Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1876-08-10

lSpiAyAFoIR Ixn 7

Hendricks Letter.
lxpiAxAfolis. Ixp., july "a. lsrs.
GxSrtExxS Il have the honor 10 .eknox,.
edge the receipt Of your communication In
which you have formally notified me OF INV nom
instion BY the National Democratic Convention
al 81 Louis as the candidate for the Office Of Vice
President Of the United States. IL lis q nomination
which had not then expected nor desired, and
YET recognize and appreciate the high honor
done me by the convention. The choice Of such
a body, pronounced with such unusual unanim-
ity and accompanied with 50 generous AN express
SION OF esteem and confidence, ought 10 outweigh
all merely personal desires and preferences Of NV
own. II is with This feeling, and trust also,
from deep sense of public duty, that now az
eept the nomination, and shall abide the judg-
ment OF my countrymen. il would have been
Impossible for me to accept the nomination if
could not heartily indorse the platform of the
convention. am gratifed, therefore, to be able
nnequivocally TO declare that agree in the prin-
cipies, approve the policy, and sympa,hize with
the purposes. enumerated in that platform.
The institutions Of our country have been sore
" tried by the exigencies of civil war, and since
the peace by selfish and corrupt management
of public affairs which has shamed us before civ
iiized mankind. By unwlSe and partial legisla-
tion every industry and interest OF the people
have been made TO suffer, and in the executive
departments Of the Government dishonesty, ra-
pacity and venality have debauched the public
service. Men, known 10 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 coun-
try has been offended to see q class Of men, who
boast the friendship Of the sworn protectors Of
the State, amassing fortunes by dcfrauding the
public treasury, and by the servants Of the peo-
pie.
rejoice that the convention Mt ST. Louis raised
the standard of reform. Nothing can be well
with us or with our affairs until the public con-
science, shocked by the enormous evils and abuses
which prevail, shall have demanded and COM
PEELED an unsparing reformation Of our national
administration in its head and in its members"
In such u reformation the removal of a single Of
hcer, even the President is comparatively a tri-
fling matter If the system which he represents and
which has iosiered him As he fosters it, is suf-
fered To remain. The President alone mus,
not be made the scapegoat for the enormities
OF the system which infecis the public service
and threatens destruction of our institutions
In some respects ! hold that the present Exc
cutive 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 il
and the removal Of no one man can amend il.
IL is thoroughly corrupt and must he swept
eminent composed Of elements entirely new and
pledged TO radical reform.
The first work Of reform must evidently be the
restoration of the normal operation of the Con-
sti;ution of the United States with all its amend
ments. The necessities Of war cannot be pleaded
in time Of peace; the right of local sef-govern-
ment as guaranteed by the Constitution of the
Union must be everywhere restored and the
centralized (almost personally Imperialism which
has been practiced must be done away or the
first principles of the Republic will he lost.
Our financial system Of expedicnts must be re-
formed. Gold and silver are the real standards
OF values, and our national currency will not be
a perfect medium Of exchange until il shall be
convertible at the pleasure of the holder
As ! have heretofore said, no one desires
return to specie payments more earnestly than
do, but do not believe that il will or can be
reached in harmony with the interests of the peo-
pie by artificial measures 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 f.
nancial policy Of the Government, ii indeed IL
deserves the name Of policy at ALL has been in
disregard of those laws and therefore has disturb
ed commercial and business confidence rs well
as hindered return TO specie payments. One
feature Of the policy was the resumption clause
Of the act Of 1878, which has embarrassed the
sumption for which no preparation has been
made, and without any assurance that il would
be practicable. The repeal Of that clause is ne
cessary, that the natural operation Of financial
laws may be restored, that the business of the
country may he relieved from its disturbing and
depressing influence, and that a return to specie
payments may be facilitated by the substitution
OF wiser and more prudent legislation, which
shall mainly rely on judcious system of pub
lie economies and official reirenchments, and
above all on the promotion Of prosperity in all
the industries Of the people
do not understand the repeal fthe resump-
ton clause Of 1878 to be q backward step in our
return 10 specie payments, but the recovery of a
false step; and although the repeal may for q
time be prevented, vet the determination of the
Democratic party on this subject has been dis
tinctly declared. There should be no hnderanoes
put in the way Of return to specie payments.
As such hinderance," says the platform Of the
81. Louis Convention, 1--we denounce the resump-
ton clause Of the act Of 1875 and demand its re
peal"
thoroughly believe that by public economy,
by ofbcial reirenchments, and by wise finance,
enabling as to accumulate the precious metals,
resumption at an early period is possible, with
out producing and artificial scarcity Of cur
rency," or disturbing public or commercial cred
IT. and that these reforms, together with the res
toranon OF pure government, will restore gener-
Al confidence, encourage the useful investmeu,
Of capital, furnish employment to labor, and re-
lieve the country from the paralysis of hard
times"
With the industries Of the people there have
been frequent in,erferenoes. Our platform truly
says thsy many industries have been impover-
ished TO subsidize O tew; our commerce has been
degraded 10 an inferior position on the high seas;
MANUFACTURES have been diminished: agriculture
has been embarrassed, and the distress OF the in
dustriAl classes demands that these things shall
be reformed.
The burdens Of the people must also be light
ened by great change in our system Of public
expenses. The profieate expenditures which in
creased. taxation from 5 per capita in 1860 %
Sis in 1870 tells its own story OF our need in Is
oAl reform.
Our treaties with foreign powers should also
be revised and amended in 50 far q thew leay,
citizens Of foreign birth in any particular les
secure in any country on earth than they would
DC they had been born upon our own soil: and
the inquitous coolie system which, through the
agency Of wealthy companies, imports Chimes
bondsmen and establishes . species Of slavery.
and latefferes with the jus; rewards Of labor on
Our Pacific coast, should be utterly abolished
In the reform Of our civil service most hear.
tly indorse that section Of the platform wh;rh