The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1876-08-24
Gov, Hendricks Letter of Acceptance.
INDIANAPOLIS, July "a, 1876.


Gentlemen-I have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your com
munication, in which you have for
mally notified mo of my nomination
by the National Democratic Convon,
tion at st. Louis, as their candidate
for the office of Vice President of
the United States. 1t is nomina-
tion which | had neither expected
nor desired; and yet l recognize the
high honor done me by the Conven
ton. The choice Of such body,
pronounced with such unusual unani
nifty, and accompanied with so gems
erous an expression Of esteem and
confidence; ought to outweigh all
merely personal desires and prefer
ences of my own. 1t is with this
feeling, and | trust also from dccp
sense of public duty, that | now ac-
cept the nomination, and shall abide
the judgment of my countrymon.
1t would have been impossible for
me to accept tho nomination if
could not heartily endorse the plat.
torn of the convention. [ am grati-
lied, therefore, to be able uucquivo>
cally to declare that | agree in the
principles, approve the policies, and
sympathizo with tho purposes cnuci-
atcd in that platform.
The institutions of our country
have been soroIy tried by the cxi-
gencios OF civil war, aud, since the
peace, by a selfish and corrupt man.
asemcnt of public affairs, which has
shamed us before civilized mankind.
BY unwiSc aud partial legislation
every industry and interest of the
people have been made to suffer; and
III the executive departments of the
Government, dishonesty, rapacity
and vcnality have dcbauch,d the
public service. Men known to be
unworthy have been promoted, while
others have been degraded for fidelity
to official duty. Public Office mas
been made the means of private
profit, and the country has been Of
Tended 10 sec Al oi,,ss Ut men who
boast the friendship OF the sworn pro
tectors OF The State amassing fortunes
by dctraudin9 tho public treasury
and by corrupting the servants OF the
cople. In such crisis of the his
tory oi the country | rejoice that the
convention at st. Louis hao 90 nobly
raised the standard of reform. Moths
ing can be we'll with us or with our
affairs until tho pu5lic conscience,
shocked by the enormous evils and
abuses which prevail, shall have de-
manded and compelled an unsparing
reformation of our National Admin.
lstration, "in its head and in its mem
bers." In such reformation the
removal Of Il sinble officer, even the
President, is comparatively u tritling
matter, if the system which lie re-
presents, and which has tostcrcd him
as he has fostored it, is suffered to
remain. The President alone must
not be made the sc ,pegoat tor the
enormities of the system which in
tests the public service, and throat
ems the destruction Of our institu-
tlons. In some respects | hold that
the present executive 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 Lave created it, and the re-
moval Of no one man can amend it.
1t Is thoroughly corrupt, and must be
swept rcmoI solessly away by the Sc
lection OF II government composed
OF clements entirely new, and pledg-
cd to radical reform.
REFORM NEEDED.
The first work Of reform must ov.
IDENTITY be the restoration Of TIC mUrA
mai operation Of the Constitution OF
the United States, with all its amend
menls. The necessities Of war can
not be pleaded i'll time of peace; the
right of local self government as
guaranteed by the Constitution OF
the union must be everywhere re-
stored, and the centralized (almost
porsonaD imperialism which has been
practised must be done away, or the
lirSt principles of The republic Will
he lost.
Oar financial system of cxpcdcnls
must be reformed. Gold and silver
arc the real standard Of values, and
our national c'nrcncy will not be
perfect medium of exchange until it
shall be convertible at The pleasure
Ot tho lOldcrS, Ag | have hereto