The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1876-08-18
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1TfkMRsSRIDAY, AUGUST 18th, 1876.
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MisceIIane us.
Gov. Hendricks S Letter.

iSNt VI NY NY bHC
Democratic Convention at st. Louis, as
their candidate for the office of Vice Presi-
dent of the United States. 1t is nomina-
ton which had neither expected nor de-
sired and yet / recognize and appreciate
the nigh honor done me by the convention.
Inc choice of such body, pronounced
win such unusual unanimity, and accom-
panied with 80 generous an expression of
esteem and confidence ought to outweigh
all merely personal preferences of my own.
1t is with this feeling, and trust also from
deep sense of public duty, that | now
accept the nomination, and shall abide the
judgment of my countrymen.
1t would have been impossible for me
to accept the nomination if | could not
heartily endorse the platform of the con-
vention. am gratified, therefore, to be
able unequivocally to declare that agree
In the principles, approve the politics, and
sYmpathize with the purposes enunciatcd
in that platform.
The institutions of our country have
been sorely tried by the cxigcncies of civil
war, and, since the peace, by a selfish and
corrupt management of public affairs,
which has shamed us before civilized man
kind. BY unwise and partial legislation
every industry and interest of the people
have been made to suffer; and in the ex-
ecutiyc departments of the Government,
dishonesty, rapacity and vcnality have de-
bauchcd the public service. Men known
to 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 IL class of men
VINO boast the friendship of the swornpro-
tectors OF the State amassing fortunes by
dciraudlng the public treasury and by
corrupting the servants of the people. In
such crisis of the history of the country
rejoice that the convention at st. Louis
has so nobly raised the standard of reform.
Nothing can be we'll with us or with our
affairs until the public conscience, shocked
by the enormous evils and abuses which
prevail, shall have demanded and compeled
an unsparing reformation of our National
Administration, ain its head and i'm it's
members" In such reformation the re-
moval of single officer, even the Prcsi-
dent, is comparatively trifing matter, if
tho system which he represents, and which
has fostcrcd him MS he has fostered it, is
suffered to remain. The President alone
must not be made the scapcg0at for the
enormitios of the system which infests the
public service, and threatens the destruc-
ton of our institutions. In some respects
l 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 Presi-
dent. No man could have created it, and
the removal of no one man can amend it,
1t IS thoroughly corrupt, and must be
swept rcmorsclcssly away by the selection
OF government composed of elements en-
tiroly new, and pledged Ia radical re-
form.
REFORMS NEEDED.
The first work of reform must evidently
he the restoration Of the normal operation
OF the Constitution of the United States,
with all lis amendments. The necessities
Of war cannot be pleaded in II time of
peace the right of local self government
ns guaranteed by the Constitution of the
Union must be everywhere restored, and
the centralized, (almost pcrsonaD imperial
ism which has been pructised must be done
away, or the first principlca of the republic
will be lost.
Our financial system of expedicnta must
be reformed. Gold and silver are the real
standard of values, and our national cur
rcncy Will not be perfect medium of cX-
change until it shall be convertible mt the
pleasure OF the holders AS have hereto.
fore said, no ono desires Il return To specie
payments more earnestly than | do but
1 do not believe that it will or can be
reached III harmony with the interests of
the people 10y artificial measures for the
contraction "i the currency, any more than
lhelicye that wealth or permanent pros
perity can be created by nm imitation of
the currency. The laws of finance cannot
be dlsreSardcd with impunity. The fnnn-
cal policy OF the government if, indeed,
1t deserves the name of policy ut all, has
been in disregard of those laws, and there
fore has disturbed commercial and bust
ness confidence, rs well us lindcrcd IL re-
turn to specie payments. One feature of
that policy was the resumption clause of
the Act of 1875, which has embarrassed
the country by the anticipation of Il com
pulsory resumption for which no prcpura.
ton has been made, and without any as
surance that it would be practicable. The
repeal OF that clause is necessary that the
natural operation of financial laws NAV be
restored, that the business of the country
may be relieved from its disturbing and
depressing influence, and that n return to
specie payments may be facilitated by tho
substitution of wiser and more prudent
legislation, which shall mainly RELY on
ludicious system of public economies and
official retrenchmcnts, and above all on the
promotion Of prosperity in all the indus
tries of the people.
do not understand the repeal of the re-
sumption clause OF the Act of 1875 to be
backward step in our return to specie pay
mcnts, but the recovery of false step; and
although the repeal may, for time, be
prevented, yet the determination of the
Democratic party on this subject has now
been distinctly declared. There should be
no hindrances put in the way of II return
to specie payments. "As such hindrance,"
says the platform Of the st. Louis Conven-
ton, "we dcnounce the resumption clause
of the Act OF 1876, and demand it's re.
peal"
Thoroughly believe that by public econ
omy, by official rctrenchments, and by wise
finance enabling us to accumulate the pre-
cious metals, resumption ut IN carly period
is possible, without producing nm "artifi-
cial scarcity of currency" or disturbing
public or commercial credit; and that
these reforms, together with the restoration
fpurc government, will restore general
confidence, encourage the useful Investment
of capital, furnish employment to labor,
and relieve the country from the "paraly-
sis of hard times"
OUR INDUSTRIES.
With the industries of the people there
have been frequent interfcrences. Our
platform truly says that many industries
have been impoverished to substitute
few. Our commerce has been degraded to
an inferior position on the high seas; man.
ulacturcs have been diminished agricul-
ture has been embarrassed, and the distress
of the industrial classes demands That tbcse