Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-08-21

DISCREDITED.
Are the slanderous Charges Made
Against Gov. Cleveland.
An Address from independent Re
pubiicans OF Buffalo Who Have In
yestlRated all the Acc cusatIons.

Inc ADDRESS mas Deen adopted 0y the
National Independent Committee:
To the Independent Republicans of the Nation:
AS Republicans and Independents
residing in Buffalo, and having pc.
culiar means of knowledge, we have
been called upon by private letters
and otherwise for information in re-
gard to the scandals which have been
put in circulation respecting Gov.
Clevelands private life. We have
felt it to be du.y, imposed on us by
the circumstances TO examine these
stories in detail and to make formal
statement of the results No such ex.
animation would have been necessary
to satisfy ourselves; but it was to
those who have read the charges
against Gov Cleveland without know
ing personally his general character
and reputation in this community, and
without knowing either the position
or the means of information of those
who have made the charges, that we
should not put forth a mere general
statement without previous lnvesti-
cation. We have therefore, through
a committee appointed from our num-
Der Tor that purpose, carefully and de-
liberately made such an investigation,
and have taken every available means
to ascertain the precise facts in each
case. The general charges of drunk
eness and gross immortality which are
made against Gov. Cleveland are ab-
solutely false. His reputation for
morality has always been good. There
is no foundation for any statement to
the contrary. He was sought out and
nominated for the Mayoralty against
his will, and was supported for that
position by the larger portion of the
educated, intelligent and moral c;ti-
zens of Buffalo, without regard to pol
itics and on purely personal grounds.
After he had gone through this con-
test he was again put forward as one
of the most distinguished citizens of
Buffalo as candidate for the Cover.
norship, and again received the support
of The same class of his fellow citizens.
In this community, where he had lived
for twenty mine years, and where bis
life was known and his character we'll
understood, this support would not
have been given to him had he been
either drunkard or libertine. We
are able to speak from personal knowl-
edge as his acquaintances of long
standing and to say that his general
private life has been that of a quiet,
orderly, self-respecting and always
highly respected citizen. Since he as
sumed his present Office his visits to
Buffalo have been few and of short
duration. 1t is susceptible of absolute
proof, and has been proved to us, that
upon no one of these visits has any,
thing occurred to justify the state.
ments which have been made by his
detractors The charge that he has
recently taken part in a drunken and
llcentious debauch in Buffalo on the
occasion Of such a visit Is entirely
false.
We have been particularly careful
and thorough in our Investigations of
the alleged betrayal, abduction and in.
human treatment of woman of this
city, as detailed in local paper. The
circumstances out of which this story
was fabricated occurred eight years
ago. The woman in question was at
that time widow, between 80 and 40
years of age, with two children, the
younger Of whom was ten years old.
The facts of the case show that she
was not seduced, and that the allega-
tions respecting::her abduction and ILL.,
treatment are wholly false. We deem
these the only features of the charge
in connection with this matter which
constitute public question requiring
any declaration on our part.
Our examination of the other
charges which have been made against
Gov. Cleveland's private character
shows that they are wholly untrue In
every instance in which the reports
and insinuations have been tangible
enough to furnish clue to guide us
in our investigation they have beer
positively proved to be false. The
attack upon Gov. Cleveland's charac
ter is thoroughly discredited when We
consider the sources from which il
comes. 1t was first publicly made III
Buffalo by newspaper of no standing
whatever. We have twice callec
upon the editor of this paper anc
asked him to produce his proofs-the
names, dates and other particular
which he had publicly stated he wa
at liberty to show. He declines to d.
so or to facilitate an investigation int
the truth Of either his own charges o.
those contained in the anonymous let
ter which he published. He admit
that he had no evidence to support an.
accusation against Gov. Cleveland, ex
cept in the one instance to which W
have particularly referred. He reste
his case on that story, and as to tha
story he is. .contradicted by the wit
nesses having perfect knowledge. TIN
two, ,clergymen; whose profession ha
been invoked. to give weight to thes
charges, have no personal knowledg
of the facts, and under the circum
stapcas could not posSibly have sue