The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-07-19
Governor TiIden's Acceptance o.
the Democratic Nomination.


tee appointed by the st. Louis Con-
vention waited on Governor Iilden
to-day. Gen. McClernard addressed
the Governor, outlining the work Of
the Convention, and the Hon. w. B.
Hanna, of Indiana, also addressed
Governor Tilden, pledging him the
united support of the Indiana Democ-
racy.
The following reply was then made
by Governor Tilden:
Gen. McClerndrd and Gentleman of
the Committee: shall at my earliest
convenience prepare and transmit to
YOU formal acceptance of the nomi-
nation which you now tender me, in
behalf of the Democratic National
Convention, and I do not desire on
this occasion to anticipate any topic
which might be appropriate to that
communication. 1t may, however, be
permitted to me to say that my nomi-
nation was not mere personal prefer
ence between eminent citizens of this
Republic, who might very we'll have
been chosen for 50 distinguished an
honor and so august a duty. 1t was
rather declaration of that illustrious
body, in whose behalf you speak, in
favor of administrative reform with
which events had associated me in the
public view. The strength, the uni
versatility and the efficiency of the de-
mand for administrative reform in all
governments, and especially in the ad-
ministration of the Federal Govern
ment. with which the Democratic
masses everywhere were instinct, have
led to a series of surprises in the pop
ular assemblages, and, perhaps, in the
Convention itself. It would be un-
natural, gentlemen, If a popular gov
ernment. SO genuine and SO powerful,
should stop with $500, 900 of Demo
Gratis; that 1t should not extend by
contagion to that large mass of indie
pendant voters, who stand between
parties in our country, and even to the
moderate portion of the party under
whose administration the evils to be
corrected have grown up; and perhaps
in what we haYe witnessed there may
be nm augury in respect to what we
may witness in the election about to
take place throughout our country.
At least let US hope 80, and believe 80.
I am not WITHOUT experience Of the
difficulty and the labor OF efecting ad-
a revolution in policies and in meas
ures long established in the govern
ment. If were to judge by the year
and and half in which I have been
in the State Government, I should say
that the routine duties of the trust ]
have had imposed on me are q small
burden compared with that created by
the attempt to change the policy of
the government of which I have been
the executive head. Especially is this
so when the reform Is to be worked
out with more or less of the co-opera-
ton of public officers who either have
been tainted with the evils to be re-
dressed, or who have been incapacita-
ted by the habit of tolerating the
wrongs to be corrected, and to which
they have been consenting witnesses.
I, therefore, if your choice should be
ratified by the people at the election,
should enter upon the great duties
which would fall upon me not as a
holiday, but very much In that spirit
of conservation in which the soldier
enters battle. [Applause.] But let us
believe, as do believe, that we now
see the dawn of a better day for our
country, and that difficult as is the
work to which the Democratic party,
with many allies formerly members Of
other parties, has addressed itself, the
republic is yet to be renovated to live
in all the future. and to be transmitted
to succeeding generations as Jefferson
contributed 10 form it in his day, and
as it has been ever since until a recent
periods blessing to the whole people
and to all mankind. [Applause.l
Gentlemen, thank you for the very
kind terms in which you have made
your communication, and extend to
you collectively and individually a
most cordial greeting.
The committee and their friends
then entered into social conversation
as to the prospects of the coming
can vass, and remained q short time in
the hospitable mansion of the Cover
nor.