The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1884-08-23
The Smut Campaign.

Republican press throughout the coun-
try, that tie campaign was to be con-
Quoted on high moral principles; that
Blaine would go before the country
asking the suffrsges of the people upon
his merits as a statesman; that an ac-
tive and aggressive campaign would be
vigorously pushel en- this issue. Hav
ing closely anal! ze the public acts of
the plumed knight Of Maine during the
many years be has been before the |
American people, we knew full well
that such an issue must prove disas-
strots failure to the Republican party.
So soon as his public, official acts were
passed before the people for review,
lBlaine was Immediately placed upon
the defensive, and tie campaign instead
OF vigorous, aggressive warfare on his
part was marked by weakness iretti-
: cheney, subterfuge and special pleading.
The high-toned moral journals Of the
Republican party disgusted with the
nausaating spectacle which the offt ial
record of the Maine statesman presented
ito the public.yiew Immediately deserted
their standard bearer, feeling that the
country would not be safe in the keep
ing of man who would use his official
position for personal aggrandizement.
The Blaine managers disheartened at
tteir failure and driven to desperation
:at the turn affairs had taken, in order
to escape from Tie di emna in which
their .ndidate and party we're placed,
reso.ted to the dire necessity of mud
1slinging. Thinking to divert public
attention from the short comings OF
their own candidate and to blind the
eyes of the public from the effect Of the
rec, ,rd he had made for himself, devised
that stupid slander about Grover C'eve-
land which such high-toned paper as
the Oregonian constantly parades in its
columns dressed mp to suit the tastes
and appetites of low deplaved scandal
mongers. The way this nauseating and
sickening dose Of sensation and mud
s'inging is viewed by sensible people is
.aptly illustrated 10y Frank Pixley in a
recent number of the Argonaut. He
says: ''These SANDERS against Cleveland
ought to interest no one but the gossips
and mu hens for whose special delec-
tatien they are doubtless invented. So
rany of our great men from Washing
down through Jefferson, Hamilton,
Burr, Webster, Clay, Eessenden, Sum
ner, .Conkling and Stephens, have been
subjected to like unjust and caumnious
accusations, that we are beginning to
look upon such slanderols tales as
among the inevitable penalties due to
Trains and high ambition. In the first
place, let it be remembered that the
stories t, Id concerning the Demo cratic
candidate do net originate in political
circles, nor does any respectable Repub
lican journal or individual give then
credence or circulation. They usual,
come from another quarter altogether
in this instance from Il Baptis- clergy
man CT the city of Buffalo, who whetbe1
he is Republican or Democrat, pro-
fesses to be serving his God and pothi
party in giving currency TO what we be
lieve 10 be stale Old slandsr. Gov
nor Cleveland is now past the half
century mile-post on the jonlney oflife
and while it is not impossible that il
the hot blood Of youth he may hav
done some things that he was sorry fo
after their commission, if the divin
injunction had been adhered to-vlz
''let the Baptist or other preacher with
out like sin cast the first stone it is pro
abe thai we would never. have hear
of this accusation. If Mr.. Cleyelan
hrs passed through successful candi
dacy for the. Office of Sheriff Of Fri
county, Mayor of Bufa'o, eadGovt rno
of New York without this SANDER hay
ing crawled to the daylight, it bear
upon its face all the inherent probabil
tiles of Matchmaking libel introduce
at this especial point of time in orde
to compel him or his friends to pay hus
money. Believing thatit is a lie, an
whether true or false, that no good ca
come of the investigation, the Argonau
will set the daily political and the reli
gious weekly pless a Christian exampl
and ignore the question. That it is ur
true we havethe assertion OF an acquair
tance who lived near Governor Cleve
land for many years, vas his Eeighbo
and intimate friend, who says such
rnmor never gained currency concern.