Morris tribune., 1884-07-30
FOR BLAINE.
Mr.. w. j. Gleason, Chairman OF the
Cleveland Democratic Gem
trail Committee,
A Life Long Democrat and n Prom
inent Irishman Tenders
His Resignation.


defections are multiplying very rapidly.
At Cleveland, O., Mr.. w. j. Gleason
has resigned his position as Chairman
of the Democratic City Central Com
mittee and addressed letter to Blaine
setting forth his reasons for supporting
him. Mr.. Gleason writes as a lifelong
Democrat and as an IriShAmerican.
AS Democrat he has been cOnsplcu-
ous for twenty years, not as an office
holder, but as an active party leader.
He has been a delegate to nearly all the
State and County Conventions OF the
party, and was Secretary of four State
Conventions. The position which he
has just resigned attests the authority
he held among the Democrats of his
own city. AS an Irish-American he
has taken an active part in the associa-
tions and conventions of the Irish ma
tional cause. His letter, though ad-
dressed to Blaine, has a special mean
ing for that large class of Irish-Ameri-
cans who have been identified with the
Democratic party almost en- masse in
the past, and it will find hearty re-
sponse from large numbers of these cit
liens in every community. He charac-
terizes the Democratic candidate for
President as "an untried accident, a
creature of circumstances, and a will
ling tool of monopolists," and says he
was nominated Through the machina-
tions of the most corrupt and despica-
BILE pirates" Unlike the Republican
boilers, who give no sufficient reasons
for going over to the Democratic party,
but content themselves with glittering
generalities, Mr.. Gleason enters into an
analysis of the two parties and their
candidates at the present time, and
produces many cogent reasons why
Irish-American citizens should vote for
Blaine instead of Cleveland. Mr..
Gleason's individual letter, it is safe to
say. will make a hundred votes for
Blaine where the address of the Re-
publican boilers in New York will
make one for Cleveland.
The following extracts from his letter
should be read by every one.
X
In sunshine and shadow, when all
other classes wavered, the Irish-Amer-
leans, as body, have been loyal DEM
ocrats; and this, too, in the face of the
fact that they have been repeatedly
stabbed in the back by the bigoted
members of the Democratic party.
Y our nomination, however, coming as
it did from the people, your record as
Iliberal-minded American, your ante
cedents, the antecedents Of John A.
Logan, your gallant, brave, and chival-
rous copatriot on the ticket, have set
my countrymen to thinking for them
selves. Under your magnetic leader
ship, particularly with reference to
your grand Americanism and the
rights to foreign-born citizens, the
hitherto solid Democratic Irish-Ameri-
can army will be badly shattered, if
not entirely disbanded. Gratitude is
one of the strongest characteristics of
the Irish race. AS an Irishman by
choice, and glory in it, and speaking
for large number of the leading and
thinking men of my race in this couu-
try, we owe you debt of gratitude for
breaking and casting to the winds the
old moss-covered British shibboleth,
Once a British subject, always a
British subject" Of what earthly use
is any Government that does not jeal-
ously protect the rights of it's citizens
at home and abroad2 None! Your
broad and comprehensive American
craftsmanship has struck responsive
chord in the hearts of every native and
adopted citizen in this free and glori-
GUS country. A firm believer in Amer
ica for the Americans and the perpetu-
alton of it's free institutions, appreci-
ate the freedom we here enjoy. In
common with my countrymen the
world over, l will write, speak, work,
and earnestly agitate at all suitable
times and places for the same blessings
or freedom tor the green isle beyond
the sea, the beautiful land of my nativ-
ity. In conferences with a large num-
ber of my countrymen in this city and
State, and in correspondence with
scores of them from all parts of the
Union, since your nomination, espec-
tally among the boys who wore the blue
during the late unpleasantness (having
personally had that honor as volun-
teer private soldier from Ohio in the
Union Army at II years of age), the
aggregate of opinion / found is crystal
izing in your favor-the gentlemen to
whom I refer have been hitherto lead
ing Democrats in their respective local
tiles.
X + 4
The platform of principles of the
Democratic party, where it speaks
plain, simply continues that organiza-
! ton where it has been for the last
twenty-four years as the opposition
| ~ ~ fhn 1o1.