The Evening critic., 1884-08-08
We're Their Eyes Open?

N. Y. sun.
1t is now asserted on what seems TO bs good
authority that the main facts about tho But.
falo scandal were laid before many OF the
delegates to tho Chicago Convention before the
nomination OF Mr.. Cleveland. Iu other words,
he was not chosen by the convention as Its
candidate for President in utter ignorance OF
tho risk involved. This may he true. IL IS
nevertheless true that the Democratic party
atlarre, the great body OF Democratic voters
throughout the land, and the newspaper press
opposed 10 Mr.. Blaine aud TO continued Re.
publican rule, remained In absolute ignorance
of the existence OF Those charges until weeks
after the nomination OF the machine candi-
date. 1t Is likely, moreover, that tho stories
whispered at Chicago took no very definite
form.
Tho Same thing cannot be said of the In.
formation furnished to the Independent Re.
publicans who adopted Governor Cleveland as
their candidate at tho recent conference IN
this city, and who declared In tholr address 10
the country that "the paramount issue Of the
Presidential election OF this year is moral
rather than political"
We lind ia tho Brooklyn Daty Times this
distinct assertion:
"Before tho conference met, before the I'D
dress read by George william Curtis was pro-
pared, Mr.. Curtis knew, and the other lead
ers IN the movement knew, that Grover Oleve.
land had been branded as moral leper. Here
are the names OF somo OF tho mon who In.
formed Mr.. Curtis Of the facts, who staud re-
sponsible for the charges, and who implored
MIR. Curtis to look at tho evidence In their po5-
session before he indOrsed Grover Cleveland:
"rhe Rev. DR.. Mitchell, First Presbyterian
Church, Buffalo.
"rhe Rev. Dir. Gordon, First Baptist Church,
Buffalo.
"rhe Rev. DR.. Ball, Hudson street Baptist
Church, Buffalo.
'The Rev. DR.. Greene, La Fayette street NJ.
list Church, Bufralo.
"rhe Rev DR.. HuDoell, North Presbyterian
Church, Buffalo.
"The Rev. MIR. Chivers, Prospect avenue
Baptist Church, Buffalo.
"The Rev. IL. G. Lord, West Side presbytor-
ian Church, Buffalo.
"These men are not politicians. Most OF
them supported Mr.. Cleveland when no ran
for Mayor OF Buffalo. They Investigated tho
charges that were made against him with re-
luctance; they have found evidence that they
hold TO ho unaesallable. and they stand dc.
tcrmined, not on political, but on moral
grounds, 10 compel his retirement from the
Democratic ticket"
Tho only ground left for Independent Re-
publicans who still desire to support Mr..
Cleveland indicated by the EUenln0 Post is
mn article which We copy. Il Is remarkable
defense TO offer us supplement TO tho Inde-
pendent address. II declares In eftect that the
paramount Issue OF the Presidential election
is political, not moral.
What will be the effect upon the minds of
wavering voters OF the revelations, supposing
ted In the versions OF the scandal supplied by
Governor Cleyeland's independent support
ere II seems TO us that great deal depends
on the manner In which the immed late friends
and responsible representatives OF the Demo.
cratic candidate Rhall ke able to meet and
overcome the defense OF these volunteer de-
tenders,