Indebtedness, the
payment of which, with the accruing interest
has to be provided for by taxation, which, in
many cases, operates oppressively ON the
mining and other industries of the State.
The faithful appropriation of the public
moneys to the purposes for which they were
paid into the Treasury by the people, would
have lessened the amount of taxation now
required when business interests are 50 gem
orally PROSTATE. Not only should the taxes
paid into the sinking fund be promptly and
honestly applied to the payment of the State
debt, but the condition of the Treasury
should be open to the inspection of the
peoples representatives. The monthly bal
ances in the Treasury, frequently very large,
should be used for the benefit of the people,
and rot converted into source of private
gain to the State Treasurer. To distribute
the funds of the Treasury over the State in
banks on such terms as will most advantage
not the taxpayer, but the officer having
them in charge, is to establish Il system at
once corrupt and dangerous. Reform by
holding all public officers to strict account
ability, by dispensing with supernumary
officers, and reducing expenses to the lowest
practicable amount, thus relieving the people
as much as is possible from the burden Of
taxation, should be regarded as objects of
chief Importance on the part of the EXecu-
tive, Labor, the foundation of our pros
perity, should be amply rewarded, and to
this end such legislation as is just to the la
borer as well as the employer should be en-
acted.
Abiding by the action of the convention in
its nominations and declaration of principles,
| accept the nomination rendered me with a
due sense of the responsibilities involved in
IN election to the Gubcrnatoral chair The
nomination has come to me unsought. 1t
found me busily engaged in the discharge of
the judicial duties intrusted to me by the
people of the Twenty-frst Judicial district
Yielding to what appears to be their unanm-
Gus expression of opinion, do not propose to
tender my resignation to the Governor and
solicit votes from the stump. The issues are
well understood, and | have faith in the in
telligencc of the people to decide them.
Should they see proper to call me from my
present position to a still higher one, will
endeavor to serve them faithfully. To the
people Of the State leave the decision of
the conlest believing that He who rules the
mil Of Stnt u,,,il iIn t, thnt