The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-07-29
The Daily Bulletin.
Carter HarrisOn's Letter of
Acceptance.
CHICAGO, July %, 1884.

Gen John c, Black Hon. John II. obcrly, Hon.
VIM. Ii. Green
GENTLEMEN OF THE COMMITTEE; In
reply to your notification of my nomination
by reclamation by the Democracy of Hi
nois for the high Office of Governor for this
State, permit me to express my profound
thanks for the great honor done me, an
honor doubly grateful from the fact that it
was wholly unasked and unsought. The
Governorship of this great commonwealth
is too exhalted a position to be intrigued
for, and nomination to it should be by
the free voice of the people, but, when
UNANIMOUSLY called upon by great party to
be its standard bearer, no good citizen is at
liberty to decline. The nomination has
come to me in such manner that | am
forced to accept it, and relying on the
generous aid pledged by you, for yourself
and for those in whose name you speak, |
shall do my utmost, as far as is compatible
with my duties to the people of this great
city, to justify the confidence placed in me
by the Democrats of the State
"Irecognizo that we are called to an un-
equal combat. For nearly thirty years we
have fought losing fight. We have shown
an undaunted front and have solidfed by
each defeat. We have year after year
fought, almost without hope, for the I'M
dying principles Of Democracy, and by our
consistency have challenged the admiration
of our opponents. This year victory is
lowering over the banners of the National
Democracy, and in Illinois there is rea-
sonable ground for hope.
"The great issue before the people, and
which dwarfs all others, is the issue of re-
form. The Republican party has been in
power too long for the country's good or
for its own purity; and its great leaders,
who have earnest convictions and contend
ed for principles, have performed their mis-
sion. They have already deserted, or are
now deserving, their party and leaving it to
the control of men actuated solely by self
interest. The war is over, and its issues
settled; even the Republican candidate for
President, who has done so much to keep
alive the bitterness resulting for civil strife,
is forced to acknowledge the progress of
events Thousands and tens Of thousands
who, in the past years have voted the Re-
publican ticket on war issues, or on those
growing out of the war, recognize that q
party too long in power becomes either
passively or positively corrupt that in the
absence of great moral principles such a
party falls under the control of men who
make their living from politics, and who,
if not absolutely corrupt, becomes
wssteful and extravagant, and that waste
of the peoples taxes is robbery; they know
that, in the game Of politics, with its en-
tanglements and alliances, these men can
not be relied upon TO bring the reckless or
the guilty to justice.
wherefore administrative reform is prac-
ticaly impossible from within the party, and
that such reform must come from without.
These men will this year vote their convic-
tons and not the party's mandates. This
class of men has in the past upheld my
hands in my endeavors to run
this municipality upon business
basis lowe them my thanks for the past
support and confidently expect their sup
port in this campaign, for, while it may
possibly be true that the affairs of the State
are not suffering for the need of reform, that
is thing yet to be demonstrated. They
have been SO long under the management
of one set of men that ordinary prudence
dictates that the books should be examined
"There will be this year not far from
hundred thousand young men grown into
voters since $780, Upon this generous
young manhood we can confidently count.
The Republican party offers nothing as an
appeal for their support. They recognize
that the most culture and the most thought
full of our citizens are declaring for the
Democracy, and they will look to the flu