Democratic Sentinel, Volume 8, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 August 1884 — ATTACKING CLEVELAND [ARTICLE]

ATTACKING CLEVELAND

A Republican Paper of Buffalo in His Defense. Referring to the recent slanders on Governor Cleveland, the Buffalo Times (Republican) says: The Timee has a word to suv about the attack that is made bv a portion of the press upon the personal char aeter of Governor CU-veland, for no other reus u, apparently; thau that he is a ?anidc!att. for P rsidenL it is a well known Cct that the Timas was flr9t mid foremost in the vigorous opposition to his nominu tion, and-, ns a leal r in that move--mep*, has the righ*. if hdv paper ip.iy lay just claim t o ihe prerogative to resort to extraordim iy measures to oppose his election. While engaged in the effort to defeat Governor Cleveland’s election, however, the Times desires again to ?•« ter its emphatic protest against Hie unwise attempt to drag the unfortunate secrets of his private life into discussson, and to denounce tiro disgraceful proposition that such an assault is justifiable iQ the present Instance. When Mr, Cleveland was presented

to th? people.- <if Buffalo ns a caodi** date for May *r. the scaudals that are now circnfnted roudcast were as well known then ns they ere to-day. However general y they cony have been discussed privately at that time it is a fact, 'hat they were not brought up publicly as an objection to his fitness for th it honorable office. Again, in 181-2. when lie was pi I forward a< acautiida e tor Governor, the justification that it is claimed exists now for puhii-bing hie|pri» vate affairs to tin* world, as an oh jeetion to ids el< etion, was present then, and vet no one felt called upon to oppose his promotion on these personal grounds His private character in bo.h instances remained itnaesailed in the considerat on of bis fi ness for high official honors. In fact, so f ir as his moral character is cancer ed. it will b remembered that he was generally regarde 1 as a good enough man for the nomination, and the qnesti >n naturally arises wherein he is different in tha*respect at present as a candidate for President ? Tne TiK.es, while opposed to Mr. Cl*v. laud’s election, submi * that tlio assault upon I is private character at mis late day. is not fair play Ii is contrary to the usage® even of the bitter customs of polirical warfare and unworthy of the influence that may be exeit'd by the press in behalf of one party or the other in a campaign. Above ill things, it would seem, that Buffalo, whose citizens have twice honored Mr- Cleveland with their support foi high official honors in the face of the scandals that were generally known about ids pii•ate character, should be the last place where these would be dragged into public discussion at this late d;tv.

r lhe time has gone by when the public should be called upon ‘o pass judgment upon Mr. Cbyeland’s fitness for election to the Presidency on the grounds of n * alleged immoralities of his past life. It is his pub*, lie record that is tw be considered by th' people at the present time and not tli** flaws in bis private character which have never been offered as u bar to his promotion before, and in any event it may be claimed with jus ♦ice that a man who is fit, personally, 'o preside as Mayor of Buffalo, and again to occupy the great office of Governor of the Empire State is no* disqualified on the same grounds, to sit as chief Executive of the Nation. In other words, ir Mr. Cleveland is goo i enough man, morally, to receive the support of inis fellow citizens to ac as their Mayor he is good enough man, morally, to ajt as their President.

The Times deprecates the attempt that has been inaugurated to All the pres -nt National campaign wit mud and smut in the discussion of fatness of l*te candidam for election. If such a beginning is countenanced by the intelligent and respectable masses there is no telling whe r e this warfare wjll end The prospect of such a course is abominable to contemplate. and its further progr s» shoui i he nipped here aud at once in the bud. .“ ' There is enough in the public record of Mr. Cleveland, as Governor, to And fault with and to serve as most telling objections to his election, witho.itresorting toassuults upou hts private character. The Times will oppose him, as it has from the beginning of this campaign, because it believes that he lacks the quail fleations of a statesman, and the public experience required at Washington in the present peculiarcondi tion of ilie Nation. There are many reasons that might and will be offered to convince the people that upon his reeoid as a public official he should he defeated at the polls, and the discussion of his claims to office should be confined to these. Good people [everywhere, and regardless of politic)* will join the Times in the earnest hope that he unfair and unjustifiable assaults upon Mr. Cleveland’- private character will be discontinued, and that his candidacy may be discussed solely and squarely upon its merits—if theie are any.