The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-27
He Is for Sound Money, and There
fore Cannot Make the Race for Gov
ernor on 16-to-1 Platform.
HIS LETTER TO THE PUBLIC
GIVING REASONS FOR REFUSING
THE RECENT NOMINATION.
Possibility that the silver Faction
VIII Indorse a POpulist Candidate
-Tammany May Nominate.

ALBANY, n. Y, Sept. 26.-John Boyd
Thacher has declined the Democratic nom
ination for Governor of New York. This
was the day set for the visit to Mr.. Thach-
er by the committee of five appointed at
the meeting of the State Democratic COM
mittee on Tuesday to officially notify him
of his nomination, but in advance of their
coming he gave out a letter announcing
his declination. At the outset of this state
ment Mr.. Thacher made acknowledgements of
the honor which the nomination implied,
and in the next sentence said he was con-
strained to decline it. He said:
Il was away from Albany and at my
country home, during the convention, and
l did not learn of my nomination until
10. 1t was not until o'clock that night
that | had an opportunity TO learn the
character of the platform adopted by the
convention. There had never been sub
mitted to me a press copy. a manuscript
copy or any other copy Of the proposed
platform. If any one had been Entrusted
with the duty of presenting such copy
the trust had not been fulfilled. l had no
reason to expect after the convention at
Saratoga and after the attitude of the del
egates from New York in the national con-
vention that the next State convention
would commit the Democratic party u11rc-
servedly to all parts of the Chicago pat
form.
Mr. Thatcher then recounted the facts of.
his now famous letter to the State COM
mittee and summarized the contents Of
that communication. While he contin-
ued Il had not sought the nomination or
requested a single delegate to give ME his
support, l was willing and eager to con-
tend against that system of bossism,
which is to-day in control of the public
affairs of the State of New York. l was
prepared to organize the Democratic party
from one end of the State 30 the other on
a line of battle against that system and
to wage an unremitting and vigorous war
fare. 1 believed that municipal and other
reforms in which the people are interested
could not be obtained until the administra-
ton had been wrenched from the hands of
pie would be with us on that issue:
1T has developed. in the consideration
of the resolution by which the State COM
mittee appointed your committee, as well
as in the public press and other public and
private communications, that there is
very decided desire on the part of the
Democratic party to contest the election
on the abstract question of the unlimited
coinage of silver at the unalterable ratio
of 16 to l. as compared with gold, and to
ignore or to subordinate every other State
issue. 1t is apparently the purpose of the
party at his time to make the acceptance
of an extreme political sentiment the
sole test of a candidates Democracy. 1t
does not seem to be enough that men are
willing to support the regular candidate or
the regular Democratic party, but they are
required to subscribe to every letter and
phrase of the platform.
| hold, to make a contest on the coinage
issue. | believe in the good old Demo-
cratic. doctrine of the joint free and equal
use of gold and silver. This doctrine is as
far removed from the single use of gold
which enables spectators to juggle with
its value, as it is from that other impos-
Sible ia ito fer its sister metal. Therefore
entertaining the views l do, and now thor
oughly impressed with the belief that the
only or primarily on the silver issue, l
feel that as an honorable man, / should
make way for some one who can carry
the banner with that device.
There seems no place in the Democratic
party to-day for conservatism Men are
views exceedingly intolerant of the t others
The history of legislation is that con-
servatism in the end prevails; | believe
proaches the responsibility of legislation
will be true to itself and to the people
The strength of the Democratic party is
1t stands with sympathetic arms welcom-
ing the oppressed the weak, the distressed
and promising them comfort and relief. 1t
is natural that mischievous and destroying
elements should clothe themselves in the
garments of honest distress and seek to
shelter themselves within those arms and
to conduct from that refuge their preda-
tory raids. What the Democratic party
ganization which viii respond to every beat
of the popular heart but which will regu-
late the entrance Of the wicked and per
verse. This organization will not come
from outside, but from inside the party.
Il have no sympathy with those who de-
sert the party now in it's hour of need
Every Democrat who believes that the par
ty is or can be made an instrument of good
should stay within it's ranks and by counsel
and example endeavor to build up and
make it strong. My party can demand of
me no honorable sacrifice | will not make.
1t can ask of me no duty / will not per-
form. My best usefulness will be humbly
to remain within its ranks and give such
powers as | possess to strengthening its
pillars and establishing it's bulwarks
bp hal Of
declination will be the Endorsement by a
branch of the regular Democracy of Daniel
G. Griffin on State issues and the indorse-
ment of Populistic candidate by the sill
yer men in the State. 1t is believed that
this is satisfactory to Mr.. Hill. Tammany
Hall, however, may insist upon it's own can
didate, and at the State committee meet
ing on Monday night they may try to
bring about the promotion of Judge Porter
to first place and of Elliott Danforth to
second. 1t is absolutely denied that Mr.
Bryan wrote any letter to MIR. Thatcher
asking his withdrawal, nor has he init
mated TO anybody such desire The story
was made of whole cloth.