The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-06-19
MIR, TILDEN YIELDS TO DESTINY,
An Open Letter Thanking the People Tor
their Confidence and Support, but De-
clfMing to be Again Candidate.

said: "Havlng now DOrne iailuiuiiy
nv full share of labor and care in public
service and wearing marks of its bur-
dens, l desire nothing so much as an
honorable discharge. l wish to lay down
the honors and tolls of even quasi party
leadership and to seek the repose OF prl-
yate life. In renouncing the nomination
for the Presidency I do so with no DOUBT
in nv mind as to the vote of the State OF
New York or of the United States, but
because believe that it is the renuncia'
ton of a re e.election to the Presidency.
To those who think my denomination
and re. election indispensable to an effect
ual vindication of the right of the peo'
ple to elect their rulers, violated in my
person. have accorded as long reserve
of my decision as possible, but | cannot
overcome my repugnance to enter into a
new engagement, which involves four
wears of ceaseless toll. The dignity OF
the Presidential Office is above merely
personal ambition, but it creates IN me
no no illusion. Its value is as great power
for good to the country. l said tour
wears ago in accepting the nomination:
sKnowing as do, therefore, from fresh
experience how great the difference IS
between gliding through an official
routine and working out reform OF sys'
TENS 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 SUI
frages of my countrymen to ATTEMPT this
work shall endeavor with Gods neip
to be the efficient instrument OF their
will Such work of renoyating after
MANY years of misrule, such reform OF
systems and policies, to which | would
cbeerfully have sacrificed all that re-
NAMED to me of health and life, is now,
I fear, beyond my strength" My pur-
pose to withdraw from further public
service, and the grounds of it,, were at
that time we'll known TO you and to 9TH
ers, and when at Cincinnati, though re-
specting my wishes yourself, you. COM
m,,aicated to me an appeal from many
valued friends to relinquish that purpose,
1 reiterated my determination uncondl-
tiopally. In the four years which have
since elapsed nothing has occurred to
weaken but everything to strengthen the
considerations which prompted my with
drawal from public life. To all who have
addressed me on the subject my inten-
tion has been fairly communicated.
Some of my more especial friends, under
the sanction of their own names, have
publicly stated my determination to be
irreyersible. That I have occasion now
to consider the question is an event tor
which I have no responsibility. The ap-
peal made to me by the Democratic
masses with apparent unanimity to serve
them once more is entitled to the most
deferential consideration, and would
inspire disposition to do anything de-
sired of me if it we're consistent with my
Judgment of duty. I believe there is no
instrumentality in human society 30
potential in its influence upon mankind
for good or evil as the governmental
machinery for administering justice and
for making and executing laws. Not all
the eleemosynary Institutions or private
benevolences to which philanthropists
may devote their lives are so fruitful in
benefits as the rescue and preservation OF
this machinery from the perversions that
make it the instrument of conspiracy
and fraud and crime against the most
sacred rights and interests of the people.
For fifty years as private citizen, never
contemplating an official career, l have
devoted at least as much thought and
effort TO the duty of influencing right
action of the Government institutions OF
nv country as to all other objects l
have never accepted official service ex'
cept for brief period for special pur,,
pose, and only when the occasion seemed
to REQUIRE from me that sacrifice of pri.
vate preferences to public welfare. !!
undertook the State administration of
New York because it was supposed that
in that way only could the executive
power be arrayed on the side of reforms
to which as private citizen had given
three years of my life. accepted the
nomination for the Presidency in 1876
because of the general conviction that
my candidacy would best present the
issue of reform which the Democratic
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. I believed | had strength
enough then to renovate the administra.
tion of the Government of the UDited
States, and at the close of my term to
hand over that great trust to successor
faithful to the same policy. Though
anxious to seek the repose OF private life
nevertheless acted upon the idea that
every power is trust and involves
duty. In reply to the address OF the
committee communicating my nomlna'
ton, I depicted the difficulties of the
undertaking and likened my feelings IN
engaging in it to those of soldier enter
ing battle, but did not withhold the
entire conservation Of my powers to the
public service. Twenty years of contin-
uous maladministration, under the de.
moralizlng influence of intestine war and
bad finance, have infected the whole
governmental system Of the United
States with cancerous growths, false con-
structions and corrupt practices. Power
full classes have acquired pecuniary in.
terests in official abuses, and the moral
standards of the people have been i'm
paired. To redress these evils is a work
of great difficulty and labor, and cannot
be accomplished without the most ener-
getic and efficient and personal action on
the part of the Chief Executive of the
Republic. The canvass and administra.
ton which it is desired that I should
undertake would embrace period of
nearly FIVE years. Nor can I admit any
illusion as to their burdens. Three years
of experience in the endeavor to reform
the municipal government of the city
of New York and two years of expert.
ence in renovating the administration of
the State of New York have made me
familiar with the requirements of such
work. At the present time the consider,
ations which induced my actions III 1850
have become imperative. ought not to
assume task which I have not the phys
ical strength to carry through. Io re,
form the administration of the Federal
Government to realize nv Own ideal and