The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-10-08
TILDEN TALKS.
Sammy's Reply to the Demo
cratic Convention.
A STRAIGHTFORWARD LETTER.
The Historical Traditions of the
Democratic Party-Its Princi-
pies and Powers.
TiIden,s RenIy.

Tilden's Reply.
NEW York, October Following is
Mr.. Tilden's response to the committee
! OF the Democratic Convention convey
ing to him the resolutions of that body
GRAYsToNE, October 9th, 1884.
To the Chairman and GeatLemen of tie
Committee:
| thank you for the Kind terms in
which you have communicated the
! resolution concerning me adopted by
the late Democratic Convention. I
share your convictions that reform in
the administration of the federal
government, is our great national
want and is indeed essential to the
restoration and preservation of the
government itself. 1t can only be
achieved through the agency of the
Democratic. party, and by installing its
representative in the chief magiS-
tracy of the United States.
The noble historical traditions of the
Democratic party, the principles in
which 1T was educated and to which it
has ever been in the main faithful, its
freedom from corrupt influences which
grow up In the prolonged possession of
power and the nature of the elements
winch constitute it, all contribute to
qualify it for that mission. The OPP
p0Slte characteristics and conditions
which attach to the Republican party
make 1t hopeless to expect that that
party will be able to give q better gov
eminent than the debasing system of
abuses which during its ascendency has
infected official and political life in this
country. The Democratic party had
its origin in the efforts of the more adj
vanced patriots of the revolution to re-
SlSt the preservation of our government
from the ideal contemplated by the peo-
pie. Among its conspicuous founders
are Benjamin Franklin and Thomas
} Jefferson, Samuel Adams and John
Hancock, of Massachusetts, George
Clinton and Robert 2. Livingston, of
New York, and George Wythe and
James Madison of Virginia; and from
the election of Mr.. Jefferson as Presi-
dent in 1870, for sixty years the
Democratic party mainly directed
our national policy. 1t extended the
of the Republic, and laid the
of our national greatness. /
while it preserved the limitations i'm
posed by the Constitution, and main |
tanned simple and pure system of do |
nestle administration. On the other |
hand, the Republican party has always
been nominated byprinciplesWhich favor !
for the benefit of particular /.
classes at the expenses of the body of /
the people. 1t has become deeply tainted |
with abuses which naturally grow dur |
ing the long possession of Unchecked
power, especially in the period of the
civil war and false finance. The patri- /
Otic and virtuOuS elements in it are now 4
unable TO emancipate it from the |
sway of the selfish interests which |
public duty to personal |
greed. The most hopeful of the best |
citizens it. contains despair of its amend /
nent except through its temporary ex- +
oulsion from power. 1t has been /
ooastingly asserted by a modern
statesman, struggling
% reconcile himself and his follow
srs to their presidential candidate,
hat the Republican party contains a
lispropOrtionate share of the wealth,
he culture and the intelligence of the
country. The unprincipled Grafton
when tainted by James the Second
With his personal want of conscience, /
>"That is true but / belong
% party that has a great deal of con-
science" Such reasOners forget that
he same claim has been made in
III ages and countries by defenders of
I'D wrongs against new reforms. 1t
vas alleged by the Tories of the Ameri-
an revolution against the patriots of
hat day, 1t was repeated against Jeffer-
on and afterward against Jackson, and
{ is alleged by the conservatives against |:
hose who in England are now endeavor-
ng to enlarge the popular suffrage.
LII history shows that reforms in
overnment must not be expected from
hose W no sit serenely on the social
mountain tops enjoying the benefits of
be existing order of things. Even the
ivine author of our religion found his
blowers not among these Self-com-
laisant Pharisees, but among the !
)wly-minded fishermen. The Repub-
can party is largely made up of those
no live by their wits and who aspire
l politics to the advantages of the rest I
mankind similar to those which their {
ally lives are devoted to securing {
! private business. The Democratic {
arty consists largely of those who live / y
Olitical action is governed by their l
or Imagination. 1t re-
Its, then, that the Democratic
lore readily than the Republican :
arty can be moulded to the support of /
eform measures which involve u sac I
fic of selfish interests. The indispen- '
lble necessity of our times is a change !
administration in the great execu- :
We offices of the country. This :
| my judgment, can only be accom- >
ished by the election Of the Demo =
.atic candidates for President and =
(Signed) Z
SAMUEL J. TILDEN. =
. r. II. Henry, Chairman. b. B. Small t
len and Others O. the special committee il
of the Democratic National CoaVeHtiOR. U
80. d