The Globe-republican., 1892-07-25
CLEVELAND,S SPEECH
Upon Receiving Formal Notifi-
cation by the Committee.
Two Issues; Tariff and Force Bill-The
Party Which Robbed the People of
President Will Not Scrup.s
ct Anything.

After the formal notification by the CON-
| nittee appointed for that purpose by the
Chicago convention, Mr.. Cleveland accepted
the nomination in speech, from which the
following is taken. There was an audience
present of some 1900 people, in Madison
Square garden, in New York city.
Mr.. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN-The mes
sage you deliver from the national demOc-
| racy arouses within me emotions which would
be well nigh overwhelming if / did no.
| recognize here assembled representatives of
great party who nust share with me the
responsibility your mission invites.
Our party responsibility is indeed great.
But if our responsibility is great our party Is
strong. 1t is strong in its sympathy with the
needs of the people. in its insistance upon
the exercise or governmental powers strictly
within the constitutional permission the peo-
pie have granted, and IN its willingness TO
risk us life and hope upon the peoples INTEL
ligence and patriotism.
Never has great party, intent upon the
promotion of right and justice, had better
incentive for effort than is now presented to
Us. Turning our eyes TO the plain people of
the land, we see them burdened as consum-
ers with the tariff system that unjustly and
relentleSsly demand from them in the pur-
chase of the necessaries and comforts of life
an amount scarcely met by the wages of hard
and steady toll, while the exaction thus rung
from them build up and increase the fortunes
of those for whose benefit the great injury is
perpetrated. We see the farmer listening to
the delusive story that fills his mind with
visions of advantage, while his pocket is
robbed by the stealthy hand of high protec-
ton. Our workingmen are still told the tale,
oft repeated in spite of its demonstrated fall
lacy, that the existing protective tariff is q
boon to them and under its benefcent opera
tlOn their wages must be increased. Whilst
they reason, scenes are enacted in the very
abiding place of high protection. that mock
the hopes of toll and attest the tender mercy
the wOrklngmen receive from those made
selfish and sordid by unjust governmental
favoritism.
We insist that no plan of tariff legislation
shall be tolerated which has for its object
and purpose the forced contribution from
the earnings and income of the mass of our
citizens to swell directly the accumulations
of the favored few: nor will we permit pre-
tended solcitude for American labor or any
other species OF benevolent care for others to
blind the people to the selfish aims of those
who seek through aid of the unequal tariff
laws to gain unearned and unreasonable ad-
vantage at the expense of their fellows.
We nave also assumed III our covenant
with those whose support we invite, the duty
of opposing to the death another avowed
scheme of our adversarles, which, under the
guise of protecting suffrage. covers, but
does not conceal the design thereby to per-
petuate the power of the party afraid to
trust its continuance to the untrammeled
and intelli.ent votes of the American people.
We are pledged to resist legislation intended
to complete this scheme. We have not for
gotten the saturnalia of theirs and the brutal
control which followed another federal regu-
lation of states suffrage, because We know
the managers of the party which did not
scruple to rob the people of their president
would not hesitate to use the machinlry Gre
ated by such legislation to revive the corrupt
instrumentality Tor partisan purposes, be-
cause an attempt to enforce such legislation
would rekindle the animosity, where peace
and hopefulness now prevail, because such
an attempt would replace the prosperous ac-
tlvity with discouragement' and dread
throughout large section of our country,
and would menace everywhere in the land
the rights reserved to the states and to the
people, which underlie the safeguards of lib
erty.
Success can only be achieved by systemat-
ic and intelligent effort on the part of all en-
listed in our cause. Let us tell the people
plainly and honestly what we believe and
how we propose to serve the interests of the
entire country, and let US re.y upon the
thOughifUlness and patriotism of our fellow
cOuntrymen. 1t remains only for me to say
to you in advance of a more formal response
to your message, that | obey the commands
of my party and confidently anticipate that
the intelligent and earnest presentation of
our cause will insure popular Endorsement
of the action of the body you represent.