Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-08-26
GOV. CLEVELAND'S LETTER.
MUCH WISDOM IN VERY FEW wORDs-A DOC
UMENT SHORT AND TO THE POINT AND
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE WRITER'S HON
EsTY AND sTRAIGHTFORwARDNEs

ALBANY, N. Y, August 19.-Governor
Cleveland's letter accepting the Democratic
nomination for president is furnished the
United Press, and is as follows;
Gentlemen,-I have received your COM
munication dated July 30, 1884, informing
me of my nomination to the office of presi-
dent of the United States by the national
Democratic convention lately assembled at
Chicago. | accept the nomination with a
grateful appreciation of the supreme honor
conferred, a solemn sense of the RESPONSE
bility which, in it's acceptance, l assume. ]
have carefully considered the platform
adopted by the convention and cordially ap-
prove the same. So plain statement OF
Democratic faith and the principles upon
which that party appeals to the sufrages
of the people, needs no supplement or ex-
PLANTATION. 1t should be remembered that
the office of president is essentially execu-
tive in its nature. The laws enacted by the
legislative branch of the government, the
chief executive is bound faithfully to enforce,
and when the wisdom Of the political party
which selects one of it's members as a NOM
inee for that office has outlined its policy
and declared its principles, it seems to me
that nothing in the character of the Office or
the necessities of the case, requires more
from the candidate accepting such nomina-
ton than the suggestion of certain we'll
known truths so absolutely vital to the safe
ty and welfare of the nation that they can
not be too often recalled or too seriously
enforced.
GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE.
We proudly call ours govement by the
people. It is not such when class Is toll
Grated which arrogates to itself the manage
ment of public affairs, seeking to control
the people instead of representing them.
Parties are the necessary outgrowth of our
institutions, but government is not by
the people when one party fastens its con-
troll on the country and perpetuates the
power by cajoling and betraying the people
instead of serving them. A government is
not by the people when a result which
should represent the intelligent will of free
and thinking men is, or can be, determined
by the shameless corruption of their suf
frages. When an election to office shall be
the selection by the voters of one of their
number to assume for a time public trust,
instead of his dedication to the profession
of politics; when the holders of the ballot,
quickened by a sense of duty, shall avenge
truth betrayed and pledges broken, and
when the suffrage shall be altogether free
and interrupted, the full realization of a
government by the people will be at hand.
THE PRESIDENT TO BE DISQUALIFIED FOR
REELECTION.
And of the means to this end, not one
would, in my judgement, be more effective
than an amendment to the constitution dis
qualifying the president for reelection.
When we consider the patronage of the
great office. the allurements of power, the
temptation to retain public place once
gained, and, more than all, the availability
a party finds in an incumbent whom horde
of officeholders, with zeal borne of bene-
fits received and fostered by the hope of
fayors to come, stand ready to aid with
money and trained political service, we
recognize in the eligibility of the president
for reelection a most serious danger to
that calm, deliberate and intelligent politi-
cal action which must characteriZo q govern |