The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-09-14
HERE'S THAT LETTER,
President Cleveland Formally
Accepts the Presidential
Nomination.

The Greater Portion Of the Letter
Devoted to the Democratic
View Of the Tariff.
Trusts, Contract Labor, Pensions and
Civil Service Reform Also
Claim Attention.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 1O.-The following
is the full text of President Cleyeland's
letter Of acceptance:
WASHINGTON, Sept. y, 1888.
Hon. Patrick A. Collins, and others, COM
mittee, etc.,
GENrLEMEN:-1n addressing to you
my formal acceptance of the nomf-
nation to the presidency of the United
States, my thoughts persistently dwell
upon the impressive relation of
such action to the American peo-
pie: whose confidence is thus invited. and
to the political party to which I belong,
just entering upon a contest for contin-
ued supremacy.
TIL world does not afford a spectacle
more sublime than is furnished when
millions of free and intelligent American
citizens select their own magistrate, and
bid one of their number to f12. the high
est earthly honor, and th..uuli measure
of public duty in ready submission to
their will. ..
1t follows that a candidate for. this
high office can never 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 follows a complete and
solemn self-consecration by the peoples
chosen president of every faculty and en-
deavor to the service Of a coHfding 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.
It 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 strive to achieve
for our country her proper place among
the nations of the earth; but there is nc
people whose home interests are SO great
and whose numerous objects of domestic
concern deserve so much w~atchfulness
and care.
Among these are the regulation Of a
sound financial system suited to our
needs, thus securing an efficient agency
OF national wealth and general prosper
ity; the construction and equipment Of
means of defense to insure our national
safety and maintain the honor beneath
which u national safety reposes; the
protection of d national domain, still
stretching beyond the needs of a CEN
tury's expansion, and its preservation
for the settler and tho pioneer Of our
marvellous growth; q 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 Limitation and check
ing of such monopolistic tendencies and
schemes as interfere with the advantages
and benefits which the people may
rightly claim; a generous regard and care
for u surviving soldiers and sailors and
for the widows and orphans of such as
have died, to the end that while the ap-
probation of their services and sacrifices
is quickened the application of their PEN
sion fund to improper cases may be pre-
vented; protection against : servlle i'm
migration which injuriously completes
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 peo-
pie and dangerous to our peace and well
fare; a strict and steadfast adherence to
the principles Of civil service reform and
a thorough execution of the laws passed
for their enforcement, thus permitting to
u people the advantages of business
methods in the operation of their govern
ment; the guaranty to our colored citi-
zens of all their rights Of citizenship and
their just recognition and encouragement
in all things pertaining to that relation;
a firm, patient and humane Indian pol
icy, so that in peaceful relations with the
government the civilization of the Indian
may be promoted, with resulting quiet
and safety to the settlers on our from
tiers; aud the curtailment of public ex-
pense by the introduction of economical
methods in every department of The gov
eminent.
The pledges contained in the platform
adopted by the late convention of the
national Democracy, lead to the advance
ment of these 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 lone
in the direction Of good government by
the present administration, and submit
ting its record to the fair inspection of
my countrymen, I indorse the platform
thus presented, with the determination
that, if I am again called to the chief
magistracy, there shall be a continuance
of devoted endeavor to advance the inter-
ests Of the entire country.
On the scale of federal taxa
ton and its consequences largely
engross at this time the attention of our
citizens, and the people are soberly con-
sidering the necessity of measures of re-
lief.
Our government is the creation of the
people, established to carry out their de-
signs and accomplish their good. It was
founded on Justice, and was made for a
free, intelligent and virtuous people. It
is only useful when within their control,
and only serves them well when regu-
lated and guided by their constant touch.
1t is a free government because it guar
antees to every American citizen the I'M
restricted personal use and enjoyment of
all the reward of his toll and of all his
income, except what may be his fair con-
tribution to necessary public expense.
Therefore it is not only the right, but
the duty Of free people, in the enfoece-
ment of this guaranty, to insist that such
expense should be strictly limited to the
actual public needs. It seems perfectly
clear that when the government, this in
strumentality created and maintained by
the people to do their bidding, turns
upon them, and through an utter per-
version of it's powers, EFFORTS from their
labor and capital tribute argelysin <
cess of public necessities, the creature
has rebelled against the creator and
the masters are robbed by their servants.
The cost of the government must con-
tinue to be met by tariff duties collected
at our custom houses upon imported
goods, and by internal revenue taxes as
sessed upon spirituous and malt liquors,
tobacco and olemargarine. I suppose it
is needless to explain that all these duties
and and assessments are added to the
price of the articles upon which they are
levied, and thus become q tax upon all
those who buy these articles for use and
consumption. I suppose, too, it is we'll
understood that the effect of this tariff
taxation is not limited to the consumers
of imported articles, but that the duties
imposed upon such articles permit q cor
responding increase in price to be laid
upon domestic productions of the same
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