The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 18??-1882, 1882-02-17
GOVERNOR JEROME.
A Base Slander Upon Him Answered.

A Base SANDER Upon Him Answered.
To the People of Michigan.
The Hastings Banner has charged
that Governor Jerome WAS guilty OF
registering booziness" al Yorktown.
This charge is foul injustice to as
pure a gentleman as ever was COVER.
nor Of Michigan. l know that my
friends in Michigan will not accuse
me Of thrusting myself into this quar-.
rel, and in the interest of justice
will risk the charge coming from
others.
The Detroit Free Press will not be
accused Of Partially to Governor
Jerome. Judge Boynton, editor OF
thar paper, was one Of the Yorktown
party. He had perfect opportunity
of observation. If Governor Jerome
was "boozy" he would have seen it.
If Governor Jerome was registering
he would have known it. And see.
ing, knowing, Judge Boynton would
have told it. But he did not tell a
story Of this character. On the con.
trary, the Free Press of the grid. inst.
in an editorial presumably written by
Judge Boynton SAYS:
When a journal Ike the Hastings
Banner SO grossly misrepresents the
governor as to speak Of his "royster.
ing boisterousness," and of his "mak
ing night hideous with festivities" or
the Yorktown expedition, it is i'm
possible to refrain from characteriz
ing the attack as utterly indefensible
unfounded and blackguardly. Gov,
Jerome's conduct on the Yorktown
excursion, throughout, was that of &
gentleman fully conscious of the fac
that he would be accepted as the
representative of great and import
ant state and determined to uphold
so far as he could, the states honor
and dignity. That he did uphold i,
is shown by the good name which
Michigan left at Yorktown and ir
the remembrance of the representa-
tives from other states who came in
contact with the governor, the mill
tary and the civic delegation.
That the governor might have
been more self:assertive, to the bene
fit Of the state, is quite possible. II
SO, he may justly be criticised; though
it is well to remember in these days
when forwardness and push are SC
prevalent that diffidence has some
merit. But to speak of him, as the
Banner does, in the same language
which would be used in describing a
"bummer," is an objectionable out
rage"
The above statement is true, wholly
true, and nothing but true.
l had the honor to be in the com.
pany of Gov. Jerome on the trip from
Jackson to Washington; in Washing
ton, and on the boat from Washing-
ton to Yorktown. l had the honor
to be with him during the ceremonies
and receptions Of the three days at
Yorktown, and / was at his quarters
and in his company during all of the
three evenings at Yorktown, except
during the brief interval when he
was dining with Gov. Cornell of
New York.
During all this time I saw no liquor
of any description about his tent.
nor did l see him at any time touch
liquors Of any description. In one
of the other tents some Of the officers
did have liquors, but l never saw the
governor enter that tent. / will not
say that the governor did not taste
wine at Governor CornelPs dinner,
for | do not know. Nor can say
with positiveness that he did not
drink liquor during the trip. But
this ] do say, that neither by sign,
or speech was there about
him at any time the slightest indica.
ton that he had tasted liquor. Ev-
cry statement to contrary effect is
a wicked and malicious lie. The
charge of being "boisterous" or
registering" is equally groundless
and false. From what I have seen Of
Governor Jerome l do not believe it
is possible for him to be boisterous.
But he certainly was not so there.
Nor was there any registering boozi-
ness" about any of the headquarters
tents. From beginning to end Gov
ernor Jerome and his staff observed
a dignity of Experiment and gentle
of speech which was favor.
ably commented upon by all visitors
to Michigan headquarters. And ex
cept during the occasions when visit
ed by serenading bands and militia
from Kentucky, Virginia and other
states, there never was word uttered
louder than might properly be spoken
in a gentleman's house. In conclu-
sion desire to repeat and emphasize
Judge Boynton's words in the Free
Jerome's conduct
on the Yorktown excursion through.
out was that of gentleman fully
conscious Of the fact that he would
De accepted as the representative Of
/ great and important state. +" And
yhosoever says otherwise is liar
md the truth is not in him.
O. Il. BEARD.
DETROIT, February 4. 1892.