The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1876-08-17
SAMUEL ]. TILDEN
Gov. Hendricks Letter.
INDIANAPOLIS, july

INDIANAPOLIS, July "a, 1876
GENTLEMEN: ] have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your cOmmuni-
cation in which you formally notified me
of my nomination by the National Dem
Ocratic Convention at st. Louis, as their
candidate for the efice of Vice-President
Of the United States. 1t is a nomination
which had neither expected nor desir-
cd, and yet ] recognize and appreciate
the high honor done me by the Con
yention. The choice of such a body,
pronounced with such unusual uaanimi-
ty, and accompanied with so generous
an expression of esteem and confidence
ought to outweigh all merely personal
desires and preferences ofmy own. 1t is
with this feeIin &, and l trust also from a
deep sense of public duty, that
now accept the nomination, and
shall abide the judgement of my country
men.
1t would have been impossible for me
to accept the nomination if ] could not
heartily endorse the platform of the con-
ventioD. l am gratifed, therefore, to be
able unequivocally to declare that |
agree in the principles, approved the pol
icies, and sympathize with the purposes
enunoiated in that platform.
The institutions Of our country have
been sorelV tried by the exIgencies of
civil war, and, since the peace, by a
selfish and corrupt management of pub,
lie affairs; which has shamed us before
civilized mankind. BY unWise and
partial legislation every industry and
interest of the people have been made to
suffer; and in the executive departm ents
Of the Government, dishonesty, rapaoitY
and venality have debauohed the public
service. Men known to be unworthy
have been promoted, while others have
been degraded for fidelity to official duty
Public Office has been made the means
Of private profit, and the country has
been offended to see a class of men who
boast the friendship of the sworn protec-
tors of the State amassiug fortunes by
defrauding the public treasury and. by
corrupting the servants of the people. 10
such crises of the history of the country
l rejoice that the convention at st. Louis
has so nobly raised the standard of re-
form. Nothing can be we'll with US or
with our affairs until the public con-
science, shocked by the enormous evils
and abuses which prevail, shall have de-
manded and compelled an unspaFing re-
formation of our National Administra-
uooi IN rs mead ana IN It's members.
In such a reformation the removal of a
single officer, even the President, is CON-
paraively triiing matter, if the system
which he represents, and which has fos
tered him as he has fostered it, is suffered
TO remain. The President alone must
not be made the scapegoat for the enorm-
tiles of the system which infests the pub
lie service, and threatens the destruction
of our institutions In some respects ]
hold that the present executive has been
the vic'im rather than the author of that
vicious system. Congressional and par
~ leaders have been stronger than the
President. No one man could have ere.
ated it, and the removal of no one man
can amend it. 1t is thoroughly corrupt
and must DO swept remorselessly away
by the selection of a government eompOs
ed of elements entirely new, and pledged
to radical reform.