The Billings herald. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1882-1885, 1884-10-11
SAMUEL ]. TILDEN
Speaks of the Political Situation In d
Ringing Letter and Shows Why
the Democratic Nominees
Should be Voted for.

the democratic Nominees
Should be Voted for.
The following is Tildcn's response to
the committee from the National Demo-
cratic convention conveying to him the
resolutions Of that body:
GREYsToNE, Oct. 6, 1884.
mttee:
l thank you for the kind terms in
which you have communicated the reso-
Iutions concerning me, adopted by the
late Democratic National convention.
share your convictions, that reform in
the administration of the government,
which is our great national want, and is
indeed essential to the restoration and
preservation of the government itself,
can only be achieved through the agency
of the Democratic party, and by INSTALL
ing its representative in the chief mag i.
istracy 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 prolonged possession of
power; and the nature of. the elements
which constitute it all contribute to
qualify it for that mission. The opposite
characteristics and condition which at
tach to the Republican party makes it
hopeless to expect that that party will
be able to give better government than
the debasing system of abuses which,
during its ascendancy, have infected
official and political life in this country.
The Democratic party had it's origin in
the efforts Of the more advanced patriots
OF the revolution to resist the perversion
Of our government from the ideal con-
templated by the people. Among Its
conspicuous founders were Benjamin
Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel
Adams and John Hancock of Massachu-
sets, George Clinton and Robert K.
Livingston of New York, and George
Wythe and James Madison of Virginia;
and from the election of Mr.. jefferson
as President in 1900. for 60 years the
Democratic party mainly directed our
national policy. 1t extended the boun-
daries of the republic and laid tho
of all our national greatness,
while 1t preserved the limitations i'm
posed by the constitution, and main
tained simple and pure system of do
mestic administration. On the other
hand, the Republican party has always
been dominated by principles which
favor legislation for the benefit of par
ticular classes at the expense of the
body of the people. 1t has become
deeply tainted with abuses, which nat
urally grow during long possession of
power, especially in period
of civil war. The patriotic and virtuous
in it are now unable to eman-
cipate it from the sway of selfish inter-
ests, which subordiuates public duty to
personal greed. The most hopeful of
the best citizens it contains despair of
its amendment except through tempo
rary expulsion from power. 1t has
been boastingly asserted by modern
Massachusetts statesman, struggling to
reconcile himself and his followers to
their Presidential candidate, that the
Republican party contains a dispropor-
tionate share of the wealth, the culture
and the intelligence of the country.
The unprincipled Grafton, when taunted
by James the Second with his personal
want of conscience, answered: "That is
true, but belong to a party that has
great deal of conscience" Such reason
ers forget. that the same claim has been
made in all ages and countries by de-
Tenders of old wrongs against new re-
forms. 1t was alleged by the Tories of
the American revolution against the
patriots of that day. 1t was repeated
against Jefferson anu afterwards against
Jackson, and it is alleged by the Con-
servatiyes against those, in England,
who are eEdeayoring to enlarge the
popular suffrage. All history shows
that reform in government must not be
expected from those who sit serenely
OIL the social mountain tops enjoying
the benefits of the existing order Of
things Even the Divine Author of our
religion found his followers not among
these self-complacent Pharisees, but
among lowly-minded fishermen. The
party is largely made up of
those who live by their wits, and who
aspire in. politics to the advantages Of
the rest of mankind, similar to those
which their daily lives are devoted to.
in private business. The Dem
ocratic party consists largely of those'
who live by the work of their hands,
and whose political action is governed
BY their sentiments or imagination; it
results, then, that the Democratic.
more readily than the Republican
party, can be moulded to the support
If reform measures which involve q
sacrifice of selfish interest. The indis-
oensahle necessity Of our times is
change of administr stration in the great
executive Offices Of the country. This
N my judgment can only be accom-
olished by the. election of the Demo-
ratio candidates for. President and
Vice President.
[Signed SAMUEL J. TILDEN.
Twain as a Talker.
A Philadelphia composltOr who
worked on a San Francisco paper with