Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1876-07-21
THE LETTERS.


The making Of political platforms In
:: n easy as lying" II has come to be
an axiom in these days. that a Demo-
cratic convention which cannot construct
. declaration Of principles which means
nothing. In no Democratic convention Mt
all. But unfortunately for the Demo-
cratic platforms. II has become the Gus
tom in these latter days for the candi-
dates nominated upon them to write
formal lsttsrs Of acceptance. which are
read and commented on BY the people.
These lsttsrs are supposed to express
the views Of the candidates. ami upon
them they must stand or fall. A plat
form may be 40 constructed that Il may
mean anything or nothing. A letter Of
acceptance, from its very nature. must
be direct and to the point.
Two letters OF acceptance are now
before the nation. Governor Hayes and
Mr.. Wheeler. the Republican candidates,
have told the people what their prin-
ciplss are. and what they mean to do II
elected. The letter. are manly and
straightforward. There is no uncertain
sound in them. They harmonic with
each other. and their sentiments are In
harmony with the grand ideas Of justice
and the eqality Of men. upon which the
Republican party is founded. Mr..
Wheeler il thoroughly in accord with
Governor Hayes in all the great projects
Of reform which our candidate con-
templates sffscting. His position on
the financial question. on the school
question. on the Southern question. and
indeed on every question prominent In
our national politics. is clearly defined.
and nobody. OF ordinary sense. can mis-
take his purposes IL elected. Hayes and
Wheeler are fortunate in this fact, that in
constructing their letters they were not
obliged to truckls to two factions OF .
party. The Republicans IRE united.
They had only to tell the Republicans
What they meant to do, II elected by
their votes.
There are two more letters TO come.
Tilden and Hendricks must each tell
the people their sentiments. This is an
unfortunate necessity. but 1t 10 = necss-
sity. nevertheless. We cannot antioi.
pate what these two men will say to the
nation: but We can imagine their utter
ances to some extent from q knowledge
81 their past records. The letters Of
Tildsn and Hendricks cannot DO framed
upon the same mould in which the st.
Louis platform was run. The two men
must speak their sentiments, and speak
them frankly. II they do this, Mr.. Til
den must say squarsly that he is for
hard money. and n retsrn to specie pay
ments In 1879. in accordance with the
provisions Of the Congressional bill to
that effect: Mr.. Hendricks must say that
be wants greenbaeks. and that the Re-
sumption bill mus, be repealed. Sammy
Tldsn will please the Eastern Demo-
Gratis with his letter; tho declaration OF
Tommy Hendricks will please the West
ern infationisis. The West will not
vote for Sammy. and the East will not
vote for Tommy; and thus Democracy
will sink into an obscurity which IL has
not known since 1860.
II is sad to reflect upon these things;
saJder still To think that the Democrats
have brought the calamity on themselves
BY their double dealing and sneaking
policy Of compromise. Had they issued
an honest platform at st. Louis. rs the
Republicans did at Cincinnati; their
candidates to-day would not be placed
In the uncomfortable position in which
they find themselves actually forced to
oppose each other. Whether the plat
form declared in favor Of specie or
gresnbacks. IL would have commanded
respect for its honesty. As the case
stands now. the Democratic party CON-
mands neither respect nor influence.
We are sorry for Sammy anu Tommy.
and We await anIiously the publication
Of their letters.