Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-08-05

HendIlcks's letter of acceptance:
INDIANAPOLIS, July "A, 1876.
GENTLEMEN-Ih have the honor to acknowI-
edge the receipt of your eommunicatioD in
WnlCh you nave foI mally notified me of my
nomination by the National Democratic COM
mlttee at ~. L ouis their candidate for the
once OF Nice-President of the United States
II Is nomination which l had neither ex-
PecCed nor desired, and yet l recognize and
appreciate the high honor 90 re Eue by the
convention. The choice of such a body, and
pronounced with such unusual unanimity
and accompanied with 50 generous an expres-
sion of esteem and confidence, ought 10 out
Welgh al merely personal desires and prefer
Snces OF my own. IL is with this feeling, and
trust also from deep sense of public duty,
That now accept the nomination and shall
ABIDE the Judgment OF ny cOunJTymsn.
THE PL ATFORM INDORSED.
1t would have been impossible for me to &C.
cept the nomination If could not heartily in
dorse the platform of the convention, am
grained, therefore, to be able, unequi vocally
10 declare that agree in the principles an
prove the policies, and sympathfZe with
the purposes enunciated in that
platform. The institutions of our country
nave Oeen sorely tried by the exigencies of
CIVIL war, and since the peace by a selfish and
corrupt management of pubic affairs which
mas shamed us before civilized mankind, by
unWlse ana partial legislation, every indus
Try AMI interest of the people have been made
10 suner and in the executive department of
ylg ;t,, d!sno1esty, raPacity and
Vsnallty nave deOauched the puulic service
Men known to be unworthy have been pTO.
NOTED, Whilst otners have been degraded for
hde1t. to official duty. Public office has been
made the means OF private profit and the
country has been offended to see class of
men VINO boast of the frienU ship of the sworn
protectors of the State, amassing fortunes by
detrauding the public treasury aud by cor
rupttng the servants of the people in such a
crlsls OF the history of the country.
REFORM.
rejoice that the convention at st, Louis has
SO noDly raised the standard of reform. Moth
ing can be wei with us or with our affairs
until the public conscience, shocked by the
enormous evils and abuses which prevail
shall have been demanded ana
compelled an unsparing reformation of
our national administration, in its head and in
its members. In such reformation tine re-
moval of single Orficer even the President
Is comparatively trifiing matter, if the sys-
teLn wnIch ne represents, and which has fos-
teLeo nm as ne mas foStered 1t, is suffered to
remain. The President alone must NOT be
made the scape goat for the enormities of the
system which iufectS the public service and
the means of destruction of our institutions
In some respects, hold that the present Ex-
ecutlve has been the victim rather than the
author OF that vicious system. Congressional
and party leaders have been stronger than the
PRESIDENT. Y one man could have created
~ ~ and the removal of no one man can amend
IT, IL Is Thoroughly corruDt and must no
swept remorselessly away 15 jI CO. saIsation of
a government composed of elements entirely
new and pledged to radical reform. The first
WORK OF reform must evidently be the restOra-
ton OF the normal operation of the consti.
tuition OF the United States with All
its amendments. The necessities of war can
not be pleaded in time o peace. The right
OF local self government, as guaranteed by
the consttt utton, must be everywhere re
stored, and the centralized, almost personal
Imperialism, which has been practiced, must
be done away, or the first principles of the
republic VIII be lost.
FINANCES.
Our financial system of expedients must
be reformed. Gold and silver are the
real standards OF values and our ma
tional currency will not be a perfect me-
M gH.sf1 ha
Die at the pleasure of the holder. As L have
heretofore said, no one desi es return to spe-
cle,payment more earnestly than do; but I
do not believe that it will or can be reached,
in harmony wi the interests of the people
by artificial measures for the contraction of
the currency any more than / believe that
wealth or prosperity can be created by an in
natlon OF currency. The laws of finance
cannot be disregarded. The financial policy
serves the name Of poiicy NJ az
has been in disregard of those laws and
reform, and has disturbed business confidence,
as Wen as hindered return to specie pay
ments.
RESUMPTION.
One feature of that policy was the re-
sumption clause of the act of 1873, which has
embaraSsed the country by the anticipation
OF CDmpulsory resumption, for which no
preparation has been made, and without any
assurance that it would be practicable. The
rep al OF that clause is necessary, that the
notura Operation oil financial laws may be
restored; that the business of the country may
De relieved from its disturbing and depressing
influence, ana that return to specie pay
ments may be facilitated by the substitution
OF wiser and more prudent legislation, and
which snail mainly rely on a luJiciOus system
OF public economy and official retrenchments
and, above all, in the promotion of prosperity
in all the Industries o! the people.
SPECIE PAYMENTS.
] do not understand the repeal of the resumr-
tion clause OF the act of 1873 to be a backward
step Ia our return t. specie payments, but the
recovery OF a false step; and al hough the re-
peal may Tor time be prevented, yet the de
termination OF the Democratic party on this
subject has been formally declared. There
should be no hindran3es put IN the way of
return to specie payments. GAS such hind
rance" says the st. Louis platform, 1--WE &C.
nOuEce the resumption clause of TIA act of
1873, and demand its repeal" 1 thoroughly
OeleEe IuhI ~ puO4lc economy, by Ofncial
retIeuchment, and by a wise finance, ena-
bling us TO accumulate the precious metals,
resumption at an early period is possible
without producing an artificial scarcity of
currency or disturbing the public or CONNER
ctal credit; and that these reforms together
with the restoration of pure government, will
restore general confidence, encourage useful
investment of cap tai, furnish ployment to
labor, and relieve the country from the par
alysis Of hard times.
OUR INDUSTRIES.
With the industries of the people there have
been frequ entinterferenceS. Our platform tru-
ly says that many industries have been
Impoverished to suDstdize few. Our COM
MERGE has been deranged 10 an inferior posi-
ton on the high seas, manufacturers have
been diminished, agricultu.e has been en-
barraSSed, and the destinleS of the industrial
formed.
TAXATION.
The burdens OF the people must also
be iightened by change in our system of
public expenses. The prOtligate expenditures
which increased taxation from flve dollars
per capita in 1860 to eighteen dollars n 1870,
Our treaties with foreign powers sh 1uld also be
revised and amended in so far as they leave
citizens of foreign birth in any particular less
secure in any country on ca. tn than tuey
would be If they had been born upon our soil.
THE COOLIE SYSTEM.
The in'quitCus cOolie system which, through
the agency of wealthy com panies, imports
Chinese ooRdmen, ana establishes a species
of labor on our Pacific coast, should
be utterly abolished.
CIVIL SERVICE.
In reform of our civil service, 1 most
pfstf orr Which declares that The civil WI
service ought not to be subject TO change
at every election, and that it ought
not to be made the briet reward of party zeal,
out ought 10 be awarded for proved COM
potency, and held for fidelity in the public
employ. hope never again TO see the cruel
opinions which has disgraced the admtnistra-
ton of the last eight years. Bad as the civil
service now is, as all know, IL has some men
of tried integrity and ability. Such men, and
such men only, should be retained in office;
but no man should be retained on any con-
sideration who has prostituted his Office to
purposes OF partisan intimidation or cOmpui-
sion, or who has furnished money to corrupt
the elections. This IS done and has been
done in almost every county of the land.
1t is blight upon the morals of the
country, and ought to be reformed.
SECTIONAL CONTENTION.
or sectional contentious and in respect to
our common schools, have only this TO say:
that, in my Judgment, the man or party that
SCHOOLS
tRrian controversy is an enemy TO the schools.
the common schools are far more under the
protecting care OF all the people than under
the control OF any party or sect. They must
be neither sectarian nor partisan, and there
must be neither division or misapprOpria.
ton Of the funds for their support. Likewise
l regard the mao who would arouse or foster
sectional animosities and aLtagODisms among
mis- country men as a dangerous enemy TO his
and know that once more there is established
q purpose and policy under which all citizens,
of every condition, race and color, will be Sc
cure in the enjoyment of Whatever rights the
constitution and laws declare or recognizes,
aud that in controversies that may arise the
government is not q partisan, but within
us constitutional authority, the just and pow
erful guardian of the rights OF safety.
All strife between sections and races Will
cease as soon as the power for
the evils is taken away from
party that makes political gain out of
scenes of violence and blOodshed, and the
constitutional authority is placed IN the
hands of men whose political welfare re-
quires that peace and good order shall be pre-
TILDEN.