, 1882-10-20
Judge Burkes Letter of Acceptance
SEATTLE, Oct. l6, lsS2.

| CldllN, ludl lue ltIIllOTlhl ~ nOCIutlC
Convention has done me tue honor to
re-numinate me rs lis candidate for the
position of Delegate to Congress from
this rr ,Dry. Under any circumstances
| sGoLlu DE deeply impressed with such
a mark Of the confidence and regard of a
body Of representative Democrats, such
as recently assembled i'll convention at
Vancouver; but | appreciate the honor
all the more because the nomination
came to me, not only unsought, but
against my expressed wishes, If | were
now to consult my personal feelings, in
terests or convenience, | should certain
ly decline this nomination. In the early
days of the Republic, it was a maxim in
pol tics that no man should seek or de-
cline an office. | have hitherto generally
regulated my conduct in politics upon
the principle of this maxim; and | think
it my duty to observe it in this instance.
If it be true, as our Republican friends
hopeless minority, then / should feel
bound 10y double duty to stand as the
candidate of the party. First, would
owe it as duty to the Territory to aid in
keeping up the party organization as a
wholesome and necessary check upon the
party in power; and secondly, would
owe it as duty to the party that has
honored me, to uphold and contend for
it even in the presence Of inevitable de-
feat 1t would be base in the extreme to
desert friend or party in the hour of
trial or misfortune. Nominees are not
wont in our day to decline nominations
rendered by party as able to elect as to
nominate. But if party organizations
have any higher aims than merely to
skirmish and scramble for offices, to
scheme and struggle for place, men
should be as ready to uphold them in the
minority as in the majority. Indeed as
general thing, men standing by party
do 80 from principle; while there is al
ways large number to be found in the
ranks of the party in power who fight
for it and shout for it, not so much for
the good that is in it, as for the good
they can get out Of it. There never has
been time in the history of our Terri
tory when the public interests 80 impera-
lively required, as they do now, an able,
enlightened and powerful opposition to
check the growing and dangerous ten
dency OF tine party in power towards
"bossism" and machine methods with all
their attendant political abuse. Party
managers seem to have caught the infec-
ton that is now, in the States, degrad-
ing the public service, debauching the
public morals, and scandalizing the ma
ton. If we would keep the politics of
our Territory free from the demoralizing
presence OF the "boss" and the ma
chine we must endeavor to obtain
something like an equal division of po-
litical power, and thus keep the party
that happens to be dominant for the
moment constantly on its good behavior.
The great question in politics today is
the reform of the Civil Service, and that
question concerns us here as deeply as it
does the people Of any other part Of the
country. The cry comes to us from the
three great States OF the Union that the
nominations of the candidates Of the Re
publican party in each of those States
was procured by fraud and the corruption
Of patronage. The voice Of the people is
stifed, their wishes disregarded and
their ablest and most upright leaders
thrust aside by an INSCRIPTIONS cabal
who have gained control of the party ma
chine.
An eminent Republican has recently
thus characterized the condition Of af-
fairs in New York and Pennsylvania:
"The events in both States show that
no graver political peril now confronts
the country than the complete subjuga-
ton OF the Republican party by unscru-
pulous cabal, which bribe with public
employment, and pay their way by floh-
ing from the public treasury. This is
an evil which will end in violence unless
conclusively rebuked by the
people at the polls" And
this rebuke will be administered by the
defeat and overthrow OF the oabals and
the success of the Democratic party; and
if the Democratic party fails to catch
the inspiration of the hour, to become
thoroughly imbued with the importance
of this great question of civil service re-
form, it will, III its turn, be hurled from
power, as in such case it would richly
deserve to be- But the Democrats are i'll
full sympathy with the spirit of this great
movement. A great Democratic Senator
and leader, Senator Pendleton, OF Ohio,
has already brought forward measure
Vi bu6 uISb III oSOuliiits u
form of the civil service, and under his
able and enlightened advocacy the meas
ure will doubtless be adopted.
This, then, is no time for the Demo
cratic party of Washington Territory TO
abandon the field. Let the party organ
ization be maintained. Let the party
everywhere throughout the Terrt)ry
take firm and pronounced stand against
"bossism" and machine methods in poll
tics; against political cliques and cabals,
and the result will be that our Territory
will be saved from the political demorali-
zation that seems to have oyertaken 80
many of the States. The Democratic
party will thus haye something to con-
tend for Of infinitely more Importance
than this or that Office.
In regard to our admission as State,
I would say that in my judgment it is
matter of the first Importance. The Re-
publican party could and should have
1 lnat