Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-10-16
Mr.. Tilden's Letter.
(From the New York Herald, Oct. stb.,

NAASnA eAhO NVW Ofh hcfdtut OcI. 0tDs)
The Democratic National Convention
of 1884 was restrained from nominating
Mr.. Tilden for President only by his
prohibition on account, i'm his language
in letter addressed to Mr.. Manning,
of his advancing years and declining
strength" The unanimity with which
the delegates turned to him was an ac-
acknowledgement of the insight and wis
dom of his declaration, so long ago as
1876, that the greatest political need of
the United States is administrative re-
form in the federal government. That
declaration was then disputed by the
Republican party, and the Democrats
were not unanimous in accepting its
truth, although they accepted Mr.. Til
den for their candidate. 1t was made
again by Mr.. Tilden in his letter read to
the Democratic National Convention of
1880, and was again dispute,' by the Re-
publicans, and by no means unanimous
ly accepted by the Democrats in the en-
suing canvass.
But in the meanwhile facts were ac-
cumulating to prove it to the most
sceptical. The persistence of the Re-
publican administrators of the federal
government in accumulating an enor-
nous surplus in the Treasury, wrung
from the people by unnecessary taxa
tion; the extravagant schemes of ex-
penditure to which the surplus gave
birth, and the corruption it engendered
that broke out to view in such frauds as
the star route contracts, at last made
such public impression that the whole
Democratic party and large part
of the Republicans themselves rec
ognized the absolute truth of MI. Til
denis words when he wrote to Mr.. Man
ming on June 10, 1854, that "the gov
ernmental system of the United States"
has become "infected with the cancer
GUS growths of false constructions and
corrupt practices;" that powerful
classes have acquired pecuniary inter-
ests in official abuses and the moral
standards of the people have been inn
paired," and that the redress of those
abuses and restorations of these stand
ards is the inevitable issue of the Presi-
dental canvass of the present year.
When the indispensable necessity of
Mr.. Tilden's issue was fully conceded it
was natural that the party mean
ing to fight the Presidential campaign
upon it should turn to him for its stand
ard bearer again; and equally natural,
when it was found that his years and
strength were unequal to the bur-
den, that the party should seek for it's
candidate in his stead that Democratic
administrator who, of all others in the
country, was at the moment the fore
most representative of the aggressive
issue administrative reform. 1t found
him in the person of Governor Cleve-
land, who in his letter of acceptance has
admirably and concisely expressed the
issue in these words:-
believe that the public temper is
such that the voters of the land are
prepared to support the party which
| gives the best promise of administering
the government in the honest, simple
and plain manner which is consistent
with its character and purposes. The
craftsmanship they require consists in
honesty and frugality.
But before the Convention adjourned
it executed a grateful duty in appoint
ing committee to wait upon Mr.. Til
den, with resolutions expressing respect
for his public services, gratitude for his
political counsels and good wishes for
his health and welfare. 10 this COM
mittee Mr.. Tilden has replied in a let
ter, which we print in another column,
reiterating his long-cherished convic-
ton of the first and greatest need of the
country, and averring that the election
of Governor Cleveland and Mr.. Hen
bricks is imperative for its attainment.
1.-THE indispensable necessity of our
times" says Mr.. Tilden, in summing
up his argument, lis change of ad-
ministration in the great executive Of
fees of the country; and this, in my
Judgment, can only be accomplished
by the election of the Democratic can
didates for President and Vice-Fresi-
dent.u