Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 August 1880 — THE ACCEPTANCE. [ARTICLE]

THE ACCEPTANCE.

The Letter of General W, 8. Hancock. New Yob'R, July 30.—The following is Geiferal Hancock’s letter of acceptance Governor’s Island, New York City, 1 ' 7 'July 29,188 u. ' ’ if Gentlemen— T have the honor to acknowledge the reoelpt of your.lrt.ter of July 18,1880, apprising me formally of my nomtnatlon tO the office of President of the United States by , the National Democratic■» Coaventiqn, lately, assembled In Cincinnati. I accept' the pom ination with -a grateful appreciation of the confidence reposed In me.' The priri-' clples enunciated by the Convention are those I have , cherished >. in the past, and shall endeavor to maintain in the future. The Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments to the Constitution’of the United States, embodying the results oft the War for the Union,are Inviolable. If called, to the Presidency,! shall deem It my dut y tffTesist with all my power any attempt to ltnpaih or evade the full force andiefifectof the CapatLtation, which-In, every .article,-Beotian and amendment is the supreme law of the land. The Constitution forms the basis Of the Government off the/United States. ;The powers granted by .it.tp the legislative, executive and . judicial departments define and limit the antnortty of the Gen ; eral, Government and powers not delegated to the .United states by the Constitution , nor prohibited by It to the States, belong to the States resjiectlvely or to the people. The General ,and State Governments,, egoh acting In its own sphere without trenching upon the lawful Jurisdiction of the other con stltute the Union This Union, eomprlsihg a General Government with general powers, and State Governments with State powers for the purposes local to the States, Is a polity, the foundations of which were laid in the profoundeat wisdom. This is the Union our fathers made, and which has been so respected abroad and so beneficent at home. Tried by blood and fire, It stands to-day a model form orfree, popular government;., a political system, which, rightly administered, has been., and will continue to be, the admiration of .the world. May wc not rtiy. pearly In the words of Washington, the unity of the Government which constitutes us one people Is J ustly ddftr to ns; Ills the main pillar In the edlflce es oUr real independence, the support of our peace, safety ana prosperity, and" of that liberty we so highly prize, and intend, at every hazard, to preserve. But no formuof government however carefullv devised, no principles however sound, will protect the rights of the people, unless the administration is faithful and efficient. It is a vital principle in onr system that neither fraud -nor force must be allowed to subvert the rights of thd people. When fraud, violence or incompetence con-J trols, thd noblest constitution and wlsest-laws are useless. The baycnet la not, a .fit instrument for collecting the votes or freemen. It Is only by a full vote, free ballot, and fair count that the people can t rule In fact, as required by 1 the theory of our Government.: Take this foundation away, and the whole structure falls. Public Office is a trust,; hot ai bounty bestowed'Upon the holder, and no Incompetent or dishonest persons should ever be> Intrusted .with It, of if appointed, they should promptly be ejected. The basis of a Substantial, practical Civil Service, reform must first be established by the people in fill-; ing the elective ofifoes. If they fix 4 high standard of qualification for office and sternly reject' the corrupt and fnoompetoUfr, the result will be decisive in governing the action of the servants whom they with appointing ’ power. 1 The . war for i the Union was sucoeseluhy closed more than fifteen years ago. All. daises of onr people shall share alike in the blessings of the Union, and are eq&ally ocaecrttßdMn <lts perpetuity and in the proper admiQistl-atton of pablle affairs. We are in a staid **-profound peace. Henceforth lfet it be'our purpose to sentiments of *" *mendshlp, and not of animqsity.c* Adsqng onr fellow citizens. Oor -material Interests, varied and progressive-, demand oUr constant and united efforts, asednfonsand scrupulous care of public credit, together with tained, in order that labor may be lightly burdened, and that all persons may be pro footed in their rights: to the fruits of their own industry. -The time'has come *{o enjdythe substantial beneflte of reconciliation.. As one people we haveoommoh Interests. Letuaenoouragp harmony and generous rivalry among gulshmg merchant' jSarlnei extend our commerce with foreign 1 muttons, assist odr mar- , chants, manufacturers and producers to develop onr vkst natural resources, add Increase 'the; prosperity and happiness of our Se. Ts elected, I shall, with Divine favor, | With . .what. . ability I possess to' arge my qdtiea IWith fidelity accordtale care ® otevlct4 “ 8 * «*“«* shall’ and to see thattne jaws be falthfuny khd. equally executed in ah’ parts Of the counfiy j alike. I Will assume the responsibility, folly ** ** 1 f I'mfi *t«i£i

"KmiSfWe of me font thet to amntolsto* rightly : .the functions of the. Government. Is to dis- ‘ Charge the most sacred duty that Can devolve ■upon an. American-biticen. I am„ very re8, Hancock. To Hon. John. W. Stevenson, President of the Convention; HOnJjohn P. Stockton, Chairman, and' other*, of the Commlttee of the Nsttonafc Democratic Convention, j , The Letter of Hob. Win. H. English. • Indianapolis, Ind., Julyßo,lßßo. GentleMbn-4-I have now the honor to reply to your letter of the 13th Inst., informing me that 1 was Unanimously nominated for the office of Vie* President of the United States, by the late Democratic National ponvsntfon, whlgh assembled at Cincinnati,^ As foreshadowed in the,verbal remarks made by me at the time of the deUveiry of your letter.T havd bow to say that I acoept the high trust with a realizing sense of its responsiqu-, profoundly grateful Tor tne honor I accept the nomination Upon the platform of principles adopted by the Convention, which I oordfally approve, and I accept it .quite as much because of my faith in the Wisdom and 'patriotism of the great statesman and soldier nominated on the same ticket for Preeldantof the (United States. His eminent services to bis country l ;' his fidelity to the Constitution, the UUfoii' and th<* laws; his clear perception of the oorreot principle of govern jpent fta, taught by Jefferson; nig scrupulous care to keep the military In strldt subordination to tbe civil authorities; his high regard lor civil (liberty, personal rights and rights of property ; his acknuiylodged ability in civil as well as in military affknrs, and hfs pure and blameless life, all point to him as a man worthy of theconttdenceof thepeople. Not only a brave soldier, as groat command-. er, a wise statesman and a pare patriot, but a prudent, pains-taking, practical man ofnnqueStlonea honesty, trusted often with Important public dutlefei felttbfal tp every trust,and in the full meridian of ripejand vigorous manhood, he is, In nly judgment, eminently fitted fqr the highest office on earth—the Presidency of the United atafosi • t -, <: Not only ih he th« fight man for the place, bnt the time has come when the best interests ol the couhtry.tequire that the party which has monopolized'the Executive Department of the Government for the last twenty years d be retired. The continuance of that Sin power four years longer would not be icial to the pubile or in accordance with the spirit of ourjepuhlican, institutions. Laws of entail have not been favored in our system of government. The'perpetuation of property or place In ond family or ktofmen, has never been encouraged nr ■ this country; and the great and good m en who formed our republican Government and its traditions, wisely limited the tenure of office, and In many ways showed their disapproval of long leases of power. Twenty years of continnous power Is long epongh, and has already led to irregular 1 tiles and corruptions, which are not likely to be properly fcxpbsed under the same party that perpetrated .them,' , j t ~.; i , j ; Besides, it should not be forgotten'that the lßst four years of power held by that party Were procured by discreditable means, and held In defiance of the Wishes of a majority of the people. It was a grievous wrong to every Vpter and to our system of self-government, Which should never bo forgotten or forgiven. Many of the men now in office wore put there because of corrupt partisan services in thus defeating tbe fairly and legally expressed will of the msjority; and the hypocrisy es the professions of that party in favor of civil service reform was shown by placing such men in office and turning the whole brood of Federal officeholders loose to influence the elections. ')Ttie’ money of. the people, taken out of the public treasury by these men, for services often -poorly performed, or not performed at all, is being used In vast sums, with the knowledge ana presumed sanction of the Administration, to control the elections; and even the members of the Cabinet are strolling about the oountry, making partisan speeches, Instead ol being In their Departments at Washington, discharging the pubhc duties for which they are paid by the people; but wltfl all their cleverness and ability, a discriminating public will; no doubt, read between the lines of their speeches, that their paramount hope and aim is to keep theihselves, or their satellites; four years longer in office. That perpetuating the power of Rhronlc Federal officeholders mar years longer will not benefit the millions 61 men and women who hold ho office, bnt earn their dally bread by, honest Industry, is What tne same, discerning public will, no doubt, fully under, staha, as they will, also: that it Is because of theiriowh industry,and economy, and God’s bountiful harvests, that the country Is comparatively prosperous,. and not because !of anything done by these Federal officeholders. The country 18 comparatively prosperous not I because of them, but in spite of them. This contest is, in fact, between the, people andeaypring to regain the political power which rightfully belongs to them. End to restore tbe pare, simple; economical, constitutional Govern ment of our fathers on the one ride, and ahese .Federal officeholders ana their backers, pampered with place and power, (arid determined Ito retain them; at all hazards, on the other. I Hence the constant assumption of new and dangerous powers by the General Governmen t junder the rale of the Repnblioau party; the effort to build up what thpy call a strong Government; the interference with home rale, 'and with the administration Of Justice in the (Courts of the several States; the interference ; with the elections through the medium,of paid ; partisan Federal office-holders, interested in kdepihg their party in power, and caring more j for that than fairness In the elections—ln fact, tbe constant encroachments which; have been made by that party upon the dearly reserved rights of the people and' the States, will, If not oheoked, snbve*t the liberties of the people aud the Government* of limited powers oreated by the fathers, and end in a great, consolidated, central Govemineiit, “strong,” Indeed, for evil and the overthrow of republican institutions. The wise men who formed odr Constitution, knew the evils df a strong Government, and the long continuance of political power in the same hands.. They knew there was a tendency In tb is direction in all Government, and consequent danger to republican Institutions from that cause, and took pains to guard against it. The machinery of a strong, centralized General Government can be Used to perpetuate tbe same set of -men in power, from term to term, until It I ceases to be a Republic, or is such only ln name; and the tendency of the party now in * power In that direction, as shown in various Ways, besides the Willingness recently manifested by a large number of that party to, elect a } President gn. unlimited; number of tefms, Is quite apparent, and must satisfy thinking people that, the time has come wben It willbe safest and best for tbatrparty to be retired, j . ;i ,,

But In resisting the encroachments of the General Government upon the reserved rights of the pddpleand the States; I wish to bedis tlngtly understood as favoring the) proper exercise by the General Government of the DOwera rightfully belonging; to. itundCr tbe Constitution. Encroachments upon the Constitutional rights of the General Government, of the States v under the Constitution, most be maih tain dd,/andilt Is well known that this has always been the position of both the candidates on tW Democratic Presidential ticket. It Is acquHsSefed in everywhere now, and Anally find • forever settled; as one of the refor the Union inli hot bC overthrown or Impaired should h the Democratic ticket be elected. In that event proper protection will be given, In' every legitimate way, to every citizen, native or adopted; In every section of tbe Republic, in tbe enjoyment of -ail tbe rights guaranteed by tbe Constltntlon and Its amendments; a sound, currency of honest money, of a value stnd purchasing power corresponding substantially with tbe standard recognized by,the commercial world, and consisting Of gold and silver, and paper convertible Into coin, will be maintained; tbe labor and manufacturing, commercial and business Interests of the country will be favored and encouraged in every Intimate way: the toiling millions of our own people will be protected from the destructive competition of the Chinese, and to that end their Immigration to oar ShoresVlube properly restricted; the publiecredlt wlll be scrupulously maintained and strengthened by rigid economy In 4 public expenditures, and the liberties of the people, and the property .of the people, will be protected bya government of law and order, administered qtriotly in the Internets of all the people, and not of corporations or privileged 1 do not doubt the discriminating justice of the people and their capacity for Intelligent toe *n y!eriM S e Sw^m t^e ticket ** j^° abt ylrich. have so

effectually accomplished. It would restore harmony and good feeling between all the sections and make us, In fact, as well as in name, or.e people. The only rivalry then would be In the rgce lor the development of material prosperity ; the elevation of labor; the enlargement of human rights; the promotion cf education, morality, religion, liberty, order and all that would tend to make us the foremost Nation of the earth in the grand march of human progress. I am, with great respect, very truly yours. William H. English. To Hon. John W. 8 teveuson. President of the Convention; Hon. John P. Stockton, Chairman, and other Members of the Committee of Notification: