Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-10-16
MIR. TILDEN's REPLY.
Contrasting the Two Great Parties.
of Expecting Reform
From the Party in Power.
the Resolutions Addressed
TO Him by the Democratic National
Convention of 1884.

Convention conveying to him the reso-
tions OF that body:
GREYsToNE, October 4, 1884.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF
THE COMMITTEE: l thank you for the
kind terms in which you have com
municated the resolutions concerning
me adopted by the late National
Democratic Convention. | share your
conviction that reform in the admins
tration of the Federal Government,
which is our great National want, and
is, indeed, essential to the restoration
and preservation of Government itself,
can only be achieved through the
agency of the Democratic party by In
stalling It's representative in the Chief
Magistracy Of the United States.
The noble historical traditions of
the Democratic party, the principles
in which it was educated and to which
it has ever been in the main faithful,
its freedom from corrupt influences
which grow up in the prolonged pos
session of power and the nature of the
elements which constitute 1t, all con-
tribute to qualify it for that mission.
The opposed characteristics which at
tach to the Republican party make it
hopeless to expect that that party will
be able to give better government than
the deoaslng system of abuses which
during its ascendancy, has infected off
cial and political life in this country.
The Democratic party had its origin
IN the efforts of the more advanced
patriots of the Revolution to resist the
perversion CT our sGovernment from
the ideal contemplated by the people.
Among its conspicuous founders are
Benjamin Fraklin and Thomas Jeffer-
son; Samuel Adams and John Han
cock, of Massachusetts; George Clin.
ton and Robert r. Livingston, of New
York, and George Wythe and James
Madison, of Virginia. From the
election of Mr.. Jefferson as Presi.
dent, in 1900, for sixty years the
Democratic party mainly directed our
National policy it extended the boun,
diaries of the Republic and laid the
foundations of all our Natloual gr eat
ness, while it preserved the limitations
imposed by the Constitution, and main
tanned simple and pure system of
n domactio q n ~, n or rat1op
On the other hand, the Republican
party has always been dominated by
principles which favor legislation for
the benefit of particular classes at the
expense of the body of the poor peo-
pie. 1t has become deeply tainted
with the abuses which naturally grow
up during the long possession of un-
checked power, especially in period
of civil war and false finance. The pa
triotic, virtuous elements in it are now
unaole to emancipate it from the sway
of selfish interest which subordinate
the public duty to personal greed. The
most hopeful of the best citizents it
contains despair Of it's amendment, ex-
cept through its temporary expulsion
from power.
1t has been boastingly asserted by a
modern Massachusetts statesman,
struggling to reconcile himself and his
followers to its Presidential candidate,
that the Republican party contains a
dlsproportionate share of the wealth,
the culture and the intelligence Of the
country. The unprincipled Grafton,
when tauntcd by James II with his
personal want of conscience, answered:
THAT is true; but belong to party
that has a great deal of onscience. !"
Such reasoners forget that the same
claim has been made in all ages and
countries by defenders Of all wrongs
against new reforms. 1t was alleged
by the Tories of the American Revo.
luton against the patriots of that day;
it was repeated against Jefferson, and
afterward against Jackson; it is alleged
by the conservatives against those
who, IN England, are now endeavoring
to enlarge the popular suffrage. All
history shows that reforms in Govern
ment must not be from those who sit
serenely on the social mountain tops
cycling tie benefits of the existing Or
der of things. Even the Divine au-
thor of our religion found his follow
ers not among complacent Pharisees,
but among lowly-minded fishermen.
The Republican party is largely
made up Of those who live by their
wits, and who aspire to advantages
over the rest of mankind similar to
those which their daily lives are devo
ted to securing in their private busi-
ness The Democratic party consists
largely of those who live by the work
of their hands, and whose political &C
tion is governed by their sentiments or
imagination. Itresults that the Demo
cratic party, more readily than the Re-
publican party. can be nodded to the
support of reform measures which in
volve a sacrifice of selfish interests
The Indispensable necessity of our time.
times is change of administration ir
the great Executive offices of coun try
This, in my judgment, can only be &C.
complished by the election of the
Democratic candidates for Pesiden
| ooJ Uioo proe;Jopt