The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-06-24
TILDEN's LETTER.


lowing letter from s. ], Tilden:
NEW YORK, June l9 1880.
To the Delegates from The State Of FeV York 10 the
Democratic National Convention.
Your first assembling ia an occasion on which 1t
is proper for me to state TO you my relation to the
nomination for the Presidency, which you and
your associates are commissioned to make In be.
half OF the Democratic party Of the United States
Having passed my early years In an atmosphere
filled with traditions Of the war which secured
our National Independence, and Of the struggle
which made our continental system government
for the people, by the people, l learned to idolize
the institutions OF my country, and was educated
to believe 1t the duty Of citizen Of the Republic
to take his fair allotment Of care and trouble in
public affairs l fulfilled that duty to the best of
my ability for forty years as private citizen al.
though during all my life gIyipg at least as much
thought and effort to public aairs as to all other
objects. | have never accepted official service
except for brief period, for a special purpose,
and only when the occasion seemed to require OF
me that sacrifice Of private preferences 10 public
interests. My life has been substantially that of
private citizens, 1t was, presume, the success
Of efforts, in which, as private citizen had
shared, to overthrow corrupt combination then
holding domain in or metropolis and to purify
the judiciary which had become Its tool that In.
duced the Democracy of the State In 1874 to nom.
inate me for Governor, This was done In spite of
the protests Of minority, that the part had
borne in those reforms had created antagonisms
fatal to me as a candidate. felt constrained to
accept the nomination as the most certain means
Of putting the power OF the GubernatoIiOl Office
on the side Of reform and of removing the i'm
preston, wherever 1t prevailed that the faithful
discharge OF ones duty as citizen is fatal to his
usefulness as public servant. The breaking up
Of the Canal Ring, the better management Of our
public works. the large reduction of taxes, and
other reforms, accomplished during my admins
tration, doubtless oceasiOned my nomination for
the Presidency by the Democrats of the Union
in the hope that similar processes would be ap-
piled to the Federal Government. From the re.
sponsbility Of such an undertaking, appalling as
1t seemed to me, did not feel at liberty to shrink
In the canvass which ensued the Democratic party
represented reform in the administration Of the
Federal Government and restoration Of our
complex political system at the pure ideas OF its
founders. Upon these issues the people of the
United States, by a majority Of more than quar-.
ter Of million, chose majority Of the Electors
TO cast their votes for the Democratic candidates
for President and Vice President,
1t is my right and privileg here to say that
was nominated and elected to the Presidency, and
absolutely free from any engagement In respect
to the exercise of It's powers or disposal Of It's
patronage. Through the whole period of my re
lation to the Presidency, did everything in my
power to elevate and nothing to lower the moral
standard In the competition Of the parties.
By what nefarious means the basis for false
count was laid In several of the States need not
reclte. These are now matter of history about
which, whatever diversity Of opinion may have
existed in either Of the great parties of the coun.
Try at the time Of their consummation, have
since practically disappeared,
refused TO ransom from the Returning Board
Of Southern States, the documentary evidence by
the suppression Of which and by the substitution
of fraudulent aud forged papers, pretext was
made for the preparation OF false count, The
constitutional duty Of the two Houses of Congress
TO count the electoral vote as cast, and to give
effect to the will Of the people as expressed by
their suffrages, was never fulfilled. An Electoral
Commission for the existence of which have no
responsibility. was formed, and to 1t the two
Houses of Congress abdiCated their right to make
the count by law enacted, that the count OF the
Commission should stand as final unless over
ruled by the concurrent action OF the two Houses
Its false count was not overruled, owing to the
completely of Republican Senate with the Re-
ublican majority of the Commission,
Controlled by Its Republican majority Of eight
to seven the Electoral Commission counted out
the new men elected by the people, and counted
In the men not elected by the people. That sub
version Of the election created new issue for the
decision OF the people of the United States, trans
cerding in importance all questions Of admins
traton II involved the vital principle Of self
government through elections by the people. The
Immense growth Of the means OF currupt inhu.
ence over the ballot box, which is at the disposal
administration had already become a present
evil and great danger, tending to make elections
iIresponsive to public opinion, hampering the
power of the people to change their rulers, and
enabling the men holding the machinery OF the
Government to continue and perpetuate their
power, 1t was my opinion In 1876 that the Oppo.
sition, attempting to change the Administration,
needed to include at least two thirds Of the voters
at the opening of the canvass in order TO retain
majority at the election. If, after such obstacles
had been overcome and a ma jority OF the people
had voted to change the administration of their
Government, the men in Office could still procure
q false count founded upon frauds peTjuries and
forgehes, furnishing pretext OF documentary
evidence on which to have that false count and
ifsuCh a transaction werere not only successful,
but IT, after the allotment Of Its benefits made and
its contrivers abetors and apologists by the chief
beneficiary OF the tTansacton 1t were condoned
by the people, q practical destruction Of elections
by the people would have been accomplished,
The failure to install the candidates chosen by
the people, a contingency consequent upon no act
or omission Of mine and hey Ond my CONTROL has
thus left me for the last three years. and until
now, when the Democratic party by It's delegates
in National Convention assembled, shall choose
a new leader the involuntary, though necessary
representative Of this mOmentuous tssre AS such,
denied the immunities of public life without the
powers conferred by public station subject to un-
Ceaging false hoods and calumnies from the par.
tisans of an administration, laboring in vain TO
Justify Its existence, have neveithe less stead
faslly endeavored to preserve the Democratic
party Of the United States the supreme issue be
fore the people for their decision next November
whether this shall be government by the sov'
ereign people thrC ugh elections or Government
by discarded servants holding over by force and
fraud. And have held no sacrifice nor neglected
any opportunity to uphold organize and consoli'
date against the enemies Of representative institu
tions the great party, which alone, under God
can effectually resist their overthrow.
Having now borne faithfully my full share OF
labor and care in the public service, and wearing
the marks Of its burden, desire nothiug 80 much
as an honorable discharge, wish to lay down
the honOrs and tolls of even quasi leadership and
to seek the repOse OF private life In renOuncing
the nomination for the Presidency, do so with
no doubt in my mind as TO the vote Of the State
OF New York, or Of the United States, but that
believe that 1t is renuncatiOn OF tie reelection
to the Presidency.
TO those who think my denomination and re.
election indispensable to an etfeeual vindication
Of The right Of the people to elect their rulers
violated In my person, have accorded as long a
reserve Of my decision as possible; but cannot
overcome my repugnAnce to enter into new
engagement which involves four years Of cease.
less toll The dignity OF the Presidential office Is
above merely personal ambition, but II creates
in me now the illusion that Its great value is q
great power for good to the country. l said four
years ago In accepting the nomination, know
ing as do therefore, from fresh experience how
great the difference Is between gliding through
an official routine and working out reform OF
systems and policies, 1t Is impossible for me to
contemplate which needs to be done In the Fed
eral administration with an anxious sense Of the
difficulties Of the undertaking. II summoned by
the suffrages Of countrymen to attempt this work,
l shall endeavor with Gods help to be the eff,
cient instrument Of their will" Such q work OF
renovation after many years Of misrule, such a
reform Of systems and policies to which would
cheerfully have sacrificed all that remained to
me Of health and life, is now, fear, beyond my
strength. With unfeigned thanks for the hon0rs
bestowed upon me, with heart swelling with
emotions Of gratitude to the Democratic masses
for the support which they have given to the
cause have represented, and their steadfast con.
fldenCe In every emergency, remain your fellow
citizen, SAMUEL j. TILDEN.