Daily Kennebec journal., 1876-08-07
Hendricks Letter.
The following is Governor Hendricks letter ac
ccpting the nomination for Nice-Presidcnt -
LIN -. ILL.,

The following is Governor Hendrick 5 letter ac-
ccpting the nomination for Vice-Presidcut -
INDIANAPOLIS, July 81, 1876.
Geatlemea Il have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your communication in which you
have formally notified of my nomination by
the national democratic convention at st. Louis as
their candidate for the office of ce-President of
the Uuted States 1t is nomination which had
neither expected nor desired, and yet | recognize
and appreciate the high honor done me by the con-
vention. The choice of such body, pronounced
with such unusual unanimty and accompanied
with so generous expression of esteem and conf
dence, ought to outweigh all merely personal de-
sres and preferences of my own. 1t is with this
feeling, and, | trust also, from deep sense of
public duty, that | accept the nomination, and
shall abide the Judgment of my countIymen. 1t
would have been impossible for me to accept the
nomination if l could not heartily indorse the
platform OF the convention. | am gratifed, there
FORE to be able, uuequvocally, to declare that |
agree in the princ pies, approve the policies, and
sympathize with the purposes enunciatcd IN that
platform The Institutions of our country have
been severely tried by the exigencies of civil war,
and, since the peace, by selfish and corrupt man
agement of public affairs which has shamcd us
before civilized mankind. BY unwise and partial
legislation, every industry and interest of the peo
pie has been made to suffer, and in the executive
departments of the government, dishonesty, ra-
pacity and venality have debauched the public
service; men known to be unworthy have been
promoted, whist OtnciS nave Dccn ueSraucu LOT
fidelity to official duty. Public Office has been
made the means of private profit, and the country
has been offended to see class of men who boast
the friendship of the sworn protectors of the State
amassing fortunes by dcirauding the pubic treas
ury and by corruptinS the servants of the people
In such crisis of the history of the country, |
rejoice that the convention at st. Louis has SO
nobly raised the standard OF reform. Nothing can
be well with us with affairs until the public
conscience, shocked by the enormous evils and
hall demanded
compelled an unsparng reformation OF our nation
al administration in its head and in its members.
In such reformation the removal OF a single ot-
cer even the President, is comparatively trifing
matter if the system which he represents anu
which has fostcred him. is suffered to remain.
The President alone must not be made the scape-
goat for the enormities of the system which nfccts
the public service and threatens the destruction of
our institutions. In some respects hold that the
present executive has been the victim rather than
the author of that vicious system. Congressional
and party leaders have been stronger than the
President. No one man could have created IT,
and the removal of no one man can amend 1t. II
is thoroughly corrupt, and must be swept remorse-
lessly away by the selection of government com
posed of elements entirely new and pledged to
radical reform. The first work of reform must
evidently be the restoration of the normal opera
ton of the Constitution of the United States, with
all its amendments. The necessities OF war can.
|. not be pleaded in time of peace. The right OF
local self-government, as guaranteed by the Con-
stitution of the Union, must be everywhere re-
stored, and the centralized (amost personal) I'M
| periasm which has been practiced must be done
away with. or the first principles of the republic
| will be lost.
THE FINANCIAL PROBLEM.
Our financial system Of expedients must be re-
| formed. Gold and silver are the real standard OF
values, and our national currency will not be per-
feet medium of exchange until it shall be convert
| ible at the pleasure of the holder. AS l have
heretofore said, no one desires return to specie
payments more earnestly than do, but do not
believe that it will can be reached In harmony
with the interests Of the people by artificial meas
ures for the contraction of the currency, any more
than believe that wealth or permanent prosperity
can be created by an imitation of the currency.
| The laws of finance cannot be disregarded with
impunity. The financial policy of the government
| it, indeed, it deserves the name of policy at ALI
has been in disregard of those laws. and therefore
| has disturbed commercial and business confidence,
| as we'll as hindered return to specie payments
| One feature of that policy was the resumption
| clause of the act of 1875, which has embar'