The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-06-20
TILDEN WILL NOT RhN.
The Sage of Grammerey Park PositiveI
Declines TO Be Candidate, and State
in a Lengthy Document His Reason
Therefor.

Declines to Be a Candidate, and State
in a Lengthy Document His Reason
Therefor.
New YORK, June 12-The fo1lowin
communication from Samuel J. TiIden has
been given to the Associated press:
NEW York; June 10, IsS4.-To Daniel Man
ming, Chairman of the Democratic State Com
nittse of New York; In my letter of June L
1850, addressed TO the delegates from the Stat
of New York to the Democrats National Cor
Yentfon, said;
Having Low borne faithfully my full shan
of labor and care in the public service, ani
wearing the marks of its burdens. l desir
nothing so much as an honorable discharge
/ wish to lay down the honors and tolls
even quasi party leadership, and seek the re
pose of private life. In renouneing renom
ination for the Presidency, do so with NJ
doubt in my mind as to the vote of the StdS
of New York, or of the United States, but be
cause believe that it is q remuneration of re
election to the Presidency. To those VIII,
think my denomination and reelection in
dispensab.e to an effeetual yindication of the
right of the people to elect their rulers
violated in my person, have accorded u
long a reserve of my decision as possible, but
can not overcome my repugnanee to enter
into new engagement which involves foul
years of eeaseleSs toll. The dignity of the
Presidential office is above a merely personal
ambition but it creates in me no Illusion. Its
the country. | said four years ago in ac-
cepting the nomination: Knowing as do,
therefore, from fresh experience, how great
the difference is between gliding through an
official routine and working out a reform of
systems and policies, it is impossible for me to
contemplate what needs to be done in the
Federal Administration without an anxious
sense of the difficulties of the undertaking. If
summoned by the suffrages of my country
men to attempt this work I shall endcavor,
with God help, to be the efficient instruments
of their wiz. Such work of renovation, after
many years of misriile, such reform of sys=
TENS and policies, to which / would cheerful
ly have sacrificed all that remained to me of
health and life, is now, fear, beyond my
strength.
My purpose to withdraw from further pub
lie service, and the grounds of it, were at that
time well-known to you and to others, and
when, at Cincinnati, though respecting my
wishes yourself, you communicated to me an
appeal from many vaued friends to relinquish
that purpose, ! reiterated my determination
unconditioGaliy In the four years which
have since elapsed nothing has occurred to
the considerations which indaGe my
withdrawal from public life. To all who
have addressed me on the subject, my
intention has been frankly communicated.
der the sanction of their own Names have
publicly stated my determination to be ire
versible. That L have occasion now to con.
slider the question is an event for which [
have no responsibility. The appeal made to
me by the Democratic masses with apparent
unanimity, to serve them once more, is en-
titled To the most deferential consideration,
and would inspire d disposition to do any,
thing desired of me, if it we're consistent with
my judgment of duty. | believe that
there is no instrumentality i'll human
society so potential in lis intuenc upon man
kind for good or evil the goyernIfl entail
machinery for administering justice and for
making and executing laws. Not all the
eleemosynary institutions of private benevo-
lence to which philarthropisis may devote
their lives are so fruitful in benefits as the
rescue ard preservation of this machinery
from the perverSions that make it the inStru-
ment of conspiracy, fraud and crime against
the most sacred rights and interests of
the people. For fifty years, as q pri-
waite citizen, never contemplating an Official
career, l have devoted at least as much
thought and effort to the duty of influencing
Alright the action of the governmental inst .tu-
tons of my country as to all other objects.
have never accepted official service except for
brief period for special purpose, and only
when the occasion seemed to require from me
that sacrihce of private preferences to the
public welfare. l undertook the State ad-
ministration of New York because it was
supposed that in thai way only
could the executive power be arrayed
on the side of the reforms to which,
as a private citizen, | had given three
years OF my life | accepted the nomination
for the Presidency in 1876 because of the gem
eral conviction that my candidacy would best
present the issue of reform which the Demo-
cratic majority of the people desired to have
worked out in the Federal Government, as it
had been in that of the State of New York.
believed that had strength enough then to
renoyate the administration of the Govern
ment of the United States and at the close Of
my term to hand over the great truSt
to a successor faithful to the same policy.
Though anxious to seek the rep0se of private
life, nevertheless acted upon the idea that
every power is trust, and involves duty.
In reply to the address of the committee COM
nj inc NV jatn l1n
difficulties of the undertaking, and Hkened
my feelings in engaging in 1t to those OF a
soldier entering BATTLE but did not Withhold
the entire conservation of my powers to the
public service. Twenty years OF continuous
maladmlnstration, under the demoraliZing
influences of intestine war and of bad finance,
have infected the whole Governmental sys-
TEN of the United States with the cancerous
groWths Of false cons, ructions and corrupt
practices. Powerful classes have acquired
pecuniary interests in official abuses and the
moral standards of the people have been i'm
paired. 70 redress these evils is work of
great difficulty and labor, and can not be ac-
compiished without the most energetic and
efficient personal action on the part OF the
chief executive OF the Republic. The can
Vass and administration which it is de-
brace a period of nearly five years.
Nor can admit any illusion as to
their burden. Three years of experience
in the endeayor to reform the municipal gov,
eminent Of the city of New York, and two
years of experience in renovating the Adj
mnistration Of the State of New York have
made me familiar with the requirements of
such work. at the present time the consid-
erations which induced my action in 1850 have
become imperative. | ought not to assume a
task which have not the physical strength to
carry through. To reform the AC lninistra-
ton of the Federal Government, to
realize my sown ideal, and to fulfill
the just expectations of the people,
would, indeed, warrant, as they could
alone compensate, the sacrifices which the
undertaking would involve. But, in my con-
dition of advancing years and declining
strength, / feel no assurance of my ability to
accomplish those objects. | am, therefore,
constrained to say definitely that l can not
now assume the labors of an Administration
or of a campaign. Undertaking. in nowise
that best gift of Heaven-the occasion and
the power sometimes bestowed upon
mere UindiVidual to Communicate an
impulse for good-grateful beyond all
words to my feloW-countrymen who would
assign such a benefcent function to me,
J am consoled by the reflection that neither
the Democratic party nor the Republic for
whose future that party is the best guaranty
is now or ever can be dependentupon any one
man for their successful progress in the path
fare whatever of health and strength pos
sessed or could borrow from the future, and
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.
SAMUEL J. TILDEN.