Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-09-05

THE NEW YORK INDEPENDENT TALKS IN VERY
PLAIN LANGUAGE ON THE SUBJECT OF PRI-
yATE MORALS IN PUBLIC LIFE.
[From The Independent, Aug, 2s.l
There Is no doubt that supposed available
ity was the sole reason that controlled the
Democrats in passing by such men as Messrs.
Bayard, Thurman, Randall and others of like
stamp, and nominating Gov. Cleveland as
their candidate for President. Their theory
was that he would run best, and be surest to
carry the great state of New York, and espe-
cially that he would bring to tine party a
large accession of Republican votes. This
theory at the time looked plausible. We are
not surprised that the Democrats adopted it,
and put forward Mr. Cleveland as political
reformer hoping by the cry of reform to get
possession of the government.
1t turns out, however, even before the sc-
tive work of the canvass has fairly begun,
that, az to a most vital question of personal
morals, the private character of this so-called
reform candidate has been one of such rot
tenness as Justly to destroy 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, MIR. Cleveland would not have
been the candidate of the Democratic party.
To nominate such man with this knowledge
would imply a most astounding lack of COM
mon sense and an equal lack of moral and
political integrity.
Certain it is that the Independent Republi-
cans, who ignorantly indorsed Mr.. Cleveland
and publicly declared their purpose to sup
port him, did not know the man as the rec
ord of his private life has revealed him to be,
and which record, by Gods lightning voice,
has been sent with a 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 grossest self
qualification, and, indeed, without justly ex-
| posing themselves to the charge of gross and
senseless hypocrisy. The simple and plain
truth is that the admitted offence of Mr.
| Cleveland touches upon a domain Of family
and public morals so vitality and so danger
ously to the public good as utterly to disqual-
| ify 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 our duty to
God and man, took last week, and means
sternly TO maintain. Any effort to evade this
conclusion only makes the duty more obvi-
GUS.
II it be said that what is true of Mr.. Ceve-
| land is no more than has often been true of
other public men, then we reply that it il
high time that all public men should be
taught that personal and private virtue is moi
an immaterial question with the people Of
this country. This lesson should be 80 em.
phasized and proclaimed to the world thai
there will be no mistake now or hereafter ai
to what is meant by it.
The immoralites of mans private life
are matters which do concern the public
when that public, with the knowledge 81
these immoralites, Is asked to make him the