The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-28
THE MORAL ISSUE.

The Defeat of Cleveland Demanded I'm the
Interest of Sound Morals.
New York Independent, Aug 2s.
There is no doubt that supposed availability
was the sole reason that controlled the Demo-
Gratis in passing by such men as Messrs Bayard
Thurman, Randall and others of like stamp, and
nominating Governor Cleveland as their candi-
date for 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 to tho party large accession of Re-
publican votes. This theory at the time looked
plausible. We are not surprised that the Demo
Gratis adopted it. and put forward Mr.. Cleveland
as political reformer. hoping, by the cry of
reform, to get possession of the government
It turns out, however. even before the active
work of the canvass has fairly begun that, as to
most vital question of personal morals, the pris
vate character of this so-called reform candidate
has been one of such rottenness as justly to de-
i stroy all claim in his behalf 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, if they
| had known them, Mr. Cleveland would not have
been the candidate of the Democratic party To
would imply most astounding lack of common
| sense and an equal lack of moral and political
i integrity.
! Certain it is that the independent Republicans
] who ignorantly indorsed Mr.. Cleveland, and
/ publicly declared their purpose to support him,
didnot 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 q flash
| to every village and hamlet of the Nation, and
thence TO the very ends of the earth. These
Republicans cannot, in view of what they now
| know, give him their support without the
i grossest disqualification, and, indeed, without
justly exposing themselves to the charge of gross
and senseless hypocrisy. The simple and plain
truth is that the admitted offense Of Mr.. Cleve-
/ land touches upon domain of family and public
morals so Yitally and dangerously to the public
good as utterly to disquafify him for the Office of
| President or any other Office in the gift of the
| people. This is the position the Independent,
| after due consideration of the facts and cur
| duty to God and man, took last week, and means
sternIy to maintain. Any effort to evade this
conclusion only makes the duty the more
obvious.
1t may be said that what is true of Mr.. Cleve-
land is no more than has often been true of
other public men. Then we reply that it is high
time that all public men should be taught that
personal and private virtue is not an immaterial
question with the people of this country This
lesson should be so emphasized and proclaimed
to the world that there will be no mistake now
or hereafter as to what is meant by it.
L II
matters which do concern the public. when that
public with the knowledge of these immorali-
| ties, is asked to make him the chief magistrate
of great nation. A debauchee, known to be,
or to have been such, is not the man to be ele-
waited to the Office of President of these United
States. This one fact should be fatal to him.
The people should not, and, as we believe, will
not, so disgrace themselves in the sight of God
and man, and defy the imperative mandate of
sound morals as to bestow this honor on any such
n n mn
WORTH. and what is our boasted civilization
worth, if such black stain in the character of
candidate for the presidency is, in the popular
estimate, to be deemed matter of no special
consequence What a strange spectacle such a
law breaker, if elected, would present in the
parlors of the White Housed What an oppor-
tunity it would give to Mormon polygamists to
sneer and laugh there at the efforts Of the gem
eral government to suppress the monstrous
denominations in the Territory of Utah! WHAT
| demoralizing lesson it would be to the young
men of the countryl What barrier to the sue
cessful 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 a profound
sense of shame and disgust No! Mol! The
majority of the voters of this country will not
and cannot approve of any such beastly and
| heathenish standard of morality.
! At any rate, the Independent will do all in its
power to prevent the election of Governor Cleve-
/ land; not from passion or any personal animosity
! to the man, not because it is Republican paper
and believes in the general principles of the Re-
| publican party, and does not, and never did, be-.
leve in those Of the Democratic party, but solely
in the interests of sound morals especially those
of the family Whoever else may be elected or
defeated let Governor Cleveland with the knowl-
edge the publicnow have of his private character,
have the mark of Cain put on him as the fitting
end of his public career. We call upon the relg
| ious press of the Nation, and also the Christian
pulpit. to speak out in bold and emphatic Ian
ono ola n,
moral one, and that too, of the gravest charac-
ter and this is no time for any timid, half
hearted. or halfway utterances. When the re-
ligious press and the pulpit shall cease to teach
and preach good morals, then both will become
alike unworthy of respect or support.