Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-08-20
"Tell the Truth"

Tell the Truth"
When Grover Cleveland's friends
asked him what they should do in re
gard to the scandal charged agains
him, he told them to "tell the truth,
and the following will show what the,
have to say: gn
To the Independent Republicans cf@e Ma
ton q.
As Republicans and Independents resid
ing in Buffalo, and having peculiar meant
of knowledge, we have been called-upon by
private letters and otherwise for informa
ton in regard to the scandals which have
been put in circulation respecting Gov
Cleveland's private life. We have felt 1t
duty, imposed upon us by the circumstances
to examine these stories in detail and ia
make a formal statement of the results
No such examination would have been
necessary to satisfy ourselves; but IL was
due to those who have read the charges
against Gov. Cleveland without knowing
personally his general character and repu-
tationin this community, and without know
Va
information of those who have made the
charges, that we should not put forth a
mere general statement without previous
investigation.
We have, therefore, through commit
tee appointed from our number for that
purpose carefully and deliberately made
such an investigation, and we have every
available means to ascertain the precise
fao In oral nj. Of
drunkenness and gross immortality which
are made against Gov. Cleveland, are alb
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 edu-
Gated, intelligent and moral citizens Of
Buffalo without regard to politics and on
purely personal grounds. After lie had
gone through this contest, he was again put
forward as one of the most distinguished
citizens Of Buffalo as a candidate for the
Governship, and again received tho sup
port of the same class Of his fellow citi-
zens.
In this community, where he had lived
for twenty mine years, and where his life
was known and his character well under
stood. this support would not have been
given to him had he been either drunk
ard or libertine. We are able to speak
from personal knowledge as his acquain-
tances of long standing and to say that his
general private life has been that of
quiet orderly, self-respecting and always
highly respected citizen. Since he assum-
ed 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 u.s. that upon no one of these
visits has anything occurred to Justify the
statements which have been made by his
detractors. The charge that he has re-
Gently taken part in drunken and licen-
tious debauch in Buffalo on the occasion of
such visit, is entirely false. .g-'.
We have been particularly careful and
thorough in our investigations of the al
legged betrayal, abduction and inhuman
treatment of woman of this city, as de-
tailed in a local paper. The circumstances
out Of which this story was fabricated oc-
Cured 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 allegations respecting
her abduction and ill-treatment are wholly
false. We deem these the only features
of the charge in connection with this mat
ter which constitute public question re-
quiring any declaration on our part.
Our examination of the other charges
which have been made against Gov. Cleve
lands private character shows that they
are wholly untrue. In every instance in
which the reports and insinuations have
been tangible enough TO furnish a clue to
guide us in our investigation, they have
been positively proved to be false. The
attack upon Gov. Cleveland's character is
thoroughly discredited when we consider
the sources from which il comes. 1t was
first publicly made In Buffalo by a news,
paper of no standing whatever. We have
twice called upon the editor Of this paper
and asked him to produce his proofs-the
names, dates and other particulars which
he had publicly stated he was at liberty to
show. lie declines to do so or to facilitate
an investigation into the truth of either his
own charges or those contained in the
letter which he published. lie
admits that he had no evidence to support
any accusation against Gov. Cleveland, ex-
CtDl III tut OllN w We navy
referred. lilo rested his case
on that story, and as to that story he 10
by the witnesses having per-
feet knowledge. The two clergymen, whose
profession has been invoked to give weight
to these charges, have no personal know
ledge. They have ventured to state facts
known to themselves stories which rest
upon the merest hearsay, and which when
traced to their alleged sources are in every
case denied by the persons to whom they
are ascribed.
We have designed to make candid and
judicial statement Of the results Of our in
vestigation of this matter, without coloring.
We have not thought 1t necessary or pro.
per to repeat the charges against Gov.
Cleveland in detail, nor to present in full
the evidence by which they have been dis
proved.
ESignedl John III. Cowing, Ansley Will
cox, VIM. +. Kip, Thomas Cary, George
p. Sawyer, Ralph Stone, John +. Ransomc,
Henry w. Sprague, Josiah G.. Munro,
Lawrence d. Rumsey, q. Barrett Rich,
Charles p. Norton, John b. Olmsted, j.
Tallman Davis, Henry Altman, and J. n.
Larned.