The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1876-08-24

,ess and the platform on which they
stand, upon the return of the Massa-
ebusetts delegation, the presiding officer,
Tpdge Woodbury., said it had been ex.
Dscted that F. w. Bird would be pres
snt and tell what liberal republicans
think about Tilden and Hendricks. But
10 was i'll and had sent the following
letter, which was mighty sharp, smart
and biting, and would do any one good
who would read it in the morning:
EAST WALPoLE, July u, 1876.
,,,ssrs Charles Levi Woodbury. Thomas L. jerks,
md George P. Baldwin, Committee, etc:
GENTLEMEN Il have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt of your invitation
tn address the ratification meeting at
FaneuiI hall on Thursday evening. !
verv much regret that my health is
mch that cannot accept it. 1t would
give me great pleasure to join with my
Colleagues to the St. Louis convention
in rendering an account of our steward
shin. The result, whatever agency Mas
sacbusetts may have had in it, is one of
which every true friend Of reform may
well be proud. Our candidate for the
presidency realizes our Massachusetts,
IDEAL of democratic ruler; the candi-
date for the presidency, not per-
baps quite up to that ideal, is yet
statesman of pure life, of tried capacity,
and a spotless public record. I should
be glad to be with you in the old "cra-
die" to give a few of the reasons for
giving my hand and heart to the ticket;
but, for while at least, must school
myself in silence. I do not see how any
sincere and earnest friend of reform can
hesitate between the candidates presented
by the two parties, especially when the
party supporting each is considered. I
am sure do not lock at the question
as a partisan. In May last meeting of
the notables was held at the Fifth
Avenue hotel in New York, to consider
the duties of American citizens in the
ensuing campaign. They we've gentle
men of the highest character, and Of the
most unseltish motives. AS to their
practical wisdom in affairs, there may be
some difference in public opinion but
there is no difference upon this point,
that they were capable of forming the
highest ideal of a president, and capable
of clearly describing that ideal. This
they certainly did in their address to
the country. After describing the con-
dition of public affairs to which repub-
lican rule has brought us, they describe
the candidates needed" "Our duty in
this respect is plain and imperious it
suffers not trifing or equivocatiOn, the
WORKOUT clap-trap affair of promises in
party platforms will not satisfy it.
Neither will mere fine professions on
the part of candidates; not mere words
are needed, but acts; not mere plat
FERNS, but men" These would
we'll describe Bristow or Tilden; does
Hayes meet their requirements? Again,
they say; eve shall support no candi-
date who, however favorably judged by
MS nearest friends, is not publicly
known to possess those qualities of mind
and character which the stern task of
genuine reform requires" etc. If this
was not designed as a sketch of Mr..
Hayes, it surely describes him and his
position. Again, they ask: "Can he
the candidate with certainty be de-
pended on to possess the moral courage
and steady resolution to grapple with
abuses which have acquired the strength
Of established custom, and to this end
firmly resist the pressure even of his
party friends ?" This means Bristow or
Elden. They repudiate the availability
which consists in this, "that the candi-
date be neither so bad as torepel good citi-
1ens, nor so good as to discourage the
bad Ones" Mr.. Tilden's nomination
alscOurages the Tammany and canal
tngs. We do not yet learn that Mr..
Hayes nomination discourages any of
the rings which have made this admin
istratiOn infamous. They clinch their
whole argument with the following:
The man to be intrusted with the
Presidency this year must have deserved
not only the confidence of honest men,
but also the fear and hatred of thieves.
lie who manages to cultivate the thieves