Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-08-15


Tho most notable development in the
Cleveland scandal during the past week has
been an alleged "vindicaton' of MIR. Glove
land by sixteen citizens of Buffalo in a state.
ment published by them. Soon after the
scandal came out it was noised abroad that
the citizens of Buffalo, without regard to
party, were preparing to give Mr. Cleveland
such a vindcation as would overwhelm his
accusers with shame and confusion. This
forthcoming vindication was alluded to in
glowing terms by Mr.. Redington in his speech
last Saturday evening. Ono thousand names
was the number first mentioned of men who
would sign this 'yindication;' then the
number dropped to 400, then to 100, and
when it finally appeared on Tuesday it was
signed by just sixteen men, none of them
Republicans, none OF them mon of public
note, seven of them lawyers, and all of them
personal friends of Mr.. Cleveland, who frank
ly avow that no investigation was necessary
to satisfy themselves.
But the smallness of the number of sign
era is by no means so significant as the fact
that they practically admit all that has been
charged against Mr.. Cleveland. The general
charges of drunkenness and gross licentious-
ness are summarily dismissed as absolutely
false, and not line of proof of this asser-
ton is submitted. As to the Halpin case
they say
eve have been particularly careful aud thorough
in investigations Of the alleged betrayal, abduc-
ton and inhuman treatment Of 4 woman Of this
city, detailed in a local newspaper. The circum-
stances out of which the story fabricated
red 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 1C years
old. The facts of the show that she not
duccd and that the allegations respecting her abduc
ton and nreatmcnt are wholly false We deem these
the only features of the charge in connection with
this matter which constitute pu Bile question requr-
ing any declaration our part
In other words. it is unbushingly admit
ted that only eight years ago, when Mr..
Cleveland was mature man of 40, he had
illicit relations with this woman, from
which child was born-yet this fact does
not brand him as an impure man! The
ground taken is evidently that of the New
York Evening Post which holds that because
Mrs. Halpin was widow she could not be
seduced.
The sober, thinking masses of the people
will fail to see how the case against Mr.
Cleveland is changed because this woman was
widow and because his connection with her
was an irregular one, which, by implics-
ton, did not involve an obligation of mar
riage. What these masses will ask is, how it
happened that Mr.. Cleveland, if not an i'm
pure man, had such relations with any woman
in his mature middle life II mans habits
and moral character ever become fixed, they
become so at forty. further question which
candid people will ask is how it happens that
if, in the general estimation of his fellow cit
liens of Buffalo, Mr.. Cleveland's character is
above reproach, nine clergymen of the city
have been found to declare their belief in his
impurity, and only sixteen personal friends
have been found to give him a clean record
We repeat what we said last week, that the
worst feature in this unfortunate matter is the
attitude toward it of the independents and
Democrats and OF men like those sixteen Buf
fao citizens who hold in effect that q ques.
ton of personal purity and chastity is of no
account in presidential canvass. One of the
'vindications" which Clevelands champions
most hold by is that of Rev. Dr. Twining, one
of the editors of the Independent, who has
been to Buffalo and made an investigation
and comes home to say in his paper that he
finds the charges true, but that, Ike Henry
Ward Beecher, he only finds his admiration"
for Gov. Cleveland increased by the occur
renee. Even George William Curtis, in this
weeks Harper's Weekly, unblushingly says in
substance that this scandal is of no account
because it is no worse than scandals which at
tached to the names of Franklin, Hamilton,
Jefferson. Webster and Clay.
With Mrs Livermore We have only to say
to all this: I'm the presence of our young
sons shall we silently assent to this debased
public sentiment? ?"