The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-20
He Begins by Declaring Himself in Favor Of
the One-Term Principle and Giving
His Reasons Therefor.
Alien Laborers Should Be Discouraged
and Native Laborers Protected.
A Slight Reference to Sumptuary Laws and
the Civil Service, but Not Word
About the Tariff.
GROVER CLEVELAND.
Text of His Letter Accepting the Democrati,
Nomination for the Presidency.


Nomination for the Presidency.
ALBANY, Aug 19-Governor Cleveland's let
ter formally accepting the Democratic nomina-
tion for President of the United States is as fol
lows:
Gentlemen-I have received your coinmunica-
tion dated July July %, 1884 informing me of
mySnomination, to the Office Of President Of the
United States by the national Democratic con-
vention lately assembled at Chicago. / accept
the nomination, with grateful appreciation of
the supreme honor conferred, and solemn sense
Of the responsibility which in it's acceptance l
assume. I have carefully considered the plat
form adopted by the convention, and cordially
approve the same. So plain a statement of
Democratic faith and the principles on which
that party appeals to the suffrages of the people
needs no supplement or explanation
It should be remembered that the Office Of
President is essentially executive 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 its mem
bers as nominee 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 nomination than the
suggestion of certain well known truths so abb
solutely vital to The safety and welfare Of the
Nation that they cannot be too often recalled
or too seriously enforced We proudly
call. ours a government by the people.
It is not such when class is tolerated which
arrogates to itself the management 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
control on the country, and perpetuates its
power by cajoling and betraying the people in
stead Of serving them; a government is not by
the people when result which should represent
the intelligent will of free and thinking men
is or can be determined by the shame
less abuse of their suffrages. When an election
4 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 sense of duty, shall
avenge truth betrayed and pledges broken, and
when the suffrage shall be altogether free and.
uncorrupted the full fruit of the government
by the people will be at hand. AS a means to
this end, nothing would, in my Judgment,
be more effective than an amendment
to the Constitution disqualifying re-
election When we consider the patron
age of this great Office, the allurements
Of power the temptation to retain public place
once gained, and, more than all, the availability
party finds in an incumbent whom herd of
ofice-h holders, with zeal born of benefits re-
ceived and fostered by the hope of favors yet to
come, stand ready to aid with money and
trained political service, we recognize in the
eligibility of the President for re election most
serious danger to that calm, deliberate and in
tellgent political action which must character
ize government by the people
A true American sentiment recognizes the
dignity of labor and the fact that honor lies in
honest toll. Contented labor is a sign of ma
tional prosperity. Ability to work constitutes
the capital, and the wages Of labor
the income of vast number of our population,
and this interest should be jealously protected
Our workingmen are not asking unreasonable
indulgences but as intelligent and manly citi-
zens they seek the same consideration which
those demand who have other interests at stake
They should receive their full share Of the care
and attention Of those who make and execute
the laws, to the end that the wants and needs Of
the employers and the employed shall alike be
subseryed and the prosperity of the country, the
common heritage Of both, be advanced.
As related to this subject. while we should
not discourage the emigration Of those who
come to acknowledge allegiance to our govern
ment and add to our citizen population, yet, as a
means of projection to our wdrkingmen, differ
ent rule should prevail concerning those who, if
they come or are brought to our land, do not in
tend to become Americans, but will injuriously
compete with those justly entitled to our field Of
labor. In letter accepting the nomination to
the Office of Governor, nearly two years ago /
made the following statement, to which have
steadily adhered:
1.-THE laboring classes constitute the main part
of our population, They should be protected in
their efforts peaceably to assert their rights
when endangered by aggregated capital, and all
statutes on this subject should recognize the
care Of the State for honest toll, and be framed
with q view Of improving the condition Of the
workinginan."
A proper regard for the welfare Of the work
ingmen being inseparably connected with the
integrity of our institutions, none of our citizens
are more interested than they in guarding
against any corrupting influences which seek to
pervert the bene6cent purposes of our govern
ment, and none should be more watchful of the
artful Vaccinations of those who allure them to
self-inficted injury.
In free country, the curtailment Of the
absolute rights Of the individual should only be
such as is essential to the peace and good order
of the community. The limit between the
proper subjects Of governmental control and
those which can be more ittingly left to the
moral sense and selfimposed restraint of the
citizen shonld be carafnllv kent in uiam Tins