Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-06-21
e1Ns IN n ATE.
A LITTER FROM MR. TIIDEN

Mi. Tlldcn has written tho following lcttcr
Withdrawing his nauc rs q candidate before the
Cincinnati convention for President. The letter
was read st called mtc!iog of tho New York
delegation ct Cincinnati. last night.
New York, June Is. 1880.
10 the Delegates from tie State Of NcU lOrk
to the Democratic National Convention
our trst assembling Is an occasion Oh which
1t Ii proper Tor nc 10 state to you my relation
to tho ncminaiio1 for the presidency, which you
aod your sssc clatca arc UmmlSS!oncd to mako
IN b hal nt The demo c:a;iC party CT tho United
States. llaVifg passed my carrier years 10 au
atmosphere filled with traditions Of tho war
which 8; cared cur national independence, and Of
the struggles which made orr Continental SIS.
tenn government for the people, ty tho peopIc,
learred to idoliz9 tho Institutions of ny coun.
try, aod WAS educated 20 believe it tho duty of
cst!z ~ OF tho republic 80 tx, his iair GlIol-
Erut a c'rc aad trouble in public affairs. |
lu;lIt!,d that du y to Il Z best OF my ability fer
tary years ~ q private cit;z n. Although
du'lrg all ny l:ia lirirr at least ns mueh
thought aud clfmt TO public sttalIs as TO all
Other OIL Cts. hah never accepted officiul
service tHotpt t@r bri,l period for special
purpose, aid oily WHun the Ccuatlon seemed to
require nt pIc THAI s@crllir, OF private prefer.
cIces to pablo interests. My lis has be ca sub
stan'lally that CT private cliG n. twas. |
presume, tho snccrsS OF tHJris in wEi,h as a
private citizen | hal shared to overthrow c)r-
rupt combination then holdiog dcmiaion it, our
metropolis. and to Furiiy tho Judiciary, which
had become is tool, that induced tho demacrs-
CO Ct the State 10 1874 to nominate m3 for roy
cr0or. This was dooc 10 spite Of the protests of
n mir ~ hut In ri | had
reforms had created sblGgOnismI fatal TO mo ns
a Candidate. | felt conslraiucd to acoapt tho
nomination ts the mCst certain meaUs OF putting
the power Of the lubirnatnri,l cffco Ga tho sidv
OF rGt0rm. AID Ci renewing the Impression.
whcrciu IL p.epaiicd, that faithful discharge Of
OnoS duty Is n ciiZ N Is Fatal 10 hi4 useiulncs,
as public sCrrsut. The breaking Up of tho
caGal ting, tho better MANAGEMENT of cur putlic
works. iha largo reduction OF t1X,s aud o.her
!ctornS accomplished duriGg NY adniois RI.
ton DOUBTLESS tc3as0uad my nomlnaion for ha
presidency by tho democracy ct TIM Unioo 10
thu hope that Il Iiiar Processes Won d BE- applied
tn tho federal government. From The responei
blilIrs Ct such an undeItak iog. appalling as it
srumtd 10 me, Did Dct ital al liberty TO shrpE.
In tho c3hvaSs which c1sucl tho democratic
pnriy represented ron,n In the admi abstraction
nt the federal govctGmcut. aid n restoration of
our complex. 20 i zeal systrm to tho plro id.as
nI i's runicrs Upon these ssuos tho peoplo
Of tho 'Inited S a!cs. by Il N; i)t;'y OF Lore
than qlartcr Of million, chose mti)rity of
the r!ec,oIs cast their votes fjr The democratic
candidates for president aai Woe president. Il
is MY right aod privilege here 10 sly that | was
IOminaicd uod elected to the presidency
absolutely free from any tngag, ut 10 rtsptc,
10 the exercise 81 i 5 po4Cis Or the disro:ai cf
its patronage. InrOGsh tho whole period of
my rcAtltn TO tho Irssiderey did everything
10 NY power TO cItvatc aud rGlhirk to lower
moral stsn1a!dS i7aiha competition Of parties
~ what HctsrioGl CltGnI tie basis tGf q false
count vas aid ia sty,rtl Of tho StB:es | mel
not r, cite. These sro uow Csters of his DRY
abou; whioh. whatever diversity of opinion may
have existed in either OF the great parties Of
tho country at tho Time oil their contamination,
has slice practically dsappG arCd. | refused to
raDSon from tho returning boards of the South.
crn States the documentary evidence, by the
suppression OF which and by the suits ltution of
iraudu ent GaJ Urged percr5 pretcxt YVES
maGo Ter the periaraiioo of false count.
Tho Constitutional duty OF tio Two houses of
Congress to crunt tho electoral votes cs cast,
ADD TO give etf,c. to the will cf tho people as
Expressed BY their sufragcF, Was never fulfilled.
An cloctcrIl com mission, ttr the existence of
which | have no responsibility. was formed,
aud to it tho ITO houses of Congress abdisated
their du y TO make the count by law enaoiog
that The court OF the commission should stand
IS fos. unless overrulod by tho concurrent ac-
ton Of the two houses. LIS false count was not
overruad, owing to the completely of republi.
can Scn.to with tie republican majority of tho
Controlled by its republican ma
iority Of to 7, the electoral c)m mission COUNTED
out tho nen elected BY tho people and counted
10 tho men not elcs.od ty the people. That
subversion of the election created new issue
for Tho decision Of tho people OF TIE United |
States, transoanding in importance ell questions
Of administration. 1t involved tho vital priDcl |
pls OF self government through elections by the |
people. The immenae growth of the means of
corrupt influence over tho ballot btX. which is |
at tho disposal CT tho party havirx possession
Of the executive administration, had already |
become present evil and great danger, tend.
og to mako elections irresponsible to public
opinion, hamperng the power Of tho people to
,bapge their rulers, and enabling the mon bold.
ng the machinery Of government to continue
md perpetuate their power. 1t was my opinioo