Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-06-12

cause Il was supposed in that way on
" could the executive power he ar
rsved on the side VI the reforms to
which, us private citizen, ! had given
three years Of my liie, ac-
cepted the nomination for the presi..
dency in 1870, because OF the general
conviction that my candidacy would
best present the issue OF reform wnicn
the Democratic majority Oh
the people desired TO
have marked, hut In the general gov
eminent, as 1t had been in the state OF
! New York, / believed that | had
strength enough then to renovate the
administration of the government OF
the United States, and at the close OF
NV term to hand over the 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 a
duty. In reply to the address of the
committee communicating the New
York nomination depicted the diff.
culties of the undertaking, and likened
my feelings in engaging In the contest
TO those Of a soldier entering battle.
But do not withhold the entire con-
secration of my powers to the public
service. Twenty years of continuous
Observation-Disclosures under the democrat
izing influence of intestine war, and of
bad finance, have infected the whole
governmental system of the United
States with cancerous growths
of false constructions and corrupt
practices. Powerful classes have ac-
quired pecuniary interests in official
abuses, and the moral standards of the
people have been impaired. To re.
dress these evils is work of. great
difficulty and labor and cannot be
ACCOMPLISHED without the most ener.
getic and efficient personal action on
the part of the chief executive of the
republic. The canvass and admins
tration which it is desired that /
should undertake would embrace
a period of nearly five years.
Nor eau admit any illusions, AS the
burdens of three years of experience in
the endeavor to reform the municipal
of the city of New York,
and two years of experience in reno
waiting the administration of the state
of New York, have made me familiar
with the requirements of such work.
At the present time the considerations
which induced my action in 1880 have
become imperative. | ought not to as
sumo q task which | have not the
strength to carry through. To
reform the administration of the fed
eral governments to realize my own
idea and fulfill the just expectations
of the people, would indeed warrant,
al ha
sacri fees which the undertaking
would involve; but in my condition of
years and declining
strength, feel no assurance of my
ability to accomplish those objects. l
am therefore constrained to say def
nitely that cannot now assume the
labors of administration. or of the can
vass; undertaking in no wise,
the occasion, and the power sometimes
bestowed upon ,mele individual to
examples for good.
Grateful beyond all words to my fell
who would assign
such a beneticent function TO me, am
coLsoled by the reflection that neither
the Democratic party nor the repub-
lie, for whose future that party is the
beat guarantee, is now or ever can be
dependent upon any one man for their
successful progress in the
nath of a noble destiny
Having given TO their welfare
whatever of health and strength / pos
sessed or could borrow from the future
and having reached the term of my
capacity for such labors as their wei.
fare now demands, / but submit to The
will of God in deeming my public
career forever closed.
SAMUEL. j. TILDEN.