The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1888-07-05
CLEVELAND ACCEPTS.
The President Informed by a Com
mittee of His REORGANIZATION by
the St. Louis Convention.
Profoundly Impressed With the Character
of His High Ohice-He VIII Obey
the Party's Behest.
Looking Back Over the Last Four Years
He Finds Little that He
Would Change.

the Democratic Notification Committee
called on the President to officially in
form him that he had been selected by
the St. Louis convention to represent the
cause of Democracy in the battle to be
fought next November.
The notification committee, consisting
of j. II. Caldwell, Wilson Hemingway,
Secretary Villas, Postmaster General
Dickinson. and Atty. Gen. Garland, ac-
cOmpanied by the members of the ma
tional democratic committee and the
Columbia democratic club of the Dis
trict of Columbia, met at the Arlington
House, forming into pairs, and marched
to the White House, where they were
ushered into the East Room and ranged
themselves in circle in the south end
of the room. Palms filled all the win
dows and alcoves in that portion of the
room and potted plants decorated the
mantelS.
The President was notified of their
arrival and descended to the East Room,
accompanied by Mrs. Cleveland, Rev.
William N. Cleveland, the Presidents
brother, and wife, of Forestport, N. Y,
Mrs. w. E. Hoyt, the Presidents sister,
of Fayetteville, n. Y, Mr. and Mrs. La
mont. Mr. w. S. Bissell. of Buffalo, Mr..
Bayard, Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild, Mr.. and
Mrs. Whitney, Mrs. Endicott. Mr. Villas,
Mr.. and Mrs. Dickinson, Mr.. Benjamin
Folsom. and Speaker Carlisle. Their
approach was the signal for general
ciapping of hands on the part of the WIS.,
itors, and as soon as the party had tax
en- their places Gen. Collins stepped for
| ward and addressed the President as
| follows:
Mr. Cleveland, we come as committee
authorized and instructed by the national
democratic convention recently held at
| ST. Louis to convey formal notice of its
action in naming you for the office of
President of the United States during the
next four years. 1t would ill become the
occasion or your presence to express the
| full meaning and significance OF that great
| assembly. 1t expression will be found and
heard elsewhere. and otherwise from now
till that day in November when this free
and intelligent people will record their
approval of your great services as chief
magistrate. We beg to congratulate you
upon this hearty and unanimous indOrSe-
ment of your course as president by the
great historic party to which in all the
days of your manhood you have belonged,
and to congratulate the country upon the
assured continuance of your wise, just,
and patriotic administration"
Upon concluding his remarks Mr..
Collins introduced Mr.. Charles ID. Jacob,
of Kentucky, who read the following
letter of notification.
To Hon. GrODer Cleveland, of NeIU York:
SIR:-Tne delegates to the national DEM
ocratic convention. representing every
state and territory of our union, having
assembled in the city of st. Louis, on June
5, inst for the purpose of nominating
candidates for the offices of president and
Vice-president of the United States, it has
become the honorable and pleasing duty
of this committee to formally announce to
YOU that without a ballot you were by
acclamatiOn chosen as the standard bearer
of the democratic party for the chief exectl-
| tiVeship of this country at the election TO
be held in November next. Great Hs Is
such distinction under any circumstance
it is the more fiattering and profound
when it is remembered that you have been
| selected as your own successor to an of1ce
the duties of which, always onerous, have
been rendered of an extraordinary, sensi-
, tive, difficult and delicate nature because
of Il change of political parties and meth
ods after twenty-four years of unlnter-
| rupted domination. This eXaltation Is, II
possible, added To by the TACT that the
declaration of principles based upon your
national message to the congress OF the
United States relative to a tariff reduction
and dini milton of the expenses of the
government throws down the direct and
| defiant challenge for an eXacting scrutiny
of The administration of the executive
power which four years ago was commit
ted to its trust 10y the election of Grover
| Cleveland President of the United States,
| and fur the most searching inquiry con-
-
pledges which then invited the suffrages
of the people An engrossed copy of that
platform, adopted without dissenting
voice, is herewith rendered to you.
I'm conveying. sir, to you the responsible
trust which has been confided to them
this committee beg individually and col
lectively, to express the great pleasure
which they have felt at the results at
tending the national convention of the
democratic party, and to offer to you their
best wishes for official and personal sue
cess and happiness"
The letter was signed by all the mem
bers of the committee.
Mr.. Thomas S. Petit, secretary of the
notification committee, then presented
Mr.. Cleveland with a handsomely en-
crossed copy of the platform adopted at
the national democratic convention.
The President in reply said
~ cannot but be profoundly impressed
when see about me the messengers of
the national democracy, bearing its sum-
mons to duty. The political party to which
] owe allegiance both honOrs and COM
mands me. 1t places in my hand its
proud standard and bids me bear 1t high
ut the front, in battle which it wages,
bravely BECAUSE conscious of right, cou-
tidently because its trust is in the people,
and soherly because it cOmprehends the
obligations which success imposes, The
message which you bring awakens within
lhC ShC lNCilCSb bCA5C VI ptfSOudl RTdGl-
tude and satisfaction, and the honor which
you tender me is in itself so great that
there might well be no room for any other
sentiment. And yet cannot rid myself
of grave and serious thoughts when / re-
member that party supremacy is not alone
involved in the conflict which presses upon
us, but that we struggle to secure and
save the cherished institutions, the well
fare. and happiness of nation of freemen.
"Famiiiarity with the great office which
my hnrn cffNrn
of its sacred character and the consecra-
tiOn demanded of him who assumes its
immense responsibilities. 1t is the reposi-
tory OF the peoples will and power. With
in its vision should be the protection and
welfare of the humblest citizen, and with
quick ear it should catch from the remot-
est corner of the land the plea of the peo-
pie for Justice and for right. For the sake
of the people he who holds this Office of
theirs should resist every encrOachment
upon its legitimate functions and for the
sake of the integrity and usefulness of the
office 1t should be kept near to the people
and be administered in full sympathy
with their wants and needs
"This occasion reminds me most vividly
OF the scene when four years ago / re-
ceived message from my party simil ar
to that which you now deliver. With all
that has passed since that day, can truly
say that the feeling of awe with which I
heard the summons then Is intensified
many fold when it is repeated now. Four
years ago 1 knew that our chief executive
office, if not carefully guarded, might
drift little by little away from the people,
to whom it belonged, and become per-
version of all it ought to be, but did not
know how much its moorings had already
been loosened, | knew four years ago
how we'll devised were the principles of
true democracy for the successful opera
tion of il government by the people and
for the people, but | did not know how
absolutely necessary their application then
was for the restoration to the people of
their safety and prosperity knew then
that abuses and extravagancies had crept
into the management of public affairs, but
did not know their numerous forms nor
the tenacity of their grasp | knew then
something of the bitterness of partisan OBJ
struction, but did not know how bitter
how reckless, and how shameless it could
be. knew, too, that the American peo-
pie were patriotic and just, but did not
know how grandly they loved their coun-
/ try, nor how noble and generous they
were.
II shall not dwell upon the acts and the
policy of the administration now drawing
! to close, Its record is open to every citi-
zen of the land. And yet will not be de-