The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-09-24
n. psAr q sAe Religious Press.

such men As Messrs. Bayard, Thurman.
Randall and others Of like stamp, and
nominating Governor Cleveland as their
candidate Tor President Their theory
was that he would run best, and be
surest to carry the great State of New
York, and, especially, that he would
bring 70 the party large accession Of
Republican votes. This theory at the
time looked plausible We are not sur.
prised that the Democrats adopted It,
and put forward MIR. Cleveland as .
political reforner. hoping, by the cry
OF reform, TO get possession Of the Gov
ernment. dido a
1t turns out. however, even before
the active work OF the canvass has fair
ly begun, that, as to . most vital ques-
tion OF personal morals, the private
character Of this so-ealled reform candi-
date has been one Of such rottenness rs
justly to destroy all claim In his be-
hall to the confidence and respect Of
the American people. Whether the
members OF the Democratic Convention
were acquainted with the facts In his
private life, when they nominated him,
we do not know; but, for their sake, we
will assume that, II they had known
them, Mr.. Cleveland would not have
been the candidate of the Democratic
party. To nominate such man with
shis knowledge would imply a most as
founding hack Of common sense and an
equal lack Of moral and political integ-
rity.
Certain Il Is that the Independent BE.
publicans, who ignorantly indorsed Mr..
Cleveland and publicly declared their
purpose to support him, did not know
the man as the record Of his private life
has revealed him to be, and which record
by Gods lightning voice has been sent
with flash to every village and hamlet
of the Nation and thence TO the very
ends Of the earth. These Republicans
can not In view Of what they now know
give him their support without the
grossest disqualification, and, indeed,
without justly exposing themselves to
the charge Of gross and senseless hypoc-
risy. The simple and plain truth is
that the admitted offense Of Mr.. Cleve-
land touched upon a domain of family
and public morals so vividly and so dam
gerously to the public good as utterly to
disqualify him for the Office Of Presi-
dent, or any other Office in the gift Of
the people. This is the position the In
dependent, after due consideration Of
the facts and our duty TO God and man,
took last week, and means sternly to
maintain. Any effort to ovade this con-
clusion only makes the duty more
obvious. .i .s |'
Fit be said that what Is true Of Mr..
Cleveland Is no more than has often
been true OF other public mon, then we
reply that II Is high time that all pub
lie men should be taught that personal
And private virtue b not an immAterial
question with tho people Of this eoun-
Try. This lesson should be so empha-
sized and proclaimed to the world that
there will be no mistake now or here-
after As to what il meant by IL.
The immoraliTies OF . mans private
Me are matters which do concern the
public, whom that public, with the
knowlsdge Of these immoralities, 10
asked TO mako him the Chief Magistrate
Of o great Nation. A debauchee,
known 10 be. or 10 have been, such, Is
not the man TO be elevated TO the Office
OF President Of these United States.
This one fact should be fatal to him.
The people should not, and, as we be.
lieye, viii not 80 disgrace themselves,
In the sight Of God and man. and defy
the imperative mandate Of sound NOR
ais ~ to bostow this honor on any such
base proHigate. What Is our common
Christianity worth, and what u our
boasted civilization worth. II such q
black stain In the character Of oandi-
date for the Presidency n, IN the pop
ular estimate. to be deemed matter Of
no special consequence What q
strange spectacle such . law breaker, II
elected. would present in the parlors oi
the White House. What IN opportunity
II would give to Mormon polygamists
10 sneer and laugh there ut the efforts
Of the General Government 10 suppress
the monstrous denominations in the
territory of Utah! What demoraliz-
ing lesson it would be to the young
men of the countryi What barrier to
tho successful teaching Of morality
from the pulpit or political platform or
in the halls Of Congress. All decent
people, not to say Christian people,
would have to hide their heads
with q profound sense Of shame and
disgust. No! No! the majority of the
voters Of this country will not and can
not approve Of any such beastly and
heathenish standard of morality.
At any rate the Independent will dc
all in its power TO prevent the election
of Governor Cleveland, not from pas-
sion or any personal animosity TO the
man, not because it is a Republican
paper and believes in the general prin-
ciples OF the Republican party, and
does not and never did believe in those
OF the Democratic party, but solely in
the interest OF sound morals, especially
those Of the family. Whoever else may
be elected or defeated, let Governor
Cleveland, with the knowledge the
public now have Of his private charac.
ter, have the mark Of Cain put upon
him as the fitting end Of his public ca
reer. We call upon the religious press
Of the Nation, and also the Christian
pulpit, to speak out In bold and en-
phatio language against his election
The issue now Is moral one, and that,
too, Of the gravest character; and this
Is no time for any timid, half-hearted Of
half way utterances. When the rehg'
ious press and the pulpit shall cease tt