Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-06-12
WILL NOT ACCEPT.
Tilden Says He Cannot and Will Not
Accept the Democratic Nomina.
ton for President-HiS Pub.
hc Career Forever
Ended.

NEW YORK. June IL.
! The following letter is self-explanatory
New YORK, June 10.
To Daniel Manning, chairman of the demo-
cratic State committee Of New York:
In my letter of June Is, 1850, addressed to
the delegates of the State of New York to the
democratic national convention. l said 4;
Having now borne faithfully my full share
of labor and care in the public service, and
wearing marks of its burdens. | desire moth
ing so much as an honorable discharge.
wish TO lay down the honors ard tolls of
| even the quasi party leadership, and to seek
the repose of private life. In renouncing the
denomination for the presidency do so
with no doubt in my mind as to the vote of
the State or the United States, but because
believe il is remuneration of reelection to
the presidency. To those who think my re-
election indispensable to the effectual vindi-
cation of the right of the people to elect
rulers, violated in my person, have accord
ed as long reserve of my decision as
possible, but cannot overcome my
repugnance to enter into new engagement
which involves four years of ceaseless toll.
| The dignity of the Presidential office is above
nv personal ambition, but it creates in me
no illusion. | said four years ago in accept
ing the nomination: knowing as l do
therefore from fresh experience how great
the difference is between gliding through
official routine and working out the reform
OF systems and policies, it is impossible for
me to contemplate what needs TO be done in
federal administration without an anxious
sense of the difficulty of the undertaking.
If summoned by the suffrages of my country
men TO attempt this work, | shall try with
Gods help to be the efficient instrument of
their will
Such work of renovation after many
years of misrule, such reform of systems and
policies to which | would have cheerfully
sacrificed all that remained to me of health
and life, is now, | fear. beyond my strength.
My purpose to withdraw from further
public service and the grounds Of it were at
that time well known to you and others
and when at Cincinnati, though respecting
my wishes yourself, you communicated to
me an appeal from valued friends to relin-
quish that purpose. | reiterated my determ-
ination Internationally. In the four years
which have elapsed nothing has occurred to
weaken but everything to strengthen the con-
sideratons which induced my withdrawal
| from public life. To all who have addressed
me on the subject, my intention has been
frankly communicated Several of my most
confidential friends under the sanction of
their own names. have publicly stated my
ucttTIulUdtlOu W Dt lueNtEslUlt. lldl L nave
occasion now to consider the question. it is
an event for which have no responsibility.
The appeal made to me by the demodratic
masses with apparent unanmity to serve them
once more is entitled to most definite con-
sideraton and would inspire disposition to
do anything desired of me if consistent with
my judgment of duty. For fifty years as
private citizen, never contemplating an official
career, haye devoted as much thought and
effort to the duty of Influencing right action
of the government institutions of the country
as to all other objects. / have never accept
ed official service except for brief period for
special purposes, only when occasion seemed
to require from that sacrifice of private pref
erences to public welfare undertook the
! State administration of New York. as it was
supposed that in that way only could execu-
tive power be arrayed on the side of reform,
to which as private citizen | had given
three years of nv life. l accepted the nom-
! ination for President 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. | believed |
had strength enough then to renovate the
administration of the government of the
I
| to hand over the great trust to a successor
faithful to the same policy. Though anxious
to seek the repose of private life, 1 neverthe-
| less acted on the idea that every power is a
power, and involves duty. In reply TO the
! address of the committee communicating my
nomination depicted the difficulties of the
undertaking. and likened my feelings in en-
gaging in it to those of soldier in entering
battle. but did not withhold the entire con-
secration of my powers to the public service.
| Twenty years of continuous maladministra-
ton under the demoralizing influences of war
and of bad finance have influenced the whole
government system of the United States with
the cancerous growth of false constructions
and corrupt practices. The powerful class
| have acquired pecunniary interests in the
official abuses, and the moral standard of the
| people has been impaired. To redress these
evils is a work of great difficulty and labor
and cannot be accomplished without the most
energetic and efficient action on the part of
the chief executive of the republic. The
canvass and administration which it is de-
sired should undertake would embrace a
| period of nearly five years Nor can admit
any alusion to their burdens. Three
years OF experience in endeavoring to reform
the municipal government of the city of New
York and two years of experience in renov-
ating the administration of the State of New
| York have made me familiar with the re-
quirements of such work at the present time.
The considerations which induced nv action
in 1880 have become imperative. l ought
not to assume the task which have not phis-
ical strength to carry through. To reform
the administration of the federal government.
to realize my own ideal and to fulfill the
just expectations of the people would indeed
warrant as they could alone compensate the
sacrifices which the undertaking would in
volve, but in nv condition of advancing
years and declining strength l feel no assur-
ance of my ability to accomplish those OBJ
jects. / am therefore constrained to say
definitely that / cannot now assume the
labors of the administration or canvass. Un-
derrating in no wise that best gift of heaven,
occasion and power sometimes bestowed upon
mere individuals to communicate impulses
for good, and grateful beyond all words to
my countrymen who would assign such bene-
f1cient junction to me, l am consoled by the
reflection that neither the democratic party
nor the republic for whose future that party
is the best guarantee is now or ever can be
dependant on any one man for the successful
progress in the path of a noble destiny. Hav-
ing given to their welfare whatever of health
and strength l possessed or could borrow