The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-10-16
TILDEN'S REPLY.

ssmuel J. Tnden Has Something to Say In
Answer TO the Resolutions of the Demo-
cratic National Convention.
NEW YORK, October S.-Following is n.
Tilden'S response to the committee of the
National Democratic Convention conveying
TO him the resolutions of that body:
GREYsToNE, Oct t, 1884.
Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the Commit.
tee:
thank you for the kind terms in which
you have communicated the resolutions con
eerning me, adopted by the late Democratic
Convention. l share your conviction that
reform in the administration of the Federal
Government, which is our great National
want and is indeed essential to tine restoration
and preservation of the Government itself,
can only be achieved through the agency Of
the Democratic party, and by installing its
representative in the Chief Magistracy Of
the United States. The noble historical
tradition of the Democratic party, the prin-
Ciples In which it was educated and to
which it has ever been in the main faithful;
its freedom from corrupt influences, which
grow up in the 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 conditions which attach to the Repub-
lican party make it hopeless to expect that
that that party will be able 10 give better
government than the debasing system of
abuses winch, during its ascend
ency, has infected official and po-
litical life in this country. The
Democratic party had its origin in the ef-
forts of the more advanced patriots of the
revolution to resist the perverSiOn of our
Government from the ideal contemplated
by the people. Among its conspicuous
founders are Benjamin Franklin and
Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Adams and
John Hancock, of Massachusetts; George
Clinton and Robert r. Livingston, of New
York, and George Wythe and James Madi-
son, of Virginia. From the election of Mr..
jefferson as President in 1900, for sixty
years, the Democratic party mainly di-
rected our National policy. 1t extended
the boundaries of the Republic and laid
the foundation of all our National great
ness, while it preserved the limitations
imposed by the Constitution and MAIN
tanned simple and pure system of Demo
cratic administration. On the other hand,
the Republican party has always been
dominated by principles which favor legiSla-
ton for the benefit of particular classes at
the expense of the body of the people. 1t
has become deeply tainted with the abuses,
which naturally grow up during long pos
session of unchecked power, especially in
the period of civil war and false finance.
The patriotic and yirtuOuS elements in it
IRE now unable to emancipate it from the
sway of selfish interests which SubOrdinateS
public duty to personal greed. The most
hopeful Of the best citizens it contains de-
Spair of its amendment except through its
temporary expulsion from power 1t
has been boastingly asserted by 4 modern
Massachusetts statesman, struggling to re-
cOnciie himself and his followers to its
Presidential candidate, that the Republican
PARTY contains GiSDOrpOrti nate share Of
the wealth, culture and intelligence of the
country. The unprincipled Grafton, when
taunted by James ii. with his personal want
of conscience, answered, That is true, but
belong to a party that has great deal of
conscience Such reaSoners forget that the
same claim has been made in all ages and
countries by defenders of old wrongs
against new reforms. 1t was alleged
by the Tories of the American rev.
OlutiOn against the patriots of that
day; it was repeated against jefferson
and afterwards against Jackson; it was al
legged by the Conservatives against those
who in England are now endeavOring to en-
large the popular suffrage. All history
shows that reform in Government must not
be from those who sit Serenely on the social
mountain tops eyeing the benefit of the eX-
isting order Of things. Even the Divine
Author OF our religion found his followers
not among cOmplacent partisanS, but
among lowly-minded fishermen The Re-
publican party is largely made up of those
who live by their wits, and who aspire to
advantages over the rest of mankind,
similar to those which their daily lives are
devoted to securing in private business.
The Democratic party consists largely of
those who live by the work of their hands,
and whose political action is governed by
their sentiments or imagination. 1t results
that the Democratic party more
readily than the Republican party
can be moulded to the support of re-
form measures which involve a sacrifice
of selfish interests. The indispensable ne
cessity of our times is a change of admins
tration of the great executive Offices of the
country. This, in my Judgment, can only
be accomplished by the election of the Dem
ocratic candidates for President and Vice
President.
[Signedl SAMUEL j. TILDEN.
To r. II. Henry, Chairman, b. B. Smalley
and Others of the special committee OF the
Democratic National Convention.