Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-10-02
PRESIDENTS AND AANoMEN.
The Views of a DistInguIshed Demt
rW cratic Writer.
frank Nllkeson IN n. Y. Sun J


frank " Nllkeson in n. Y. Sun
Throughout continental Europe state exc
cutions are loathed by the people Their
calling doons them To life OF isolation
Men pass them with averted eyes, women
shrink from them Little children are fright
ened by the mention of their names. In
England, Calcraft was Stunned BY the high
est as well as the lowest Of the nation he
was forced to live in obs curity. In all lands
executioners are loathed. The mention of
their names is sufficient TO draw forth curses
from the ignorant. They ara seldom spoker
of by educated people. They are looked
upon as social lepers whose degraded calling
excludes them from all society. They hide
their identity under assumed names in the
villages they dishonor by their homes. They
conceal themselves from observation, fear
ing that all men know their calling. They
are haunted by the CHASTITY spectres of their
victims. and are driven to drinking heavily
to blunt their sensibilities.
can understand the killing of men in hot
blood under sudden provocation. 1t is neces-
sary that some men should be killed, and the
slayer is justified by man and nature in his
act The hanging Of stock thieves and the
ruthless killing of robbers in western mining
camps highly approve of, as l do Of the
3 killing of men vino assault women All
these wretches are slain in hot blood by an
outraged community. But that man,
claiming to be gentleman, should abandon
a reputable profession, and, tempted by high
pay, deliberately adopt the calling OF
hangman, is beyound my comprehension.
II Grover Cleveland had been a man of
delicacy or Imagination, ne would have re-
signed the shrievality Iof Erie county rather
than choke two men TO death. He should
have sacrificed his Office and resumed hil
position at the bar, and striven to save if.-
instead of taking it.
= have been a consistent Democrat since
1872. I have striven the extent of my
power for the success of the national Demo
cratic ticket, believing that the Republicans
would ruin the republic if their monopoly
fostering rule were continued. But rather
than Grover Cleveland, whose hands are red
with the blood of maiefactors, and who
cheerfully performed the most odious duties
known to civilized mankind, should occupy
the chair that was filed in the past by Dem
ocratic gentlemen, | would welcome the
election of Gen. Butler, or even of Blaiue
AS look into the future, in the deplorable
event of Grover Cleveland's election, see
congressman and the members of the diplo-
matte corps carefully glowing their hands be-
fore attending astate reception. After they
have left the hangman's home, see their
carefully remove the globe that has beer
contaminated by the palm of an executionef,
and with gloved left hand throw it into T.
sewer or a convenient cesspooL And caa
hear the entire diplomatic corps echo tbs
words of a member of the British legation
sit is beastly country, you know; bar
barous people. devoid of gentlemanly in
stincts, you know, or they would not have
elected a hangman to their highest Office,
You know And as much as We hate the
English race, and love to oppose all they say
or do, we would be obliged to acknowledge
the justice of their sneer.
If an ex-hangman shall occupy the chair
that has been filled with honor by Wash
ington, jefferson. Adams, Madison, Jack
son and Lincoln, it will be a national dis
grace, and one that all American gentlemen
should be ashamed of The idea of turn
ing the bedrooms of the White House into
exhibition halls in which Grover Cleveland
can nightly unwind the ghastly panorama
he carries with him, and regaie his eyes
with visions of the death struggles and con-
vulsive throes of his hooded victims, is an
offensive one to Democratic voters.
We have had presidents who begun life on
the Mississippi river fatboats; who sat cross
legged on a tailor's bench, and who drove
mules on canal towpath; but they assidu-
ously strove to rise in life, aud TO occupy po-
sitions in reputable professions 1t remained
for the southern Democrats, who strenuously
insist that they are high-toned gentlemen
ALL to force on TO the Democratic party as
its presidential candidate this sordid per-
son, who, having secured a position in the
ranks of a learned and honorable profession,
descended into the ranks of -hesdsmen and
hangmer.
Gen Butler is good enough Democrat
for me. FRANK WILKEsoN.