The Van Buren press., 1876-08-15
GOV. SAMUEL ]. TILDEN'S
Letter Accepting the Nomination Of the
Democratic Party.
ALBANY, N. Y, Aug. 4.

ALBANY. N. Y, Aug. 4.
The following is Mr. Tidens letter
accepting the Democratic nomination for
the presidency:
ALBANY, N. Y, July 81,
GENTLEMEN When had the honor
to receive personal delivery of your let
ter on behalf Of the Democratic national
convention, held on the 28th of June at
St. Louis, advising me of my nomination
as candidate of the constituency repre-
sentcd by that body 70. tile Office Of pres
ident OF the United Stsses, l answered
that at my earliest convenience 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 en-
gagement.
THE DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
The convention before making its nom.
nation adopted a declaration of princi-
piles, which as whole seems to me a
wise exposition of the necessities Of our
country and of reforms needed to bring
back the government to its true functions |;
to restore purity of administration aud to
reuew prosperity OF the people. But
some OF these reforms are 50 urgent that
they claim more than q passing appro.
val The necessity Of reform in the
scale of public expense, federal, state ann
municipal, and in modes of federal taxa
ton, justifies all the prominence given to
it in the declarations of the st. Louis
convention. The present depression in
all business and industries of the people,
which is depriving labor of its employ
ment and carrying want into SO many
homes, has it's principal cause IN exces.
sive governmental corruption, corrup-
ton under illusions OF auspicious pros
perity engendered by false policies Of the
federal government. A waste of capital
has been going on ever since the peace Of
1865, which could only end in universal
disaster. The federal taxes of the last
eleven years reaches the gigantic sum of
"a SOC, 900, 600. Local taxation has
amounted to two-thirds as much more.
The vast aggregate is not less than g.,
50O,O00,000 This
ENORMOUS TAXATION
Followed civil conflict that had greatly
impaired our aggregate wealth and had
made prompt reduction of expenses in
dispensable. 1t was aggravated by most
unscientific and i'll l-adjusted methods of
taxation that increased the sacrifices of
the people far beyond the receipts Of the
-
by financial policy'Which tended to di.
minish energy, skill and economy of pro.
duction and frugality ofprivate consump-
lion, and induced miscalculation in busi-
ness and unreLu.. .erative use of capital
and labor. Even in prosperoua times
the daily wants of Industrious communi,
ties press closely upon their daily earn
ings. The margin of possible national
savings is at best a small percentage OF
national earnings Yet, now for these
eleven wears governmental consumption
has been larger portion of the national
earnings than the whole people can pos
sibly save even in prosperous times for
all new investments, The consequence
ofthese errors is now present public
calamity. But they were never doubtful,
never invisible They were
NECESSARY AND INEVITABLE
And were tereseen and depicted when the
waves of that fictitious prosperity ran
highest. In speech made by me on the
Oath OF September, 1868, it was said Of
these taxes: "rhey bear heavily upon
every man sincome, 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. 1t was
comparatively easy when values we're
doubling under repeated issues Of le .al
tender paper money to pay out of the
growth of our growing and apparent
wealth these taxes, but when values re-
ceed and sink towards their natural scale
the tax eatherer 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 ruin
Gus policy..of the Radical majority ofcon-
gress. We cannot afford that policy to
ward the South; we cannot afford the
magnificent and oppressive centralism
into which government is being con.
verted we cannot afford the present mag
nificent scale Of taxation"
TO II e secretary of the treasury l said
ia 1865: .... -.,.,.........
There is no royal road for a govern.
ment more than for an individual or a
corporation. What you want to do uow
is to cut down your expenses and live
within your income. would give all
the legerdemain of finance and financier
ing would give the whole of it for the
old, homely maxim
LIVE WITHIN YOUR INCOME
This reform will be resisted at every
step. but it must be pressed persistently."
We see to day Immediate representatives
of the people in one branch of congress
while struggling to reduce expenditures,
compelled TO confront the menace ofthe
senate and executive, that unless obiec
tionable appropriations be consented to,
operations of the government hereunder
shall suffer netriment or cease In my
Judgment, an amendment of the constitu
ton ought to be raised, separating into
distinct bills the appropriations for the
various departments of the public ser.
vice, and excluding from each bill all ap-
proprations for other objects and all in.
dependent legislation. In that way alone
can every power of each OF the two hous