The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-08-28
GOV. CLEVELAND'S LETTER.
A Dicniliel Document Formally
Accepting the Presidcn-
tial Nomination
The Cause OF the IIaboriuS Man
Warmly Espouscd---Oilice-
Hunting Denounced.

ALBANY, n. Y. Aug. 19-To Col.
William +. Villas, Chairman, and d. 2.
Restor and others, members of the NO
tification Committee OF the Democrat
ic National Conventions:
! GENTLFMEN: | have received your
communication dated July Is, 1854, III
forming me of my nomination t. the
Office Of President OF the United States
by the National Democratic CGnven-
ti"n lately assembled al Chicago.
accept The nomination with IL grateful
| appreciation OF the supreme honor con-
! ferred. and Il solemn sense of tue re-
Sp0nSibillty which. i'll its acceptance, [
| assume. | have carefully considered
| tl:e platform adopted Ivy the convention
ami cordially approve oi the same. So
| plain Il statement Of Democratic faith
and The principles upon which that par
| tN appeals to the snitfageS of the peO-
| pie needs no supplement or GXplana-
ton 1t should he remembered that
the Office OF President is essentially exa
ecutlVe in its nature. The laws enact
ed 10y the legislative branch of the
! Government the Chief Executive ia
| bound faithfully to enforce. And
! when the wisdom of the political party
which selects one Of It's members IA a
| nominee for that office has outlined its
| policy, and declared its principles, 1t
seems to me that nothing in the char
| acter of the office or the necessities of
! tlse case requires more from the candi-
date accepting such nomination than
| the suggestion of certain Well-knOwn
truths, SO absolutely vital to the safety
and welfare of the nation. that they
cannot be too often recalled or too Serf-
onsly enforced. We proudly call ours a
government by the people. 1t is not
SIyn1. whom a ninSC 10 tnlnr1t AH Juhin all
arrogates to itself the management OF
public affairs, seeking to control the
people instead of representing them.
Parties are the necessary outgrowth of
our institutions; but government is
not by the people when one party
fastens its control upon the country
and perpetuateS its power by cajoling
and betraying the people instead of
serving them.
when a result which should represent
the Intelligent will of free and think
ing men is OF can be determined by the
ssiamelesa theft of their SutfrageS
when an election to Office shall be
the selection by the voters of one of
their number to assume for time a
public trust instead of his dedication
to the profession of politics, when the
holders of the ballot, Guickened by II
sense Of duty. shall avepge truth be-
trayed and pledges broken, and when
the suffrage shall be altogetherfree and
lncOrrupted the full realization of a
Government by the people will be at
hand. And of the means to this end
not one would. i'll my judgment, be
aGNH effective than an amendment to
the Constitution disqualifying the
President from reelection. When we
consider the patronage of this great
office. the allurement of power. the
temptation to retain public place once
gained, and, more than all, the availa-
bility party finds in an incumbent
whom horde of oilice-h0lders with II
zeal born of benefits received, and foS-
tered by the hope of f'tvorS yet to come,
stand ready to aid with money and
trained political service, we recognize
ia the eligibility of the President Tor
Te- election a most serious danger TO
that calm, deliberate and intelligent
political action which must character
lze a Government by the people.
a tIue American sentiment recoS-
niZas the dignity of labor and the fact
that honor lies i'll honest toll. Con-
tented labor is an element of National
prosperity. Ability to work constitutes
the capital aad the wages of labor the
income of a vast number OF our pOpu-
jealouSly protected. Our workingmen
are not asking unreasonable indulgence;
but, as Intelligent and manly citizens,
lhey seek the same consideration
which those demand who have other
interests at stake. They should receive
their full share of the care and atten-
ton OF those who make and execute
the laws, to the end that the wants and
needs of the employers and the employ
ed shall alike be SubSeryed and the
prosperity Of the country, the common
heritage of both be advanced. AS re-
lated to this subject, while we should
not discourage the immigration of
those who come 10 acknowledge aflegI-
ance to our Government and aud to our
citizen population yet as means of
protection to our WOrkingmen, differ
ent rulc should prevail concerning
those who, if they come, or are brought
to our land, do not intend to become
Americans, but will inlnrlOusly com
pete with those justly entitled to Oul
Yield of labor.
In letter accepting the nnmina-
lion to the office of Governor nearly
two years ago | made the following
statement, to which have steadily al-
her2d: The laboring classes constitute
the main part of OlIr population. they
should be protected III their efforts
peaceIbly to assert their rights when
endangered by aggregated capital, and
all statutes Oh this subject should rec
10il and be framed with Il view of I'M
GfoVing tine condition of the working
nn4n.
"A proper regard for the welfare of
the Workingnlan being inSeparably con-
nected with the integrity of our inStl-
tIti4ns. none OF our citizens are more
interested than they, i'll guarding
against any corrupting influences which
seek to pervert the beneticent purposes
of oar government, and none should he
mare Wnichful of the artful machina-
:ions Of those who allure them to self
flltlicted injury.
"Ip q free country the curtailment of
the absolute rights of the individual
should olfIy be such rs is essential to
the peace and good order of the com
munity. rhe limit between the proper
subjects of governmental control and
those which can be more iittlngly left
to the moral sense assd self-impOsed re-
straint of the citizens should be care
fully kept i'll view. Thus laws unnec-
essarily interfering with the habits and
customs of any one OF our people, which
are not offensive to the moral sentiments
OI ttle CIVIL NOIiuf Elllt "a llANbA fbi Y
consistent with good citizenship and
the public welfare, are unWise and yex-
atiouS.
The commerce of nation to great
extent determines its supremacy.
Cheap and easy transportation should
therefore be liberally fOStered. Within
the limits of the Constitution the Cen
eral Government should so improve
and protect its natural waterways as
enable the producers of the country to
reach profitable market.
The people pay the wages OF the
public employees. and they are entitled
to the fair and honest work which the
money thus paid should command. 1t
is the duty of those intruSted with the
,ff1anagement of their affairs TO see that
tsaucA public service is forthco9 lng.
nEle selection and retention of SnDor-
tidn ateS i'll government employment
/ .a4cn,lld depend upon their ascerElined
| iitieass and the value of their work,
air5 they should be neither expected
norsalloWed to do questionable party
seNyjce. The interests of the peop e
wfiE be better protected; the estimate
of sslblic labor and duty will be lnl-
meIsely improved; public employment
/ wislgbe open to all who can demonstrate
) theis fitness to enter it; the unseemly
Z ScTsaable for place under the govern
meIlt, with the consequent Importantly
! WltjeL pmbjttprS Official life will cease,