The Portland daily press., 1880-07-31
ITO the Associated Press.]
Mr.. EnpliSh'S Letter.


The following is Mr.. English's letter:
INDIANAPOLIS, July 30
Gentlemen,-I have now the honor to reply
to your letter OF the 18th inst, informing me
that was unanimously nominated for Vice
President of the United States by the late
Democratic National Convention. have now
to say that l accept the high trust with real
izing sense OF its responsibility and am pro-
foundly grateful for the honor conferred.
accept the nomination upon the platform of
principles adopted by the convention, which
cordially approve, and | accept it quite as
much because OF my faith in the wisdom and
patriotism of the great statesman and soldier
nominated on the same ticket for President.
His eminent services to his country his fidel
lty to the constitution, Union and laws; his
clear perception OF the correct principles of
government as taught by jefferson; his scru-
pulous care to keep the military in strict subor-
dination to the civil authorities; his high re-
gard for civil liberty, personal rights and the
rights of property; his acknowledged ability
in civil as well as military affairs and his pure
and blameless life, all point to him as man
worthy of the confidence of the people. Not
only brave soldier, great commander, states
man and pure patriot, but prudent, pains
taking. practical man of unqueStioned honesty,
tested often with important public duties,
faithful to every trust and in full meridian of
ripe and vigorous manhood, he is, in my judg
ment, eminently fitted for the highest office on
earth-the Presidency of the United States.
Not only is he the right man for the place,
but the time has come when the best interests
OF the country require that the party which
has monopolized the executive departments OF
the government for the last twenty years
should be retired. The continuance of that
party in power four years longer would not be
beneficial to the public or in accordance with
the spirit Of our republican institutions. Laws
of entail have not not been favored by onr
system OF government; perpetuation OF
property or place in one family or
set of men has never been encouraged in this
country, and the great and good men who
formed our republican government and its ira,
eitions wisely limited the tenure of office, and
in many ways showed disapproval of long
leases OF power. Twenty years of continuous
power is long enough, and has already led to If
regularities and corruptions which are not likely
to be properly exposed under the same party
that perpetrated them. Besides, it should not
be forgotten that the four last years of power
held by that party were procured by discredit-
able means and held in defiance of the wishes
of a majority of the people. 1t was grievous
wrong to every voter and to our system of self
government which should not be forgotten or
forgiven. Many OF the men now in office were
put in because of corrupt, partisan services,
thus defeating fairly and legally the expressed
will of the majority, and the hypocrascy of the
professions of that party in favor of civil SER
vice reform was ShOw1rin placing such men in
office and turning the whole brood of federal
otfice-holderS loose to influence elections, the
money of the people taken out of the public
treasury by these men for services often poor
ly performed OF not performed at all, being
used in vast sums with knowledge and pre-
sumed sanction of the administration to con-
troll elections, and even members of the Cabi-
net are strolling about the country making
partisan speeches instead of being in their de-
partments at Washington discharging public
duties for which they are paid. But with all
their cleverness and ability discriminating
ruhlic will no douht read hetwenn the lines of
their speeches that their paramount hope and
aim is to keep themselves and their satellites
four years longer in Office; that perpetuating
the power OF chronic federal Othce-hOderS four
years longer will not benefit men and women
who hold no office, but earn their daily bread
by honesty and industry is what some of the
discerning public will not doubt, fully under
standing. as they will, also that 1t is because OF
their own industry and economy and Gods
bountiful harvest that the country is compara-
lively prosperous, and not because OF anything
done by these federal office-holders. The coun-
try is comparatively prosperous, not because OF
them but i'll spite of them.
This contest is in fact between the people
endeavorng to regain political power which
rightfully belongs to them aud to restore the
pure, simple, economical, constitutional go
eminent OF our fathers on the one side and a
hundred thousand federal officeholders and
their hackers, pampered with place and power
and determined to retain them at all hazards
Oh the other. Hence the constant assumption
of dangerous powers by the general govern
ment under rule of the Republican party,
the effort to build up what they call strong
government, the interference with home rule
and with the administration of justice in
courts of several states, interference with
elections through the medium of paid partisan
federal office holders, the millions interested
in keeping their party in power and caring
more for that than fairness in elections; in
fact the constant entertainments which have
been made by that party upon clearly reserved
rights .of the people and states WILL if not
checked, subvert The liberties of the people
and the government of limited powers created
| by the fathers, and end in great consolidated
central government, strong indeed for evil and