Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1888-09-20
Grorer Crereland's S Letter of Acceptance.

Grorer CIereIand'S Letter Of acceptance
WASHINGTON, September s, 1885,
Hon. Patrick A. Collins and others, com
mittee, &c.-Gentlemen In addressing
to you my formal acceptance Of the nom
nation to the Presidency of the United
States, my thoughts persistently dwell
upon the impressive relation of such ac
ton to the American people, whose con
fidence is thus invited, and to the politi
cal party to which belong, just entering
upon contest for continued supremacy
The world does not afford a spectacle
more sublime than is furnished when mil
lions of free and intelligent American cit
liens select their Chief Magistrate, anC
bid one of their number to find the high
est earthly honor and the full measure o
public duty in ready submission to theil
will.
1t follows that a candidate for this higl
Office can never forget that when the tur
moil and the strife which attend the Sc
lection of its incumbent shall be hearc
no more there must be in the quiet calm
which follows complete and solemn self
consecration by the peoples chosen Pres
ident of every faculty and endeavor tc
the service Of Il confding and generou.
nation of freemen.
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 iealously protect and maintain the
rights Of American citizens at home and
abroad, and should strive to achieve for
our country her proper place among the
nations of the earth but there is no peo-
pie whose home interests are so great, and
whose numerous objects of domestic con-
Germ deserve so much watchfulness and
care.
HOME INTERESTS THAT DEMAND CARE.
Among these are the regulation of a
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 century's expansion,
and It's preservation for the settler and
the pioneer of our marvellous growth a
sensible and sincere recognition of the
value of American labor, leading to the
scrupulous care and just appreciation Of
the interests of our workingmen the linn
itation and checking of such monopolistic
tendencies and schemes as interfere with
the advantages and benefits which the
people may rightly claim; a generous re-
gard and care for our surviving soldiers
and sailors and for the widows and or
phans of such as have died. to the end
that while the appreciation of their SER
vices and sacrifices is quickened, the ap-
plication of their pension fund to i'm
proper cases may be prevented protec-
ton against a seryile 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 assim-
ilation with our people and dangerous to
our peace and welfare; a strict and stead
fast adherence to the principles of civil
service reform and a thorough execution
of the laws passed for their enforcement,
thus permitting to our people the advan-
tages of business methods in the opera
ton of their government; the guaranty
to our colored citizens of all their rights
of citizenship, and their Just recognition
and encouragement in all things pertain
ing to that relation; a firm, patient and
humane Indian policy, so that in peaceful
relations with the government the civil
zation of the Indian may be promoted
with resulting quiet and safety to the set
tiers on our frontiers, and the curtailment
of public expense by the introduction Of
economical methods in every department
of the government
THE ST. LOUIS PLATFORM INDORsED.
The pledges contained in the platform
adopted by the late convention of the ma
tional Democracy lead to the advance
ment of these objects and insure gooC