Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-10-08
A LETTER FROM TILDEN.
cLeAR, ooSo,sE ANp 40 THIS POINT.
Reform Ia the National Gossrumcnt the
Great wsnt OF the Oountsy--Tns only
Way OF Accom- piisniGg It.

Reform Ia the National Government the
Great wsnt OF the oountsy--Tns only
way OF Accom- rIisnirg II.
Iu response to the resolutions presented |
to him from the Democratic national oon-
ventivu, Samuel J. Tilden has written the |
following letter (:
GREYsToSE, Ootobor 6.
Chairman and gentlemen of the COM
mittee: thank you for the kind terms |
in which you have communicated the |
resolutions concerning me adopted by the
late Democratic national convention.
share your conviction that reform
iu tho administration of the fed
eral government, which is our great
national want and is indeed necessary
to the restoration and preservation OF the
government itself, can only be achieved
through the agency of the Democratic
party ard by installing its representative
in the chief magistracy Of the United
States.
The noble historical traditions of the
Democratic party, the principles in which
| it was educated aud to which 1t has ever
| been in the main faithful, its freedom from
| the corrupt influences which grow up in
| the prolonged possession OF power aud the
nature of the elements which constitute it,
all contribute to qualify it for that mission.
| The opposite characteristics and con.
| ditions which attach 10 the kepuchoaD
party make it hopeless to expect that that
party will be able to give better govern
ment than tho debasiug system of abuses
| which during it's ascendancy has infected
official and political life in this country.
The Democratic party had its origin in
the efforts of the moro advanced patriots
Of the Revolution ,oresist the petyctsion
of government from tho ideal cOntempla.
| ,rl ha ,,,-f,ln hrDnD.r ito HAygpgpfIV1g
founders are Benjamin Franklin, and
Thomas jefferson Samuel Adams, and
John Hancock, OF Massachusetts, George
Clinton and Robert Il Liviu yston. of New
York, and George Wythe and James
Madison, of Virginia. From the election
of Mr.. Jefferson as president, in $500, for
sixty years the Democratic party mainly
directed our national policy. l. extended
the boundaries of the republic and laid
the foundations of all our national great
ness, whio il preserved the limitations
imposed by the constitution AID main
tanned simple and pure sya.em OF
domestic administration.
. On the other hand, the Republican party
has always been dominated by principles
which favor legislation for the benefit OF
particular classes at tho expense of the
body of tie people. Is has become deeply
! tainted with the abuses which naturally
grow up during a long possession OF I'M
checked power, especially IN period OF
civil war aud false finance. The patriotic
and viTtuous clements in it are nOw unable
to emancipate it from the sway Of selfish
interests which subordinate public duty
to personal greed. The most hopeful oi
tho best citizens it contains despair Of its
amendment except through its temporary
expulsion from power.
| has hnaatinnlV ag1awtnN kE q
modern Massachusetts, statesman, strug
Cling to reconcile himself and bis follower
to their presidential candidate, tha5 the
Republican party contains q dispTopOr
tomato share of the wealth, the cul
t ture and the intelligence of the country
The unprincipled Grafton, when tauntet
q by James III, with his personal want o
conscience, answered THAT is true, bu
l belong to party tina! has great deal o
conscience"
Such reasouers forget thai tle--slIu
i claim has been made in all ages an
= countries py the defenders OF old wrong
n against new reforms. 1t was alleged b
the Tories of the American Revolutio
0 against tho patriots of that day. II wa
= repeated against Jefferson and aftorward
q against jackson. It Is alleged by ia
4 conservatives against those who, 10 Ems
land, are now endcayoring to enlarge th
popular suffrage.
All history shows that reforms in GOV
ernment must not be expected from th0s
o who sit sereneIy on the social mOuntai
n tops enjoying the benefits Of the existin
ia order OF things Even the Divine Authc
OF our religion found his followers NJ
among the self complacent PharisCCs, bu
" amoug tho low minded fishermen. Th
n Republican party is largely made up {
i. those who live by their wits and who IL
I. pear in politics to advantage over the res
of mankind similar to that which thei
u daily lives are devoted TO securing 10 pr
le vate business. The Democratic part
J. consists largely of those who live by th
"a work of their hands and whose polite;
action is governed by their sentiments {
Imagination. IL results that the Demo
cratic party, more readily than the r.
publican party, can be moulded to th
g support of reform measures which inVOlE
10 a sacrifice of selfish Interests,
The indispensable necessity of our time
,r is a change OF administration in the gIei
q executive offices of the country. This
my Judgment, can only DO aocomplishe
=, by the election of the Democratic cand
~ dates for president aud vice president.
70 SAMUEL j. TILDEE.
To r. II. Heary, chairman B. b. Sma
ley, AID others, of the special committ'
u of the Democratic National Convention