The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-06-14
TILnEN DECLINES,

IlLDhN DtObANb'
On Wednesday Samuel j. llldeh gave
a communication to the press, addressed
to Daniel Manning, chairman OF the ~ l.
Democratic Stale committee, announcing
his irrevocable decision not to allow MS
name to 90 before the Democratic Nation
al Convention for nomination for the
Presidency. He commences by referring
to his refusal four years ago to allo"
his name to be presented to the conVeh-
ton for nomination, and says the reasons
which governed him then are all the
more imperative now He sums them up
by saying:
Twenty wears Of continuous maladmin'
iStration, under the demoralIzing lniiueh-
ces of intestine war and of bad inance,
have infected the whole governmental
system of the United States with cancer
Gus growths of false construction ana
corrupt practices. Powerful classes have
acquired pecuniary interests IN oiilcial
abuses, and the moral standards OF the
people have been impaired. To redress
these evils is a work of great difficulty
and labor, and cannot be accomplished
without the most energetic and efficient
personal action on the part of the Chef
Executive of the Republic. The canvass
and administration which 1t is desired
that | should undertake would embrace
period of nearly five years. Nor can
admit any illusion as to their burdens.
Three wears Of experience in the endeav-
or to reform the Municipal Government
Of the city of New York, and two years
of experience in renovating the admins
tration of the State Of New York, have
made me familiar with the requirements
of such a work. At the present time, the
con siderations which induced my acton
inll $50 have become imperative. fought
not to assume a task which | have not
the ply steal strength to carry through.
= Having reached the term OF my
capacity for such labors as their welfare
now demands, | but submit to the will OF
God in deeming my public career forever
closed.
This decision of Mr.. Tilden, which
seems to be final, will cause universal
disappointment and regret on the part OF
the Democrats, who had settled down IN
the expectation that Tilden would be the
unanimous nominee of the Chicago Con-
yention. His declination leaves the par
ty at sea on the question, and in danger
of falling into serious factional division
and complications.
There is, however, one controlling
thought that should be all sufficient to
prevent any dangerous complication; and
that is that whoever the nominee is, he
must be man that can unquestionably
carry New York, New Jersey and Con-
nectcut, and the list of possible candi-
dates who can meet this requirement is
exceedingly small.
Indeed but two names occur to us as
all worthy of mention in that connection,
and they are Grover Cleveland and James
A. Bayard, and of these Cleveland is I'M
questonably far in the lead. To mention
nothing else, he has in his favor the pres
tige of the splendid majority by which he
was elected governor of New York two
years ago, and added to that, he has re-
deemed every promise and expectation
involved in his election. He has given
New York clean, vigorous and in every
sense a successful administration. Tilden
himself, it is said, trusts and favors Cleve-
land. All eyes are turned towards him,
and his nomination all are ready to ad-
NIT would be sure precursor ola splen-
did Democratic victory.