Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1876-08-10
GOV. TILDGN's LETTER OF AC.
CEPTANCE.
ALBANY, N. Y, July 3lst, 1876

ALBANY, N. Y, July 3lst, 1876.
GENrIEMEN:-When I had the honor
to receive personal delivery Of your let
ter in behalf Of the DemocraticS National
Convention, held on the 2Sth Of June, at
st. Louis, advising me of my nomination
as the candidate Of the constituencyEep-
resented by that body for the sofice of
President of the United States answer,
ed that at my earliest convenience and
in conformity with usage, Il woul@pre-
pare and transmit you a formal accep-
tance. now avail myself of4the first
interval in unavoidable occupations to
fulfill that engagement. The Conven-
ton, before making its nominations, adopt
ed a,declaration Of principles which, as
whole, Seems to me wise exposition OF
the necessities of our country, and oe the
reforms needed to bring back the Govern
ment to its true functions, to restore pu-
.rity of administration; and to renew the
prosperity of the people; but some OF
these reforms are so urgent that they claim
more than passing approval,
REFORM IN PUBLIC EXPENSE.
The necessity OF reform in the scale
of public expense, of Federal, State, and
municipal, and in the modes Of Federal
taxation, justifes all the prominence CIV
en- to it in the declaration OF the St. Louis
Convention. The present depression in
all the business and industriesot OF the peo-
pie which is depriving labor Of its en-
nT)ovment and carving want into so many
houses, has its principal cause in exces-
sive governmental consumption under the
illusions of a specious prosperity engen-
dered by the false policies Of the Federal
Government. A waste OIL capital has
been going on ever since the peace of 1865,
which could only end in uni yersal .disas
ter. The Federal taxes of Che last elev-
en- years reach the gigant:sSrmy of forty
| five hundred millions of dollars. Local
taxation has amounted to two-thirds of
that sum, and much more and the vast
aggregate is not less than seventy-6ve
hundred millions Of dollars. This enor-
nous taxation followed civil conflict
that has greatly impaired our aggregate
wealth, and bad made q prompt reduction
of expenses indispensable. 1t was aggra-
waited by most unscientifc and ill-adjust:
ed methods of taxation, that increased
the sacrifices of the people far beyond the
receipts of the Treasury. 1t was aggra-
waited more by financial policy which
tended to diminish the energy, skill, econ.
omy Of production and the frugality OF
private consumption, ana induced mis-
calculation in business and an unremu-
nerative use Of capital and labor. Even
in prosperous times the daily wants OF In
dustrious communities press closely upon
their daily earnings the margin of pos
sible national savings is at best small
percentage of national earnings, yet now
for these eleven years governmental con-
sumption has been larger portion of the
national earnings than the whole people
can possibly save even in prosperous times
; for all new investments. The consequen.
ces of these errors are now present pub
lie calamity, but they were never doubt
full, meyer invisible; they were necessary
) and inevitable. and were foreseen and de-
picted when the wa9as Of that fictitious
prosperity ran highest. In Q speech made
by myself on the Oath of September
1868, it was said of these taxes: "They
f bear heavily upon every mans income
upon every industry and upon every bu-
siness in the country, and year by yeal
they are destined to press still more heav-
lily unless we arrest the system that gives
rise to them. 1t was comparatively easy
when values were doubling under'fepeat
ed issues Of legal tender paper money tc
: nav out of the froth Of our growing and
n apparent wealth these taxes; but wher
t values recede aud sink towards their nat
i ural scale the tax-gatherer takes from u'
n not only our income, not only our profits
v but also portion of our capital. l d.
i not wish to e1aggerate or alarm. l sim
plv say that we cannot afford the costly
: ! and rqinops policy Of the Radical majori
g ty of Gopgress. We cannot afford tina
n policy to@ara the South. We cannot af
d ford the magnificent and oppressive cen
s tralism into which our Government is be
/, ing converted. We cannot afford th!
y present magnificent scale Of taxation T.
= the Secretary of the Treasury. i sail
!, carl, in 1861" there is no royal road 70
Government more than for an individu
;. al or corporation, what you want to d.
. now is TO cut down your expenses anc
A live within your income l would Civ
u ali the Aeges4tEain of finance and finan
n cieringEf $6apytff z5 gzi5Xe tbp whole of it
d ,na your ineans. Fhils FsfofA Yiii,be rsEP rysst
IS ed at every ster, bat it must be piessst
Is persistently. we see to.dsy the ifPmedi
It ate representatives Of The .neopls IN Ont
I,,-anch Of Congress, while struggling !te
0 reduce expenditures, compelled to confront
/ the menace of the Sen:.t.a and the Execu
S tive, that unless the Objectionable anpro'
: priatian he consented to the operations o.
! the government theEgfe:.qpder shall suffer
:. detriment or cease. 1q my Judgment, aeln
Q amendment to the Constitution ought +
i be devised separating into distinct bills
the appropriations tor the yarions depart.
II. &c The public service, and exclpd-
ments U. all appropriations iof
; ing from each Dill ~Andent leglsla;
otbor oh,ecte and all inu.. onW.
ton. In that way alone, the revisory
er of each of the two Houses, and of the
Executive, be preserved and exempted
, from the moral duress which often COM
pels assent to objectional appropriations
rather than stop the wheels of Govern
ment. The South, an accessory cause en-
hancing the distress in business, is to be
found in the insupportable misgovern.
ment imposed OH the States of the South.
Besides the ordinary effects of ignorant
and dishonest administration it has in
flcted upon them, enormous issues OF
fraudulent bonds, the scanty avails of
which are wasted or stolen, and the exis'
tence of which is public discredit tend
ing to bankruptcy or reputation. Taxes,
generally oppressive; in some instances
have confscated the entireincome OF prop
erty, and totally destroyed its market val
ue. It is impossible that these evils should
not react upon the prosperity of the whole
country. The nobler motives Of humanl-
ty concur with the material interests OF
all in requiring that every obstacle be re-
moved to complete and durable recon-
ciliation between kindred people once un-
naturally estranged, on the basis recog-
niZed by the ST. IOuis platform, OF the