Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1881-03-25
A Farewell Address.
An Address which If MIR. Hayes did not
Write he Certainly Inspired.
New York Sun.

Follow C1TIzENs: About to lay
down the great trust which your suf-
frages conferred four years ago upon
another person, it seems proper that
/ should address to you few words
of affectionate warning. 1t las been
customary heretofore only for the
great Presidents, who were conscious
of the love and veneration of the peo-
pie, to take leave of their country in
this solemn form. But, inasmuch
as 1 can hardly be ranked among the
Presidents at all, and history will
probably take note of me only ae an
intruder in that illustrious line, l do
not feel myself bound by those pre-
cedents.
My situation in. the Administration
of this office, to which l was not
elected, has been one of singular
embarrassment. 1 had borne arms
for my country, if not with distinc-
ton, at least with moderate credit.
My fellow citizens of Ohio, deeming
me an inofensive sort of person,
without sufficient force of character
to engender enemies, repeatedly
raised me, like a wooden image, to
the place of Governor-an Office in
that State of no power or influence.
But l was gratified with these ap-
parent testimonials of popular favor,
and believing that no man of real
abilities could receive the nomina-
lion at Cincinnati, 1 was not sur
prised when the battle of the Titans
ended in the choice of the pigmy.
And it was we'll so. A standard
bearer of larger stature would have
been struck, perhaps fatally, by
many missiles which passed harm
less over my head.
My defeat was q cruel disappoint-
ment, and the very large ajority of
my opponent added greatly to the
weight of the blow. But 1 owe my
self the justice to state, in this, doubt
Fsless, the last communication the pub
lie will eyer receive fsom me, that | had
no thought then of resisting or revers-
ing the popular will. Had l con-
suited only the promptings of my
own heart l would have refused to
be party to the memorable con-
spiracy which was Immediately
formed to substitute the candidate
rejected by the people for the can
didate whom they had elected. So
innocent was l of the design subse-
quently executed that publicly ac-
knowledsed my defeat in candid
address from my own doorstep, and
confess that / was profoundly
shocked when l saw Mr.. Chandler's
celebrated despatch boldly announc-
ing my election hours after my de-
feat had been universally known and
conceded. But, as the plot develop
ed, and only the most agreeable
features were communicated to me,
while the dark details of crime and
corruption were carefully hidden,
the scruples, which | soon come to
regard as mere personal weaknesses,
gradually melted away, and 1 final
ly accepted the fruits OF conspiracy
and forgery with complacency and
even pleasure.
Twill not recall the history of my
introduction into office. I wish, in
deed, it might be erased from the
memory of men, and l would cheer
fully return to the conscience fund
of the Treasury, or make over to my
def1auded competitor, all that has
been saved of his four years salary,
if that act could restore me TO the
state Of innocence l enjoyed while
yet the harmless Governor of Ohio.
My position after the assumption
of the Presidency, as before said.
was one of peculiar delicacy and diff
Guilty. l had read attentivcly the
powerful letter of acceptance by the
great statesman nominated at st.
Louis, and inasmuch as the people
! had, by q large majority, expressed
their approval of its contents, and l
was in the occupation Of the Office to
which its author had been elected, l
conceived it to be my duty to effect
some OF the reforms therein recon-
mended. But found myself pow
erless; was not free a agent. The
Government was administered in my
name, but | was little moro than q
passive instrument in the unscrupul-
GUS hands which had forged the var
ious links in that so-called.chain of
title to the Office | hold. Those men
were not reformers; they had not
brought me into power to forward
the measures enunciated by my late
opponent. 1t was some time before
| fully realized my abject depend
ence upon the secrecy and fidelity of
the numerous agents employed in
the Great Fraud, and meanwhile l
was permitted to amuso the country
with certain promises of reform,
which were, however, confined to the
civil service. At length even this
pretence grew ridiculous. What L