New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-10-29
ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM THE GREAT
POLITICAL QUESTION.


at the Aea1emp Of Music Brooklyn.
FEIIowcfTng,s: appear before you tonight labor
ing under the great disadvantage OF being In measure
At least the necessary theme OF my own DISCOURSE am
one OF the candidates upon whose qnalhcat'ons iof
the Office OF Secretary Of you TO pass ON Tues
day next, and cannot comply with the invitation OF
your committee TO address you tonight without taking
chiefly about myself was never before candidate TOT
any important Office. have held two or three positions
Of some dignity in my lifetime but they to me Nm
solicited and unexpected. now candidate, now
ever by my own free choice, and viii tell you frankly
that desire to be elected, and II is my cher purpose In
coming here tonight to tell ron why This an pre-
pared 70 do with entire franness, and without any re-
serve or hesitation; because think my reasons are
your reasons, motives arc your motives, anu my
hopes your hopes
When speak Of my being q candidate Of my own free
choice ard of desiring elected. do not rnisunder
stand rue. With my nomination ut Syracuse, rendered
in such fat.ering manner. bad nothing TO 10 ii
You wish know why the Convention saw Mt 10 place
my name at the head OF your State ticket must re1er
You for such information to your own delegates ana
your own press, who are perhaps more responsioio
than anybody else for that result These gentlemen
and tho Convention, however. having deliberately
decided IN their minds that cond be more use
m In the position which they have proposed 10 assign To
me- cheerfy deferred TO their Judgment and shall do
al can both before and after the election 10 vdica'e
It, In taking this Dornation from 'hc 'on'cn'ion ~
syracuse fnd have incurred charge which, after
having served the purposes OF partisan press Tor week
or two acoucd consequence, If not dignity, by being
warmed over and served Zip at the hands OF
United States This charge IL tnot accepeu
position on Canal Investigating Commission from
Coy. Tildcu as Republican, that subsequently, CO
eted with the Republican party for its nomination AZ
Saratoga; and, finally that for selfish ends ocSefc'
declining party for growing one.
Now fc,oy-citizons in the first place [ never ac-
cep,ed any position the hands OF Coy 1fidcn rs IKE
publican If what had done while serving III the ranks
or on the staf. Of the Republican party COM
meDded me ~ the Governors confidence and 10 Inc con
fdence OF any other 81 tho Senators who ratified his
nomination inst so far they inay have regarded
me ms a Republican. Bat never supposed the nomihs
tion was rendered to me political grounds, and
cha,leuge any TO produce particle OF c'loence '
I ever accepted the position political grounds. MY
understanding that the Governor wanted non
partisan Commission. He knew full well that " fraud"
il mo-, naitIsan lie wanted Commission thai would
not be influenced hy political considerations in the inyo'
LEGATIONS they had 10 make h. wanted the truth and he
wanted flat truth spread before the pnoiic IN
way to command is entire confidence For tha purpose
II WAS necessary that his Commission should be com
POSED not Of partisan Democrats and two PARTISAN
Republicans, but that 1t should DE eonpo7o"
of men Who in the discharge OF that duty
world be neitner Republicans Democrats. who
would have single eye to the business FOR which
.ey were selected. lie knew that was ont OIL piDIc
life; that mad political aspirations nor any amo
ons that could moi consult effectively in the quiet
and reposc OF my home than in any pubic STATION
of whatever dignity JIe knew that the other three
members of the Commission were equally free rom 20
iitieal eptanglemens and partisan aspirations And
fllow-citizens let here that IN this respect
NJ least the public voice has ratified his choice Ibere
is not Press believe, in The whole state that had
not borne testimony to the impartiality win wiuch
our Commission has conducted that investigation
Whatever may be said Of our work in ctner respects
Challenge any one mpesoh the absolute freedom oil
our investigation from arly suspicion Of political bias or
OF partisan partia,ties | may add that ts TASK mas
been rendered comparatively easy by the moro IMAM
Roman rmucss Of the Governor, Who from the very IN
cepfion Of work, has manifested nut ihe one Ton
trolling desire 10 know the truth the whole etth ana
nothing hut the truth in regard to the management Of
the canals Upon his frnEess we relied. AID to MS nrm
ness and s;atesmanlike fah in the ultimate triumph Of
what i, night il "a no doubt due mainly, II not entirely
that this Investigation has not proved like dozens OF DINER
canal investigations before 1T, only another political
lightning conductor contriyed to carry the wrath OF the
indignant taxpayers o. the country nnocuousy into the
bowels Of the earth.
RVPJ BIICAN OvHRTURTS NOT INVITED.
Now os to The oyertures made to by the members
Of the Saratoga Convention. II any says that did
ANYTHING 20 invite such oycruTes; any one says tlai
neglect ID to DO anything that proper anu becoming
to dis couraee those who made them any one says th
the tact that such ovcrtures were made obtained public
y through auy other channels than the parties at Sara
toca whoever they were who al the bottom OF
that intrigue. they say what is false No one who
prrtends to have been n party 10 any condolences
with inc upon the subject OF domination from the
Republican invention has, so far as know, iniiisloi
any authority for such allegations. and do not propose
to be provoked By the scandalOu uteancos Of two OF
hon tf.uatl tint
ances acquire to lie clothed in the senatorial
dialect To violate any of the privileges attaching TO
private and friendly conversation. content myself
with sayng that in every way consistent WITH my
respect the Large number OF friends who were 20
assemble at Saratoga. aud the much larger number
whom they represented. discouraged the oyertures
that were made. declined them promptly,I declined
them Internationally. stated that was engaged in
work where supposed was and might continue to
be useful that work required that the relation be
tween my self and the Executive, well between
self and the other members IT the Commission should be
one OF entire and mutual confidence that such relations
could not subsist the Executive and any cand
date on the Republican ticket; and that In accept
ing such a nomination would not only
Justly lay myself open to tho suspicion
Of trading upon popularity with which the
Governors policy had TO no uncomfortable ex
tent invested the Commission, but would lay myself
omen further to charge OF betraying both the Gov
and the Commission 10 ils enemies Nhen asked
10 ressrve my decision for reflection and consultation,
stated most unquanedly thai wanted no lime for re
acction; that did wish to confer with any
did require anybody's advice question involving so
clearly my personal honor.
ALWAYS A DEMOCRAT.
But the grnyest of my ofenses charged Is yet TO he
staed accepted tho nomination Of Democratic Con
yenton and all the time Democratic wolf in
Republican clothing This charge has just enough truth
1 hei rid ia r an
ALWAYS been Democrat least have always intended
10 he the first Presidential vote ever cast for
Martin Van Buren,. 1 not aware that ever cast
vote since which did not believe 10 have been In prn
cpIe Democratic. / intended always to vote for
whom I thought best calculated to represent