The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-08-10
Tilden and Hendricks.

! AlNCil Ceilt 1ACliA1iCraS'
Theletters OF acceptance OF these two gen
tlemen have at last been given to the public
simultaneously. After nearly two months eX
pectaney, and two months labor in efforts t,
adjust the differences between the candidate
on the finance question, they have presented
elaborate dissertations Which are designed K
mislead, confuse and l. ave the reader IN doub
as to what is really meant. The eXtrem
length of Mr.. Tildcn's letter pre7ents its pub
LEGATION this week in full. We therefore give
the points it discusses, as summarized BY Tx
Richmond State, Which says:
1t begins by declaring the need of reduced
scale of expenses, recitin@ the fact that since
1865 Federal taxation has reached forty livs
hundred millions, which, added to that o.
State and municipalities, makes seventy-fivt
hundred millions to pay, which has exhausted
the profits of the Whole labor OF the whole
Ipeople, andtrencheG deep on its capital.
The remedy he finds in reducing govern.
mental expenses in every direction; and to
this end it recommends, as to federal legisla
ton, Il constitutional amendment classifying
and distinguishing the several characters OF APP
preparation bills and forbidding all appropriate
| tions except under their proper Leads and
plainly declared in the title.
Passing to State relations, it dcnounces sstle
systematic and insupportable missoverament
on the States OF the South, it specifies the
methods of this misgoycrnment, points to its
| causes and It's remedies, and declares for thor
ough protection of all the rights OF all men.
! Currency reform next occupies it, and tile
declaration is made that the government,co could,
it it would, resume honest specie-payment of
its promises; resumption as to legal-tender
Il hr
part payment, part funding at low rates, so us
to convert them from currency into securities
/ 1t evidently leans, as to the speaking method,
toward convertible bonds bearing gold inter
est, and it points out THAT such scheme would
allow the volume OF currency to shrink or swell
according to the laws Of trade and the demands
of the moment. If, however, the volume of
money is not now sufficient to begin this pro-
cess, the letter recommends Government loans
as the means to.provte it. It denounces the
resumption act for fixing a date without max
ing provision for resumption, and it denounceS
the Republican party for having used in clev-
en- years four and q half thousand millions Of
dollars without taking one step toward meet
ing the promises made. by the Government
That course and that Government it compares
to "a debtor who should promise to pay q loan
out of surplus income" who should 'syet be
seen every day spending all he could lay his
| HaIiuS OIL Ill rlOIOuS living
In public saving and economy, reduction of
the number of officers, publication of public
service, it finds the indispensable condition to-
wards cash payments. It paints in striking
light the evils of the time growing out Of pri-
vate and public extravaganza, waste, and I'M
certainty. and promises better things when
the Democratic party scizes the reins of pow
| er. as5it ~ tGsss TX,
As to cvl-service reform, it declares that
the President should be eligible for but one
| term, and that a gradual progress to q civil
service worthy Of the name is to be had by
elevation of the standard Of appointment"
next, a conscientious fidelity in discharging
unworthy officers, next, the abolition OF use
less offices, and finally, definite "civl-service
SYSTEM
AS to Mr.. Hendricks letter, we give the
following from the Cincinnati Gazette:
The letter of Hendricks. as might be ex-
pected, is a specious and smooth composition
1t could as well have been written the day af-
ter the nomination, as in all this time. He ac-
cepts the nomination and the platform of
course. He says the country is in bad way,
and needs q Democratic Administration to re-
form it. and he is glad the St. Louis Conven-
ton took ground for reform.
He says that merely to change the President
will not do the work, for the official system is
bad, and he thinks it was the system that over
came the President. He goes for changing
the system, by having officers of the civil ser
vice continue during good behavior. But to
prevent any Democratic eDeute at this, which
would take away every object Of the campaign,
he says that all the Republican, officers, Nation
al, State, and county, have behaved badly, and
should be removed.
On the currency question he tries TO nurse
both the rag baby and the specie baby. Gold |
and silver are the real standards Of value, and |
the National currency must be convertible !
therein but there must be no contraction by |
artificial measures;' - that is to say by such |
measures rs paying the notes. Therefore the !
resumption clause must be repealed, because it |
binders natural resumption by proposing COM |
pulsory resumption. Resumption, he thinks,
must come in without compelling anybody to
resume, or allowing anybody to ask redemp-
ton.
Redemption is to come through retrench-
ment, reform and economy, and, in fine, by |
electing Democratic Administration That |
being secured, all else will follow Mr.. Hen
bricks is for reform Of civil service of course.
The reform to begin by the descent of a horde
OF ravenous office seekers upon Washington,
fierce as the Huns, and the turning out Of ev-
cry Republican from every Office and clerkship, I
and the turning in of t his wild mob with their
cry of bread or blood.
: Hendricks is q great reformer in his own
practice. and is thus q Democratic example.
In this respect he follows remotely the foot
steps of Tilden. He does at retail what Til
den did at wholesale. Coinciaent with his
letter of acceptance comes a specific account,
taken from official records, of his violating the
law while Senator, in procuring the payment
through the abuse of his official influence, of
5he fraudulent claim of q couple of swndlcrs
IF the government. He is qualified to occupy
lie ticket with Tilden as reformer.
The VALLEY VIRGINIAN. a Radical paper,
edited by the Radical post master OF Stalluton,
seems to be, particularly interested III the re-
Of the Hon. John Il. Harris. How
S this. thus ?-Scottsui1le Courier
Why Brother Hill, you are mistaken Frhe |
Radical editor,'' who is the ''radical post
naster'' at Staunton, only wants to get up a
title rumpuss in the Conservative ranks. He
loes not care a blue bean which of the Dem
'cratic ''reformers' succeeds. II they viii on
y get to wooling each other before, during and
fter the campaign, our object will. have been
accomplished. If Harris is the nominee we
hall want him dpfaatn1 and ca IF Echolc