Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 September 1884 — CLEVELAND’S IMMOR ALITY. [ARTICLE]

CLEVELAND’S IMMOR ALITY.

.4 Letter from Dr. Half-Former Charges Reiterated • and lew Ones Preferred. Cleveland \o.) Special. The Rev. George H. Ball, pastor of the Hudson-street Baptist Church, of Buffalo, writing to the Rev. D. H. Miller, D. D.. pastor of the Scoville-avenue Methodist Episcopal Church of this city, discusses the alleged licentiousness and immorality of Grover Cleveland. Dr. Muller was for several years a member of the Methodist Episcopal” conference in Western New York, was for eleven years a pastor of in Buffalo, is au honarary member of the-ministers’ association of that city, and is personally acquainted with Dr. Ball. Dr, Muller says he was desirous, as as a Christian minister, to obtain a concise statement of the case that could be depended upon, and in that spirit wrote to Dr. Ball, and yesterday received an answer, in which the Doctor says: “Grover Cleveland was little known in Buffalo till he was nominated for mayor. Ho averaged fairly- as a lawyer; many years ago he served as sheriff: he lived secluded from general society: he was brought before the public by accident; his priyate morals were presumed to be correct. Before his nomination for the .presidency his deeds of darkness began to come to light, The -Rochester Union, Boston Globe, and other newspapers advertised his unchastity. Prominent Democrats in Buffalo confirmed the bad reports, and physicians, police officers, detectives, and other citizens, whose professional duties or business relations made them cognizant of the facts/ related them privately to some of our pastors. The shocking disclosures were discussed at the ministers’ meeting. Letters were written by several of the. pastors to editors of Christum journals to put them on their guard Investigations disclosed still more proof of debaucheries too horrible to relate and too vile to be! readily believed. For many y ear , days devoted to business have been followed | by nights of sin. He has lived a bachelor, had no home, and avoided the

restraints even of hotel or boarding bouse life. He lodged in rooms on the i third fl jor of a business block, and made tboscrooms a harem. He foraged ! out: ide in the city and surrounding villages, a champion libertine, an artful seducer, a foe to virtue, an enemy ol the tjunily, a snare to youth, and hostile to true womanhood. Tna Hal- ; pin esse tv.as nut solitary . W'a.i eri now married and.anxiou., to cover the sins of thei# vefirih have been Ids victims,' and are now alarmed lest their relations to him shall be exposed. Some i d isgraSelTand broken-hearted vieti ms r of 41 s lust, now s! umber in the gragad Since he has become Governor of this great State he has not abated his lechery. Abundant rumors implicate \ him at Albany. Well authenticated facts convict him in Buffalo. His repeated visits to this city have been proceeded with one or two exceptions j by the appearance of a veiled female | at the foot of the stairs leading to his rooms, She has entered his rooms, set | things in onler, remained with him! while he nemiinod, and daparted when j he returned to the capital. Both of; them have been freely exposed ia their j night clothes, and seen by several reputable witnesses, who are ready to appear and testify in court when properly called. The last amour of this nature, eleafjy verified, occurred as late as April, 1884. He was here on July 4 and o, but the veiled woman, lor -some reason, did not appear at his rooms. Yet elsewhere his conduct accorded with his current tasles.

“These allegations do riot rest upon rumors', hearsay, nor second-hand statements, but upon the testimony of men and women who were personally cognizant of the facts related. Seven of our pastors have acted as a provisional committee to listen to the testimony given. A written summary of the evidence has been reviewed by an able council and pronounced .surprising l ]' full and conclusive. Fully thirty of the ministers of Buffalo, alter hearing this summary read, do.not hesitate to pronounce him guilty of haUi'nhl unchas-

tity and intemperance. The feeling: lias become deep and widespread in Btiffijo that he is indeed a “moral leper” as the,leading Domocrat, Burbell. months since declared. The possibility of his remaining in thp field after.his true character has been exposed alarms us. Tne plea that personal character is of- small account in high officials shocks. The claim widely made that the disclosures will help more than harm his prospects, and the tremendous efforts the baser elements of society are making to elect him, warn us of impending danger. All the forces of evil are moving to this end with' tremendous energy. The issue is evidently not between the two great parties but between the brothel - and the family; between indecency and deoency; between lust and- v law; between thn essence of. barbarism and the first prin*

cipleSof civilization;between the degradation of woman and the honor, protection and love to otrr mothers, sisters and daughters. This Is the feeling that deeply moves ns in Buffalo.' For publishing the truth and warning the people I have been cruelly maligned. The spirit of persecution evidently lingers on earth.”