Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1887 — CLEVELAND AND ’88. [ARTICLE]

CLEVELAND AND ’88.

Senator Teat Details His Conversation with the President on the Sufiject. Senator Vest, of Missouri, when asked by a New York reporter whether or not, as has been alleged, he was the “Western Senator” referred to in the dispatch to the St. Louis Republican as the authority for the. statement that President Cleveland would refuse a second term, said: No, sir. I never said so. I never said anything that coaid reasonably be oonstraed Into any such meaning. Cleveland never told me he would not accept a renomination, and would soon cause the tmblicatlon of a letter saying so. After strictly cross-examining myself about all I had recently said or done, I hit upon an explanation of the matter, and I think it is tbe true long ago when, in the course of a conversation about the state of the Democratic party, he declared emphatically that the only ambition he had was honestly and faithfully to administer the affairs of the Government, that tbe people would elect any Democrat who might be nominated in 18-8. He knew he had been accused of selfish motives, "but," he added, “if I could consult only my own personal comfort and desires. I would lay down the offioeof President to-morrow.” That is all he said. Well, several weeks after that talk I was with a small cemnany of Democrats, who were mostly anti-Cleveland. They began criticising the President fer trying to secure his renomination and gratify selfish ambition. And when I heard this talk I declared it utterly without foundation, mid that Cleveland positively assured me he had no other ambition in being President than to serve the party and the country. He said if he coaid feel free to consult hie own comfort be would lay down tbe office of President at once. That was all I said and alt 1 have said about tbe matter.