The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-08-12
TILDEN AND HENDRICKS
LETTERS OF ACCEPTANCE.
LETTER OF GOV. TILDEN.

htVotgi Az ~ Juty otf 4"'"s
GENTLEMEN when had the honor tc
receive personal delivery Of your letter on
behalf of the Democratic National Conyen.
ton, held on the 2Sth of June at st. Louis
advising me Of my nomination as the candi-
date of the constituency represented by thai
body for the office Of President Of the United
States answered that at my earliest con.
venience, and in conformity with usage,
would prepare and transmit to you formal
acceptance. now avail myself of the first
interval in unavoidable occupations to fulfill
that engagement
The Convention, before making its nomina.
tions, adopted Declaration OF Principles,
which, rs a whole, seems to me wise expo
sition Of the necessities Of our country, and
of the reforms needed 70 bring back the
Government to its true functions, to restore
parity Of administration, and 20 renew the
prosperity of the people. But some Of these
reforms are so urgent that they claim more
than passing approval,
The necessity OF q reform SIN the scale OF
public expense-Federal, State, and munci-
pal sin the modes Of Federal taxa
tion," justifes all the prominence given TO il
in the declaration ofthe St. Louis Convention.
NATIONAL EXPENSES TOO GREAT.
The present depression in all the business
/
ing labor of its employment and carrying want
into so many homes, has its principal cause
in excessive governmental consumption. Un.
| der the illusions of a specious prosperity en-.
| gendered by the false policies of the Federal
Government, n waste of capital has been GO
| ing on ever since the peace of 1865, which
could only end in universal disaster. The
Federal taxes of the last eleven years reach
the gigantic sum of $500, 100000. Local
taxation has amounted to two.thirds as much
more. The vast aggregate is not less than
| 81 900, 100000. This enormous taxation fol-
lowed a civil conflict that had greatly i'm.
paired our aggregate wealth, and had made
| prompt reduction of expenses indispensable.
1t was aggravated by most unscientific and
| ill-adjusted methods oftaxation that increased
the sacrifices of the people far beyond the re.
ceipts of the Treasury. 1t was aggravated,
moreover, by financial policy which tended
to diminish the energy, skill and economy of
| production, and the frugality of private con-
sumption, and induced miscalcuation in bu-
slness and an unremunerative use Of capital
and labor.
| Even in prosperous times the daily wants
| of industrious communities press closely upon
their daily earnings. The margin of possible
national savings is at best a small percentage
of national earnings. Yet now for these
eleven years governmental consumption has
been larger portion of the national earnings
than the whole people can possibly save even
in prosperous times for all new investments.
The consequences Of these errors are now
n present public calamity. But they were
never doubtful, never invisible. They were
necessary and inevitable, and were foreseen
and depicted when the waves of that fictitious
prosperity ran highest. In speech made by
me on the 24th of September, 1865, it was
said of these taxes
They bear heavily upon every mans in.
come, upon every industry and every business
in the country, and year by year they are
destined to press still more heavily, unless we
arrest the system that gives rise to them. Ii
was comparatively easy when values were
doubling under repeated issues Of legal tender
paper money, to pay out of the troth of our
growing and apparent wealth these taxes, but
when values recede and sink toward their
natural scale, the ax.gatherer takes from US
not only our income, not only our profits, but
also portion of our capital. do
not wish to exaggerate or alarm simply say
that we cannot afford the costly and ruinous
policy of the Radical majority of Congress-
We cannot afford that policy toward the
South. We cannot afford the magnificent
and oppressive centralism into which our
Government is being converted. We cannot
afford the present magnificent scale of taxa
ton.
To the Secretary OF the Treasury said,
early in 1865:
There is no royal road for government,
more than for an individual or corporation.
What you want to do now is to cut down your
expenses and live within your income.
would give all the legerdemain of finance and
financering-I would give the whole Of it for
the old, homely maxim, "Live within your
income.h
REFORM IN APPROPRIATIONS.
This reform will be resisted at every step,
but it must be pressed persstently We see
to-day the immediate representatives of the
people in one branch of Congress, while strug.
Cling to reduce expenditures, compelled to
confront the menace of the Senate and the
Executive that unless the Objectionable ap.
preparations be consented to- the operations
of the Government Hereunder shall suffer |
detrlment or cease. In my Judgment, an |
amendment of the Constitution ought 10 be |
devised separating in distinct bills the appro. |
prations for the various departments Of the |
public service, and excluding from each bill |
all appropriations for other objects, and oil |
independent legislation. In that way alone |
can the revisory power Of each of the two |
Houses and of the Executive be preserved |
often compels assent to Objectionable appro.
priations, rather than stop the wheels oil the
Government.
MIsGovERNNENT IN THE SOUTH.
An accessory cause enhancing the distress
in business is to be found in the systematic
and lnsupportable misgovernment imposed on
the States of the South. Besides the ordna-
ry effects Of ignorant aud dishonest admins.
tration, il has inflicted upon them enormous
issues OF fraudulent bonds, the scanty avails
OF which were wasted or stolen, and the ex.
istenee Of which is public discredit, tending
to bankruptcy or Reputation. Taxes, gen.
orally oppressive, in some instances have con.
fscated the entire income of property, and
totally destroyed its marketable value. It is
impossible that these evils should not react
upon the prosperity of the whole country.
The nobler motives of humanity concur
with the material interests of all in requiring
that every obstacle be removed, to a complete
and durable reconciliation between kindred
populations once unnaturally estranged, on
the basis recognized by the st. Louis plat
form, Of the Constitution of the United
States, with its Amendments universally &c.
cepted as final settlement of the controver-
sizes which engendered civil war;"
But, in aid of n result SO beuefcent, the
moral influence of every good citizen, as well
as every governmental authority, ought to be
exerted, not alone to maintain their Just
equality before the law, but likewise to estab.
lsh cordial fraternity and good will among
citizens, whatever their race or color, who
are now united in the one destiny Of com.
mon selfgovernment. II the duty shall be
assigned to me, should not fail TO exercise
the powers with which the laws and the Con.
stitution Of our country clothe its Chief Mag.
lstrate, to protect all its citizens whatever
their former condition, in every political and
personal right.
SPECIE PAYMENTS. 4
"Reform is necessary declares the St.
Louis Convention, 'to establish sound cur.
rency, restore the public credit, and maintain
the national honori" and il goes on to ade.
mand a judcious system Of preparation by
public economies, by official retrenchments,
and by wise finance, which will enable the
nation soon to assure the whole world of its
perfect ability and its perfect readiness to
meet any Of its promises at the call Of the
creditor entitled to payment
The nhiact demanded hv tho convant;o, :,