Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-06-20
Tilden's Defamation .
To DAs'i- MASsiNG, Chairifian Of the Demo
cratic StHte Convention of New York:

COhICAtAOh1 bdlU
"Having now borne faithfully my full share
of labor and care IN the pubic service, and
wearing the tharks of its burdens, desire moth
ing so much as IN honorable discharge. / wish
to lay down tho honors and tolls Of even quasi
party leadership, and to sock the repose of pri- |
vate life. In renouncing the ren6rnination for |
the presidency, do so with NO doubt in my !
mind as to the vote of the state of New.York |
and Of the United States but because believe |
that 1t is renunciatiou OF reelection to the |
presidency. To those who think my renouiina- |
ton and reelection to the presidsnty indispen-
sible to an efectual vindication Of the right Of
the people to elect their rulers, violated in my
person, Ihaye accorded as long reserve OF my
tiecision as was possible; but cannot overcome
my repugnance to enter into new engagement
which involves four years of ceaseiess toll
The dignity of the presidential office in above
merely persotii ambition. but IL has created In
mo no illusion. It's value is as q great power
for good 10 the country"
''I said this four years ago. Know.
Ing as do, therefore, from fresh ex-
perience, how great the difference be
tween going through All official routine
and working out the form of SYSTEMS
and politics, it is impossible for me to
contemplate what needs to be done i'm
the general administration without an
anxious sense of the difficulties OF the
undertaking. If summoned by the
suffrages Of my countrymen to attempt
this work, shall endeavor with good
health, to be the efficient instrument of
their will, in such a work of the reno
vatio1 of many years, such a reform Of
the systems and politics to which 1
would cheerfully have sacrificed all
that remains to me of health and life,
and DOW l fear beyond my strength.
Ny 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. to your
self. Your communication to me is an
appeal from many valued friends to re-
inquish that purpose, l reiterated my
determination Internationally. In the
four years which have since elapsed
nothing has occurred to weaken, but
everything to strengthen, the consider
alton which induced my withdrawal
from public life. To all ~bo have ad-
dressed me on the subject my intention
has been frankly communicated. Sew
eral of my most confidential friends,
under the sanction of their own names
have publicly stated my determination
to be irrevocable. That 1 have occa-
sion now to consider the question is an
event for which have no responsible
ity. The appeal made to me by the
democratic masses with apparent una
nimity to serve them once more is en-
titled 70 the most deferential considera-
ton, and would inspire disposition to
90 anything desired of me, IL it were
consistent with my judgment of duty.
believe there is no instrumentality in
human society so potential i'm its infiu-
ence upon mankind for good or evil as
the governmental machinery for admin
istering justice and for making and ex-
ecuting laws. Not all the elernosynary
institutions of private. beneyolence, to
which many philanthropists devote
their lives, are so fruitful in benefits as
the rescue and preservation of this ma
chinery from the perversions that
make il the instrument of conspiracy,
fraud and crime, against the most sa-
cred rights and interests of the people.
For fifty years, as private citizen net-
er contemplating an official career, l
devoted at least as much thought and
effort to the duty Of influencing a right
action Of the governmental institution
of my country, as TO all other objects,
have never accepted official service,
except for brief period for a special
purpose, and only when the occasion
seemed to require from me that sacri-
flee of private preferences to public
welfare.
II undertook the state administra-
tion of New York becaiise it was stib-
posed that in that way only could the
executive power be arrayed on the
side of the reforms, to which, as a
private citizen, 1 had given three
years Of my life. / accepted the NOM
ination for the presidency in 1876, be-
cause 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 the state of New York
1 believed that had strength enough
then to renovate the administration Of
the government of the United States;
and at the close of my term To hand
ever TIE great trust to successor faith
full to the same policy. Though anx-
ious to seek the repose of private life,
nevertheless, acted upon the idea that
every power is trust and int61tes a
duty. In reply to the address Of the
committee communicating my nomina-
ton, l depicted the diffictilties of the
Undertaking, and likened my feelings
In engaging in it to those of a soldiet
entering battle; but I do not with
hold the eiitire conservation of my pow
ers to the public service.
Twenty years Of CONTINUOUS uhal-ad /:
mission, under the demoralizing influ-
ence OF intestine war and of bad finance,
nave infected the whole governmental
system of the United States with the
caneerous growths of false coitstruc-
ti0ns and corrupt practices. Powerful
classes have acquised peculiarly inter-
ests 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, afid
cannot be accomplished without the
most energetic and efficient PERSONAL
action on the part of the chief eiecu-
tive Of the republic.
The canvas and administration which
1t is desired that should undertake
would embrace period of neatly five