The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-07-16
GROVER CLEVELAND,

g5S7sSNS ~
Who has been nominated for President
by the National Democracy, was born IN
New Jersey, March, 1887. At the age
of Is he was sent to the academy al
Clinton, Oneida county, but his studies
we're of short duration. When he was
I6 years old he was obliged to accept q
position as clerk in a country store, but
soon after was offered and accepted 8
position as teacher in the New York
ASYLUM for the Blind. where he re
NAMED for one year. While thus EN-
ployed he was persuaded to start fol
Cleveland. O., to seek his fortune. Stop
ping at Buffalo on the way to visit an
uncle. Hon. Lewis F. Allen, he was dis
suaded from proceeding further, and
soon after began the study of law. de
was admitted to practice in 1859, and IL
1852 was appointed Assistant District
Attorney for Erie county, in which posi-
ton, although but % years old, he dis
played great ability. In 1S65 ne wal
nominated by the Democrats for Dis
trict Attorney, but was defeated by the
Republican nominee by small majori
ty. He then resumed his private prac
tice of law, being a member of the firm
of Laning, Cleveland 4 Folsom.
In the fall of 1870 he was elected
sheriff of that county, and held The
| Office three years. In 1874 he wa.
elected mayor of Buffalo, receiving hun
dreds of Republican votes, although hC
was the Democratic candidate. As mayor
he confirmed the good opinion enter
tanned for him by honest men of al
parties. Exercising the veto power un
sparingly, he was the means of defeat
ing many corrupt municipal jobs origi
mating in his own as well as the Republi
can party, and by the utmost care and
vigilance he saved the taxpayers many
thousands of dollars, which, if he had
performed his duty less conscientiously
Nigh have been ruthlessly squander
ed 1t was while administering this
Office he came into notice outside the
city of his residence.
When a successor was to be selected
for Gov. A. B. Cornell, Mr.. Cleveland
was only mentioned as "a possible can
didate. Cornell had incurred the bitter
hate OF his former friends and patrons
of the stalwart wing of the party by
abandoning them during the first few
months of the Garfield administration,
and they determined to crush him. In
this they had no doubt the support OF
President Arthur. Secretary Folger was
selected as the stalwart candidate. His
nomination was secured by most dis
reputable use of the machine and forged
proxies in tho nominating convention
When the public fully understood the
matter the indignation was great. Two
of the nominees for State offices on the
ticket with Folger withdrew, refusing to
accept nominations which they had rea,
son to believe were inspired by fraud
The Republican leaders were thrown
| into CONSERVATION. After many vain
attempts to fill the vacancies on their
ticket, and when almost on the point OF
giving up in despair, fhey secured the
consent of two obscure individuals to
stand in the breach. Republicans OF
undoubted loyalty to their party were
outspoken in their condemnation of the
managers, who were believed to be res.
ponsible for the scandals attached to
their organization.
The Democrats responded by nOmi-
mating Grover Cleveland, and his cleo
ton over Mr.. FOlger was one of the
most remarkable events in American
palities He -1aaEietls the State by IA
majority Of 10000 He carried almost
every county in the State. The vote was
light, comparatively, showing that
thousands of Republicans remained away
from the polls. 1t is probable that many
Democrats, feeling confident of the elec-
ton of their candidate, also failed to
vote.
That the character and record of Gro
yer Cleveland had something to do with
the collapse of the party in the State
there can be no doubt. His manly bear
ing, the failure of his enemies to find a
single vulnerable point in his record,
and the fact that many staunch Repub
lican newspapers were enthusiastic in his
support, gave him increased strength
daily. His partisanship was not of the
brutal, unthinking kind, and that made
him more acceptable to fair men driven
temporarily from their own party.
Mr.. Cleveland has found large oppor-
tunities for man Of his mold in the
gubernatorial Office. His thorough
legal training has served him well in the
executive chair 1t is some years since a
thorough lawyer-Mr Tilden.-last held
the office. The practice of Gov. Cleve-
land is to thoroughly scan all the bills
sent to him, and not to seek the advice
of outside lawyers, as some governors
have done. He makes thorough work of
this inspection, and his vetoes carry
conviction with them. There could be
no other outcome after his application
of strictly legal analysis to the mass
of crude legislation that reaches him.
In spite of the amendment to the State
constitution fOrbiding special legislation
many bills of that sort have entered that
chamber only to be killed. The same
care and painstaking have been observ-
able when more general interests were at
stake. Last year he vetoed the 5 cent
elevated railway-fare bill in justice to |
the contract between the corporations |
and the State, although he knew it was
an unpopular thing to do. Then he
vetoed general street railroad bill
because the rights of the people were
100 loosely guarded, but a similar bill
more carefully drawn has received his
signature. His veto of the Buffalo fire
department. bill was against the inter-
ssts of certain party managers in his
home city, but he vetoed it for that very
eason, and also because it was not in
he interests of the people at large. The
anne care of the public led him to veto
bill which removed many of the pre-
ent restrictions and allowed the trus-
ees OF saving banks to invest in wildcat
ecurities. The holders of such ecnr
lies, of course, were the advocates eff !
&c measure. His veto of the prison
ommission bill was because he thought l
ne commission ought to report its re- {
llts earlier than the first of January
$50. He has steadily put his foot on s
I measures to exempt from taxation ,
ly particular towns, corporations or |
ldiyiduals. His disapproval of large 8
lumber OF bills that were sent to him BY
legislature that adjourned in haste was
7 reasons that he set forth at length. !
IS disapproval of three of the New Q
ork city reform bills was on the ground :
at they were so loosely drawn. The !,
OF these bills he had already
gned. A large part of the Governors
cord has thus been made in objecting
bills that have come to him when /
9TH Democrats and Republicans have a
'ntrolled the Legislature. While itlT
the side Of negation, the most con- a
lcuous side always, there is vet the d
ost positive assertion of the doctrines a
proved by the Legislature, The yerv d
toes Of Governor Cleveland, therefore, a
rm q most pronounced and positive a
ut Of his record. The list of hills that q