The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-27
GOV. cLEVEE.ASD,s LETTER.
A Digniaed Document Formally
Accepting the Presiden-
ttaI Nomination.
The Cause Of the Laborins Man
Warmly Espoused--ofhce-
Hunting Denounced.

The Cause OF the Labcring Man
Warmly Espoused--odace-
Hunting Denounced
AIRANY. n. Y. Aug. Ito Col.
William r. Villas. Chairman, and ID. T. !
Bestor and others. members Of the No
tifcation Committee Of the Democrat
ic National Convention:
GENTLEMEN: I have received your I
communication dated July 3, 1854, IN /
forming me of my nomination % the
Office of President OF the Unlted states !
bv the National Democratic Conyen- |
tion lately assembled at Chicago. / |
accept the nomination with a grateful |
appreciation of the supreme honor con- !
feTred. and solemn sense OF the re-
sponsibility which. in its acceptance,
assume. / have carefully considered
the platform adopted by the convention
and cor(iiaIIv approve of the same. so
Main 4 statement of Democratic faith
and the principles upon which that par
| tv appeals to the suffrages OF the peo-
pie needs no supplement- or explana-
| fion. 1t should be remembered that
| fhe Office of President is essentially ex-
| ee11fiye in its nature. The laws enact
| ed by the legislative branch or the
| Government the Chief Executive IS
/ 6ouDH faithfully to enforce. And
when the wisdom of the political party
/ which selects one of its members as
| nominee for that office has outlined Its
/ noIicv. and declared its principles, 1t
seems to me that nothing In the char.
aeter of the Office or the necessities OF
! the case requires more from the candI-
| date accepting such nomination than
the suggestion or certain WeIt-hlloMn
truths. 50 absolutely vital to the safety
and welfare of the nation, that they
cannot be too often recalled or too serl-
ously enforced. We proudly call ours
1 government by the people. 1t IS not
eucb when a class is tolerated Whlcn
/ aI1ppates to itself the management OF
public affairs, seeking TO control tne
neonle instead of representing them:
! Parties are the necessary outgrowth OF
ouf institutions; but government is
not By the people when one party
! fastens its control upon the country
4 ard pcrpetuateS its power by calolIng
and betraying the people instead OF
serving Them .1o
when a result which should represent
! The intelligent will of free and thlnK-
ing men is or can be determined Dy the
shameless theft of their suffrages.
Il "W'heu an election to office shall be
i ibe selection by the voters OF one OF
tLeir number to assume for time a
ofbiie trust instead of his dedication
/ Ia the profession of politics, when the
, tholders of the ballot, qulckened, by
sense, of duty, shall ayenge truth De
ltrayed and pledges broken, ana Wneii
the suffrage shall be altogether ffee ana
interrupted, the full realization or
Government by the people will be at
hand. And of the means to this END
net one would. in my judgment, be
more effective than an amendment to
the Constitution disqualifying the
; President from reelection, When we
; tconsider the patronage of this great
office. the allurement of power, the
: temptation to retain PUBLIC place once
: gained, and, more than all, the aValia-
bility party finds i'll an incumbent
j Hhom horde of office holders Witn
: real born of benefits received, and los
: tered bv the hope of favorS yet to come,
: stand ready to aid with money and
. trained political service, we recognize
; in the eligibility of the President for
r reelection a most serious danger 10
THAT calm. deliberate and intelligent
Ioalitiral action which must character
ize a Government by the people.
"A true American sentiment recog-
l nizes the dignity of labor and the TACT
that honor lies i'll honest toll. Con-
I tented labor is an element OF National
= prosperity. Ability to work constitutes
:, tiIe capitai and the wages Of labor the
a income Of vast number OF our pppu-
G latiou: and this interest should be
Il ieaI0uslv protected. Our workingmen
Q are not asking unreasonable indulgence;
/ hut. as intelligent and manly citizens,
r they seek the same consideration
: which those demand who have other
. interests ii stake They should receive
: their full share of the care and atteli-
!. t;ozi of 4 1se who make and execute
TIE laws, Il, CAS- e:,tdt that the wants ana
I reeds OF the employ fs anq TIC employ
81 shall alike be subseiyed and the
I. prosperity Of tie country, the common
e heritage of both. be advanced. AS re-
o lated TO this subject, while we should
> not discourage the immigration of
= those who come to acknowledge allegl-
i ance to orr Government and add to our
i citizen pap4latien, yet as means OF
:. protection To cur WOFkiagH4eI, g differ
9 ent rule should prevail concerning
J. those who, II they come, or are brought
: 10 our land, do not intend to become
> Americans, but will injuriously COM
pe.e with those justly entitled to our
field of labor,
In letter accepting the nomina-
ten to the Office of Governor nearly
:
: statement, IL which have steadily adj
heTed: TheAab0ring classes constitute
the main part of our population. They
should be protected in their efforts
J. peaeeablY 10 assert their rights when
!, endangered by aggregated capital, and
all statutes OH this subject should rec
ogniZe the care of the state for honest
| toll and be framed with view of i'm
! proving the condition of the working
/ man.
u proper regard for the welfare of
0 the WoTlllngman being inseparably con-
/ A22ted With the integrity of our 1nStI-
. tuti0ns, none of our citizens are more
; interested than they, in guarding
!, against any corrupting influences which
seek to pervert the beneficent purposes
of our government. and none should be
more watchful of the artful machina-
tons of those who allure them to self
, inflicted injury.
. in a free country the curtailment Of
the absolute rights of the Individual
should only be such as is essential to
/ munitV. The limit between the proper
subjects OF governmental oGltp0l aud
those which can be more fittingly left
to the moral sense and self-impoSed re-
stfaint.of the citizens should be care
, fully kept in 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
of the civilized world, and which are
consistent y lth good GitiBenshin and
the public welfare, are unWlSe and yex-
atious.
sThe commerce of nation to great
extent determines its supremacy.
i Cheap and easy transportation should
i therefore be literally fQstered Within
i 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
management of their affairs to see that
such public service is forthcoming
| tie selection and retention of Sub0r.
dil2tes IN government employment
should depend upon their aScertained
fitness and the value of their work,
and they should be neither expected |
nor allowed to do questionable party |
service. The interests of the people |
will be better protected; the estimate |
of public labor and duty will be inn
mensely improved: public employment |
viii be open to all who can demonstrate
their fitness to enter it; the anseemIy |
scramble for place under the govern
ment, with the consequent imp0ftunity /
which enlbitters official life viii cease, /
and the public departments will not be /
Allied z9ifh tilose i Ing eo1reige II 10 be
their first duty to aid the party to which
they owe their places, instead of REM
dering patient and honest return to the
people.