Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-07-03
Mr.. Tilden's Letter Declining Z Re.
nomination.


On Sunday, June 20, the following
letter, brought to Cincinnati by Henry
Tilden, brother of Samuel j. Tilden,
was read to the New York delegation
In its parlors at the Grand hotel, Gin
cinnati:
NEW YORK, June Is, 1882.
To the delegates from the State Of .Ner York
10 the Democratic National convention:
Your first assembling 10 an occasion on
which it is proper for me to state to you my
relation to the nomination for the presidency
which you and your associates are commits
stoned to make in behalf OF the Democratic
party OF the United States. Having passed
my early years in an atmosphere filled with
the traditions OF the war which secured our
national independence, and OF the struggles
which made our continental system govern.
ment for the people, by the people, learned
to idolize the institutions of my country, and
was educated to believe it the duty of citi-
zen OF the republic to take his lair allotment
OF care aud trouble in public affairs. fulfilled
that duty to the best OF my ability for iorty
years as private citizen. Although during
all my life giving ut least as much thought
and effort to public affairs as to all other
objects, have never accepted Official service
and only when the occasion seemed to require
OF me that sacrifice of private preferences to
public interests, my lite has been substantially
that oil private citizen. 1t was, presume,
the success OF efforts in which, as q private
citizen, l had shared, to overthrow a corrupt
combination then holding dominion in our
metropolis, and to purify the judiciary, which
had become its tool, that induced the De-
mocracy OF the State, in 1874, to nominate
me Tor governor. This was done in spite OF
the protest OF a minority that the part hal
borne in those reforms had created antagon-
isms fatal to me US candidate. ielt con-
strained to accept the nomination as the most
certain means oil putting the power OF the
gubernatorial Office on the side OF reform, and
OF removing the impression, wherever IL pre-
vailed, that the faithful discharge OF ones duty
as a 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 accom-
plished during my administration, doubtless
occasioned my nomination Tor the presidency
by the Democracy of the Union, in the hope
that similar processes would be applied 10 the
Federal government. From the responsible
ties OF such an undertaking, appalling "a il
eemed 10 me, ! did not feel nj liberty 70
shrink. In the canvass which ensucd the
Democratic party represented reform in the
administration OF the Federal government and
a restoration OF our complex political system
10 the pure ideas of its founders. Upon these
issues the people OF the United States, by n
majority OF more than quarter OF n million,
chose q majority OF the electors to cast their
votes for the Democratic candidates for Prcsi-
dent and Vice-P President. IL Is my right and
privilege here TO say that was nominated
and elected 10 the presidency, absolutely Tree
from any engagement in respect to the ex-
ercse OF its powers or the disposal OF its
patronage. Through the whole period OF my
relation 10 the presidency did everything in
my power to elevate, and nothing TO lower,
moial standards in the competition OF parties.
yy what ne.arious means the basis fol- Il false
count was laid in several oil the States
need not recite. These are now matters OF
history about which whatever diversity oil
Upini6n may have existed in either OF the
great parties of the country at the time OF
their contamination has since practically dis
appeared l refused TO ransom from the re-
turning boards Of Southern States the docu-
mentary evidence, by the suppression Of
which and by the substitution OF fraudulent
and forged papers, a pretext was made for the
preparation OF a false count. The constitu-
tional duty of the two houses OF Congress to
count the electoral votes as cast, and TO give
effect to the will of the people, as expressed
by their suffrages, was never fulfilled. Ar
elestoral commission, for the existence OF
which have no responsibility, was formed,
and to It the two houses OF Congress abdicated
their duty TO make the count by a law enact
ing that the count OF the commission should
stand as final unless overruled by the concur
rent action OF the two houses. It's false
count was not overruled, owing to the COM
plicity of a Republican Senate with the Re-
publican majority OF the commission. Con-
trolled by its Republican majority of 8 to 4,
the electoral commission counted out the men
elected by the people, and counted in the men
not elected by the people. That subversion
of the election created new issue TOR the de-
cision of the people Of the United States,
transcendine in importance all questions OF
administration. 1t involved the vital prin-
ciple OF sell. government through elections by
the people. The immense growth OF the
means ofcorrupt influence over the ballot box,
which is at the disposal OF the party having
possession OF the executive administration,
had already become present evil and great
danger, tending 10 make elections irreeponsi-
BILE to public opinion, hampering the power oil
the people to change rulers, and enabling the
men holding the machinery Of government TO
continue aud perpetiate their power. IL was
my opinion in 1876, that the opposition at
tempting to change the administration, needed
to include at least two-tkirds OF the voters nj
the opening Of the canvass, in order to retain
a majority of the election. II, after such OBJ
stacles had been overcome and majority %
the people had voted TO chafiyc the admins.
tration Of their government, the men in Office
could still procure IA false count founded upon
fraud, perjury and iorgeriss furnishing pre-.
text OF documentary evidence on which 10
base that false count. and il such transaction
were not only successful, but II, alter allot-
ments Of its benefits were made 10 its con-
trivers, abcttors and aIologists. by the chief
beneficiary OF the transactions, II were con-
doned by the people, a 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 beyond my
control-has thus lett me Tor the last three
years and until now, when the Democratic
party, by i,s delegates II nafionsl convention
assembled. slall choose a new leader, the in
voluntary bat necessary representative OF iliis
momenious issue; rs such, denied the I'M
msniti,s OF private lite, without the powers
conferred By public station, Subject 10 un-
ceasipg ialsehoods AMI calumnie, from the
partissns oil an admin's,rati labofiDg In
san 10 Justify IFS existence, have, neverthe-
less, steadisstly enaeavored TO preserve 10
the Democratic party OF the United States the
supreme issue before the people for their de-
ci.ion next November, whether this shall be
a government by the sovereign people through
elections. or government by discarded ser