The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-08-30
THE PRESIDENT
Gives His Letter of Acceptance to
the Public.
He Follows Up the Path Marked Out
in His Message.
And Clearly Points Out the Demo-
cratic Position
On the Question of the Tarif-Brief Refer
ence to the Other Matters Which
Arc Engrossing Public Attention.

WASHINGTON, Sept 1O.-The following is
! the full text of President Cleveland's let
ter of acceptance:
WASHINGTON, Sept. s, 1888.
Hon. Patrick A Collins and others, committee,
| etc.:
| GENTLEMEN-In addressing to you my
| formal acceptance of the nomination to
| the presidency of the United States, my
thoughts persistently dwell upon the i'm
pressive relation of such action to the
| American people, whose confidence is thus
| invited, and to the political party to which
| belong, just entering upon a contest for
continued supremacy.
The world does not afford a spectacle
more sublime than is furnished when mill
lions of free and intelligent American citi-
| zens select their chief magistrate and bid
| one of their number to find the highest
earthly honor and the full measure of pub
| lie duty in ready submission to their vii.
| 1t follows that a candidate for this high
| office cannot forget that when the turmoil
| and the strife which attend the selection
| of its incumbents shall be heard no more,
| there must be in the quiet calm which fol-
lows a complete and solemn Self-cOnSecra-
| ton by the peoples chosen president of
every faculty and endeavor to the service
| of a confinding and generous nation of
| free men.
These thoughts are intensified by the
| light of my experience in the presidential
| office, which has soberly impressed me
| with the severe responsibilities which it
imposes, while it has quickened my love
| for American institutions and taught me
| the priceless value of the trust of my
| countrymen.
1t is of the highest Importance that those
| who administer our government should
| jealousy protect and maintain the rights
| of American citizens at home and abroad,
| and should serve to achieve for our country
her proper place among the nations of the
| earth, but there is no people whose home
| interests are so great, and whose numer-
Gus objects of domestic concern deserve so
much watchfulness and care.
Among these are the regulation of q
sound financial system suited to our needs,
thus securing an efficient agency of ma
tional wealth and general prosperity; the
construction and equipment of means of
defense to insure our national safety and
maintain the honor beneath which such
national safety reposes; the protection of
our national domain, still stretching be-
yond the needs of a century expansion,
and its preservation for the settler and the
pioneer of our marvellous growth; a sensi-
bic and sincere recognition of the value of
American labor, leading to the scrupulous
care and just appreciation of the interests
of our workingmen; the Limitation and
checking of such monopolistic tendencies
and schemes as interfere with the advan-
tages and benefits which the people may
rightly claim; generous regard and care
for our surviving soldiers and sailors and
for the widows and orphans of such as
probation of their services and sac
ritices is quickened, the application
of their pension fund to improper
cases may be prevented ;protection against
a servile immigration, which injuriously
competes with our laboring men in the
field of toll and adds to our population an
element ignorant of our institutions and
laws, impossible of assimilation with our
people, and dangerous to our peace and
welfare; n strict and steadfast adherence
to the principles of civil service reform
and a thorough execution of the laws
passed for their enforcement, thus per-
mitting to our people the advantages of
business methods in the operation of their
government; the guaranty to our colored
citizens of all their rights of citizenship
and their just recognition and encourage
ment in all things pertaining to that rela-
ton; firm, patient and humane Indian
policy, so that in peaceful relations with
the government the civilization of the In
dian may be promoted with resulting quiet
and safety to the settlers on our frontiers;
and the curtailment of public expense by
the introduction of economical methods
in every department of the government.
The pledges contained in the platform
adopted by the late convention of the ma
tional democracy lead to the advancement
of the objects and insure good government
the aspiration of every true American
citizen and the motive for every patriotic
action and effort. In the consciousness
that much has been done in the direction
of good government by the present admin
istration, and submitting its record to the
fair inspection of my countrymen, 1 in
dorse the platform thus presented, with
the determination that, if L am again
called to the chief magistracy, there shall
be O continuance OF devoted endeayor to
advance the interests of the entire coun-
try.
Our scale of federal taxation and its con-
sequences fully engross at this time the
attention of our citizens, and the people
measures of relief
Our government is the creation of the
people, established to carry out their de-
signs and accomplish their good. 1t was