Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-10-31
MFR. stevenson's Acceptance.

president OF the nauOnal ueIIlocidtN
convention:
TO the Hon. Hflliam i. Ellison. Char
man, etc:
When in the presence of twenty
thousand ofmy countrymen ! accepted
the honor conferred upon me by the
convention, over which you presided,
promised to indicate by letter III more
formal manner my acceptance OF the
nomination rendered me by the assem-
bled representatives of the democratic
party Of the United States.
Since that time ! lave been engaged
continually in the discussion before the
people of the issues emphasized by the
convention and represented by our can
didate for President. Grover Cleveland.
Opportunity has thus been denied me
to write with the care would ike the
more formal answer promised to your
committee. The full discussion ofpub-
lie questions commonly expected from
candidate for vice president has been
rendered less imperative by the COM
plete presentation of the democratic
creed bv the gentleman with whom /
have the honor to be associated as
candidate on the national ticket. HIS
treatment OF the issues now before the
country for discussion and settlement
was so complete that can do little
more than endorse his position and give
it the emphasis of my unqualified APP
prevail.
The greatest power conferred upon
human government is that Of taxation.
All the great struggles of the past for
broader political liberty have looked TO-
ward the limitation of this power by
right to taxa right which should al
ways be limited by the necessities OF
government and TO benefits which may
be shared by all. Whenever this pow
er is used to draw tribute from the
many for the benefit Of the few, or when
part of q people are oppressed in order
that the remainder may prosper undu!y,
equality is lost sight of, injustice hard
ems into precedent, which is used to eX-
cusc new eXactiCns, and there arise ar
lificial distinctions which the bene!lcia-
ries come to look ,lpon i'll due time as
vested rights, sacreI to themselves.
Ii is plain that our present inequlta-
BILE system of tariff taxation has pro-
NOTED the growth of such conditions i'll
our land, favored though it has been by
in industrious and enterprising people,
friendly climate, Il productive soil and
the highest development Of political lib
crty. If the beneiiGiaries of this system
shall be able to add a new tenure Of
power to those they have already en-
joyed, the development OF these unta-
vorable conditions must continue until
the power to tax will be lodged in those
who are willing and able to pay for the
pcrpetuation OF privileges originally
conferred by coniiding people for the
preservation inviolate TO their own gov
eminent.
There is no longer pretense or excuse
for the maintenance of war tariff i'll
times of peace, and moro than Il quarter
ola century after armed conflict has
ceased. The platform of the national
democratic convention demands the re-
form of this system and the adoption in
its place of one which will insure equal
ity to ali our people. am in ful! and
hearty accord with these purposes.
The convention also declared its po-
sition on the currency question in no
unmeaning words, when it said in its
platform I'VE hold to the Use of both
gold and silver as the standard money
of the country, and to the coinage of
both gold and silver, without discrlmi-
Mating against either metal, or charge
for mntage, but the dollar unit of coin
are of both metals must be of equal
| lN1 ha
adjusted through international agree
ment, or by such safeguards of legisla-
ton as shall insure the purity of the
two metals and the equal power Of
every dollar at all times in the mar
kets, and in payments Of debt. and we
demand that ali paper currency shall
be kept at par with and redeemable in
such COIN
To this plain and unequivocal decla
ration in favor of sound, honest money
| subscribe without reservation of quail
ification. A safe circulating medium is
absolutely essential to the protection Of
the business interests of our country,
while to the wage-earner, the farmer,
it is all important that every dollar,
whatever its form, that finds its way
into his pocket, shall be of equal, I'M
questioned and universally exchange
able value and of equal purchasing
power.
Another issue of great moment in
the pending contest is the force BILL the
magnitude of which cannot be over
stated. 1t may mean the control of
the election of Representatives in Con-
gress by the bayonet. The republican
party, by its acts i'll the Fifty-first Con-
gress and by its platform in its late ma
tional convention, stands pledged to
the passage of this BILL That it will
pass when it has power no sane man
can doubt. To all our people who de-
sire the peace and prosperity of our
country this question is all-important.
Since my nomination | have been i'll
eight of the southern and southwestern
States of the Union, and have talked
with men of all classes and conditions
there. found a general and growing
apprehension of evils which, it is be-
lieved, would result from the passage of
the Lodge bill or similar threatened leg
islation. found that the industries es-
tablished by northern capital during
Mr.. Cleveland's administration were in
languishing condition, and that the
immigration of labor and the invest
ment of capital invited to those States
by their then peaceful condition had, in
q large measure, ceased.
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