Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1880-06-23
Tilden's Letter OF Withdrawal.
New YORK, June IS, 1880.

Having passed my early years in an atmosphere
filled with the traditions Of the which secured
our national independence, and Of the struggles
which made our continental system government
for the people, and by the people, learned to
idolize the institutions Of my country, and was
educated TO believe II the duty Of citizen of the
| republic to take his fair allotment OF care and
trouble In public affairs | fulfilled that duty to
the best Of my ability for forty years as private
citizen. Although during all my life giving at
least az much thought ard effort to public affairs
~ to all other objects, have never accepted Of
fetal service except for brief period for special
purpose, and only when the occasion seemed to
require Of me that sacrifice OF private preferences
to public interests. My life has been substan-
tally that OF private citizen It was, lpresume,
the success of the efforts in which, as a private
citizen had shared, to overthrow a corrupt COM
bination then holding dominion In our metropolis,
and to purify the judiciary which had become its
tool, that induced the Democrats of the state in
1874 TO nominate me for governor This was done
in spite of the protests Of minority that the part
had borne in these reforms had created antago-
nists fatal to me candidate felt constrained
to accept the nomination a. the certain means OF
putting the gubernatoria office on the side Of
form and of removing the impression, wherever
1t prevailed, that the faithful discharge of ones
duty as a citizen is fatal to his usefulness as a
public servant
The breaking up OF the canal ring, the better
management OF our public works, the large reduc-
ton Of taxes and other reforms accomplished
during my administration doubtless occasoned
racy of the Union in the hope that similar pro-
cesses should be applied to the federal govern
ment. From the responsibilities of such an
undertaking. appalling as it seemed to me, did
not feel at liberty to shrink.
1t il nv right and privilege here to say that |
was nominated and elected to the presidency alb
solutely free from any engagement in respect to
the exercise Of its powers the disposal Of its
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 n false count
laid in several of the states need not recite
These are now matters OF history about which
whatever diversity of opinion may have existed in
either OF the great parties of the country at the
time of their contamination has since practically
disappeared. | refused to ransom from the
turning boards OF southern states the documentary
evidence by the suppression OF which, and by the
substitution of fraudulent and forged papers,
pretext made for the preparation OF a false
count The constitutional duty OF the two houses
OF congress to count the electoral votes and TO
give effect to the will of the people rs expressed
BY their suffrages never fulfilled, and the
electoral commission for the existence of which
have no responsibility, was formed, and to it the
two houses OF congress abdcated their duty to
make the count by a law enacting that the count
OF the commission should stand as final unless
overruled by the concurrent action Of the two
| houses Its false count not overruled, owing
to the completely of Republican senate with a
Republican majority of the commission. Con-
|
seven the electoral commission counted out the
men elected by the people and counted in the men
not elected by the people
That subverson Of tho election created new
issue for the decision of the people Of the United
transcendiDg in Importance all questions OF ad-
mnstraton. 1t involved the vital principle Of
self-government through elections by the people.
| The immense growth of the means of corrupt in
fuence over the balot-box which is at the disposal
of the party having possession of the executive
administration, had already become a present
| evil and a great danger tending to make electors
| irresponsible to public opinion, hamperng 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-
siton 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
a majority at the election. IT, after such obsta-
| ces had been overcome and a majority OF the
people had voted to change the administration
of their government, the men In office could
still procure a false count founded upon frauds,
perjury and forgeries, furnishing a pretext of
documentary evidence on which to base that
false count, and If such transaction were not only
successful, but If, after allotment of its benefit
| were made to its contrivers, abettors and apollo
gists by the chief beneficiary of the transactions
1t were condemned by the people, a practical de-
struction of elections by the people would have
been accomplished. The failure to install the
candidates chosen by the people, contingency
| consequent upon no act omission OF mine and
beyond my CONTROL has thus left me for the last
three years and until now, when the Democratic
party by its delegates in national convention as
sembled shall choose a new leader, the involun-
tary but necessary representative OF this momen-
| tous issue As SUCH denied the immunities of
private life, without the powers conferred by pub
| lie station, subject to unceasing falsehoods and
caumnies from the partisans of an administra-
| ton laboring in vain to justify its existence,
| have nevertheless steadfasty endeavored to pre-
to the Democratic party Of the United States
the supreme issue before the people for their de-
l.,at ..ars lhntla. sl.sa hall
government by the sovereign people through cleo
tons, or government by discarded servants
holding over by force and fraud and have with
held no sacrifice and neglected no opportunity to
uphold, organize and consolidate against the enc
mics of representative institutions the great party
which alone under God can effectuay resist
their overthrow.
Having now borne faithfully my full share Of
labor and care In the public service and wearing
marks of its burdens, desire nothing so much
an honorable discharge | wish to lay down the
honors and tolls OF even quasi party leadership,
and to seek the repose of private life. In renoun-
cling denomination OF the presidency, do so with
no doubt in my mind to the vote OF the state of
New York of the United States But because
believe that it is remuneration of reelection of
the presidency to those who think my nomination
and reelection indispensable to an effectual vim
dication of the right of the people to elect their
rulers, violated in my person, have accorded
long reserve of my decision possible; but can
not overcome my repugnanee To enter into a new
| engagement which involves four years of ceaseless
toll. The dignity of the presidential office is above
a merely personal ambition, but 1t creates no IL
lusions, its value is a great power for good to
the country | said four years ago in accepting
the nomination: Knowing 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 what needs to
be done in the federal administration without
| sense of the difficulties OF the undertaking IL
| summoned by the suffrages Of my countrymen to
| | W
help 10 be the efficient Instrument Of their will"
Such work of renovation after many years Of
misrule, such a reform OF systems and policies, to
which would cheerfully have sacrificed all that
| remained 10 ma of health aud life Is nnW fear