"Preventing it calamitous consequences must ensue. The Democratic party will be left to fall into strife, anarchy, and impotency. The Old Guard and your old friends—what will become of them? The barriers to latitudinous construction will be broken down, and license given to public extravagance, official corruption, and the greed of unscrupulous and powerful monopolies.
"Your declination is inadmissible. Accept the nomination, even if death should overcome you during or after the fight. If I know myself, I would, in the present extremity of country and party, suffer the martyrdom for you vicariously if it was possible to do so.
"Excuse the freedom and energy of these remarks. They proceed from a sense of duty. I have done.
"Very truly your obt. sert.,
"John A. McClernand."
JOHN A. McCLERNAND TO TILDEN
"Springfield, Ills., June 6th, 1884.
"To His Excellency, Samuel J. Tilden, President-Elect.
"Dear Sir,—Respectfully reiterating everything I wrote yesterday, I write again to-day to deprecate, if possible, still more emphatically, but with all courtesy, any purpose on your part to decline a renomination.
"I am aware that the question of acceptance has a personal, as well as a political, aspect. I have given consideration to both, though it may be not without prepossession. The wish is often father to the thought. The grave matter of health has already received my attention. Life, even comfort, may well challenge our solicitude and care; still, I am of opinion that both may be dutifully staked upon a transcendent issue involving the welfare of a people. Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.