Year: 1876

INDIANAPOLIS, July n. 1876.


GENTLEMEN-l have the honor TO acknoWl-
edge the receipt Of Your communication. in
which you have formally notified me pf my
nomination by the National Democratic Con-
ventlon at st. Louis us their candidate for the
office of Nice-President of the United States.
1t is Il nomination which | had neither expect
ed nor desired, and yet recognize and appre-
ciate the high honor done me by the Conven-
ton. The choice of such body, pronounced
with such unusual unanimity, and accompanied
with so generous an expression of esteem and
confidence ought to outweigh all merely per-
sonal desires and preferences Of my own. II il
with this feeling, and l trust also, from Il deep
sense of public duty that l accept the nomint-
ton, and shall abide the judgment of my coun-
trymen.


THE PLATFORM.


1t would have been impossible for me TO lie
cept the nomination if | could not heartily en-
dorse the platform of the Convention. / am
gratiied, therefore, to be able nequivocay to
declare that | agree in the principles, approve
the policies and sympathize with the purposes
enunciated in that platform. The institutions
of our country have been secretly tried BY the
eXigencies of civil war, and since the peace, by
Il selfish and corrupt management of public at
fairs, which has shamed us before civilized
mankind. By unwise and partial legislation
every industry and interest of the people have
been made to suffer, and in the Executive De-
partmentS of the Government diSioyalty, rapac-
ity and vcnality have debauched the public se--
vice; when known to be unworthy have been
promoted, whilst Others have been degraded for
fidelity to official duty.


PUBLIC OFFICE


has been made the means of private profit, and
the country has been offended to see Il class of
men who boast the friendship of the sworn pro-
tectors of the State amassing fortunes by de-
fraudng the public treasury, and by corrupting
the servants of the people. In such crisis of
the history of the country l rejoice that the
Convention at st. Louis has so nobIy raised the
standard of reform. Nothing can be we'll with
us or with our affairs until the public conscience
shocked by the enormous evils and abuses
which prevail, shall have demanded and COM
PEELED an unsparing reformation of our Nation
al Administration in its head and in its MEM
bers. In such reformation the removal of a
single officer, even the President is compare
lively trifling matter if the system which he
represents and which has fostered him, as he
has fostered it, is suffered to remain.


THE PRESIDENT


enOrmites of the system which inects the pub
lie service and threatens the destruction of our
institutions. In some respects L hold that the
present Executive has been the victim rather
than the author of that vicious system. Con-
gressional and party leaders have been strong
er than the President. No one MIN could have
created it, and the removal of no one man can
amend it. 1t is thoroughly corrupt and must
be swept remorselessly away by the election of
Il government composed of elements entirely
new, and pledged to radical reform.


TIE FIRST WORK OF REFORM


must evidently be the restoration of the normal
operation of the Constitution of the United
States, with all its amendments. The necessi-