Democratic Sentinel, Volume 12, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 June 1888 — CLEVELAND BLESSED. [ARTICLE]

CLEVELAND BLESSED.

How the President Received the Ntwa of His Nomination. A Republic reporter was talking with Mr. W. C. Connor, mayor of Dallas, Tex., and secretary of the Texas delegation to the recentconventio , oa Fourth-st. yesterday, when a tall, well-built, fine-looking man i clerical black walked out of the Planters’ house and turned south yard. “ihere’s a man you ought to know,” said Mr. Ccunor. “He is the Rev. A. P. Smith, r-.l one ol the most prominen clergymen in Texas, and can teh you a very interesting story regarding a recent exnerience with the president, if he will.” The reporter immediately approached Mr. Smith and said: “I understand that you recently enjoyed a very interesting experience with President Cleveland.”

“You are rightly informed, sir. I recently had an experience with the president that was not only extremely interesting, but to me it was one ot the most s< lemn episodes of my life, and an occasion never to be forgotten. I have been for the past three weeks in attendance on the Southern presbyterian conference at Baltimore and the Union conference at Philadelphia. On my return I stopped off at Washington and called on President Cleveland. 1 was received with a frank courtesy I can never forget. I also enjoyed the honor of a presentation to Mrs. Cleveland. I have met many charming and beautiful women in my day, but never one more attractive than she. As I was leaving the white house the president came graciously forward to shake hands with me, and while I still grasped his hand a messenger entered with a telegram, which, with an apology to me, he handed to the prosid -nt Mr. Cleveland opened it, read it at a glance, and, without the quiver c e a muscle in his face, continued his conversation with me. I imagined the dispatch related to some unimportant piece of state business, but, as 1 was leaving him he handed it to me with a smile and said:

“Perhaps you will be pleased to be among the first to Know this piece of news?” “1 cannot describe to you my feelings when I read on that little slip of paper the announcement of the president’s renomination! I could not offer stereotyped congratulations to a man so grandly calm and so wonderfully self-pos-sessed, and as I looked at his strong, commanding and impassive feaures, I felt the inspiration of the hour, and the man’s singular and splendid fate, and I know that he was the creature of a will even stronger than the will of the people, which had called him to the high place he so magnificently fills, and would maintain him there until his mission was ended. Lifting my hands above his head, I blessed him and his administration, in the name of Almighty God, a»d gave him cheer for the fight to come. He received my blessing with bowed head and remained an instant in the same position; then, withja gesture and a word,he tliankme and moved away. It was an impressive moment, and 1 do not believe there was a person in the room who did not feel a solemn -conviction that he was looking upon the next president of the United States, beyond the power of mere partisan opposition to make otherwise.” Mr. Smith is a handsome man of imposing appearance, apparently about fifty years of age, though extremely well preserved, with bright, kindly blue eyes, prominent features and a corn-colored beard, worn in the Conkling style. He is one of the foremost divines in the country and took an important part in the proceedings of the recent presbyterian conference. [St. Louis Republic. California papers are boasiing of strawberries eight and nine inches in circumference.