The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-08-01

COLUMBUS, July 29.-1ne following Is
Mr. Bookwalters letter of acceptance of
the nomination of Governor of Ohio:
James B. Steadman. Evan F. Williams, and
Allan O. Myers Columbus, Ohio.
SIRs: Your-letter of the 18th inst, was
duly received, informing me of mynomi
nation by the Democratic Convention for
the office of Governor of Ohio. To say
that I am deeply sensible of the honor
your convention has conferred upon me,
would be to express very imperfectly the
feeling with which | regard your commu-
nication. 1t is at once an honor and re-
sponsibility by which no man can fail to be
graveiy impressed. To be thus chosen as
the standard bearer of party which has
been led, and glorlously led in past con
flicts, by the wisest and ablest statesman
of the time, cannot hope to bring to the
task the same measure of wisdom, skill
and eloquence which they have displayed,
but happily the greatness of the party, and
the cause which it represents must in any
case overshadow the personal attributes of
it's candidates, whether they be of the high
est or hTImblest order, and in accepting, as
I do, this trust, at your hands, / rely for
success not on any talent of my own, but
upon the persistent force of Democratic
principles and fidelity in their defense
which the Democratic party of Ohio has
uniformly displayed.
The platform adopted by your conven-
ton has received my attentive considera-
ton, and in the spirit and substance of its
utterances / most heartily concur 1t en-
bodies, in my opinion, reforms for which
there is an imperative demand in the char
acter and scope of our Legislative policy,
and the objects and purposes for which
ha &c ah | Mess
these reforms are accomplished, we must
drift further and further from the true aim
and intent of popular government. Legls
lation. which should be directed solely and
strictly to the interests of the many, tends
more and more in these times toward sub
servience to the few. No doubt this will
exist in all communities, and has its sour
ces independently of party organization.
but in our state, and under the auspices OF
the party in power, it has become more
dangerously prevalent than ever before.
1t is a belief to which / have ever adhered,
and have often given expression OF, that
the function of government should IN no
case be exercised in behalf of any section
or class to the detriment of any other.
Still less is it justified in yielding them to
the service of corporations and powerful
monopolies, intrenched in their own
wealth and abundantly capable of self
protection as against the mass of the peo-
pie and particularly the agricultural and
mechanical classes. These have no organ
iZation, and none but numerical power,
and their sole defense and safeguard
against aggression and wrong lies in the
infideiity of their representatives.
Among many cases in point, the man
agement of the convict labor of the state,
to which your platform alludes, is q note
worthy one and here, as elsewhere, q re.
form is plainly called for, to the end that
the government of the state, if it cannot
directly aid the laboring classes, shall not
present itself in the character of their enc
my and oppressor.
The. fifth resolution of your platform re-
lates to a question of vital interest, and
expresses in brief and plain terms opposi-
| ton to legislation of merely sumptuary
character This, if / understand it rightly,
| does not employ hostility to rational and
practical measures for the abatement of
any evil with which society is affected 1t
NAV be well, however, to remember that IN
| a free country the object of all law is the
maintenance and not the Infringement OF
| the rights of the citizen. The attempt to
govern too much or too infinitely in these
particulars must inevitably defeat its own
end The preservation of social order,
/ anu the WlOl6SOIue TtSlItslub dlu cOubfOl u
elements of danger to the community
which cannot be wholly removed, are oh
jects imminently desirable in themselves,
possible of attainment, and properly with
in the scope of constitutional legislation.
| 1t is much to be deplored that all well dis
posed citizens, including those at opposite
extremes on the question, cannot be
brought up on common ground for the ac-
complishment of what is, ought to be, a
common object
The proper adjustment of the taEif sys
TEN of the country is matter which grave.
| ly affects the welfare of our own and every
other State Viewed only in an economic
| light of civilization it is but the develop
ment and organization of varied industrial
pursuits and it has come to be regarded as
almost maxim of political economy, that
the prosperity and maintenance of any
special industry is dependant upon the per-
feet coordination and harmonious adjust
ment of all. Legislation, therefore, upon
this subject should be of such character