National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-08-19
CLEVELAND sELF-coN
The Disgusting Scandal Sub,
by Tits Defenders.

Gov. Clovolnnd's private charaC
Sun has avoided printing any woi
came from his acouscrs. No mattoi
definite the specifications nor how wo
of respect tho Judgment of those
have been led by their investigation to
conclusion adverse to Mr.. Cleveland. thai
side of tho case has boon excluded from
the columns Of this newspaper, We have
thought IL right to give our readers the
facts only as they havo appeared in the
several statements, explanations. apollo
gies. and denials put forth in defence Of
the governor by his friends and political
admirers. We have also preferred to form
our own opinions from tho evidence Of
fered on one side only--that Is to say, tho
side favorable to the accused. This Is not
q strictly judicial way Of getting ut the
truth, but the advocates Of q man charged
with immortality can hardly find fault
with IL,
Thoro Is reason to believe that tho an
swer is now substantially complete. IL
has reached tho form In which II will H.
nally stand and 1t Is to DO noted that the
defense offered in behalf of Gov. Cleve-
land against the charge of personal i'm
morality has passed through successive
phases, from an absolute indignant
denial in toto to all apology that includes
an admission Of tho main facts originally
alleged.
Tho principal ploas in dofonso Of Mr.
Cleveland, based, as we assume, on sepa-
ratio and independent Investigations of
the facts, arc five In number. The first
was published in the columns Of the Euen-
ing Post, and was reprinted in the Sun.
The second WAS undertaken by SIR. lIora-
81 sY,.s In Ew1 60, ifaf ha
scientious scruples of the Row. Henry
Ward Beecher about voting for candi-
date accused of lechery. The third Is
the statement Of Mr.. Charles W. McCune,
the editor Of the Buffalo Courier This
has boon reprinted In tho Sun; IL was
especially designed for tho benefit of
doubling democrats Of the regular sort.
The fourth, like tho first, ia address to
tho independent republicans who have
committed themselves to Mr.. Cleveland
as against Mr.. Blaine on an issue of por-
sonal character. We printed 1t day be-
fore yesterday. Tho fifth is the state
ment Of the Rev. DR.. Kinsley Twining In
the Independent newspaper.
All five of these statements agroe in
one important particular. They all ad-
NIT, without attempt OF denial, that Mr.
Cleveland acknowledges tho paternity Of
q boy child, borne to him out Of wodlock
by widow named Marin Halpin. This
point, then, Is established by tho evidence
of Mr.. Cloveland's apologists. 1t was,
moreover, tho main specification offered
by his original acousers in support of their
charge of habitual immortality. And 1t
must be kept In view, rs the main ques.
ton at issue, that IL was solely on the
strength Of the definite, distinct. and un-
qualified assertion of the existence in
Buffalo of an illegitimate child Of the
democratic candidate for president that
the general charge ofunohastity was even
listened to by respectable men. The ac-
cusation startled and shocked the com
munity. Can it BIO true that Grover
Cleveland Is man of impure life p was
the first question asked. This charge is
made with names and dates. Let
us wait for his absolute denial.
Then let US see tho authors OF the scan
dalous charge prosecuted and punished
for criminal libel" The authorized reply
comes after just twenty ono days that
were crowded full Of promises Of com
plete and triumphant refutation: "Wo
absolutely deny tho charge that Grover
Cleveland Is an unchaste man; his whole
life IL refutation of the calumny. We,
who arc his neighbors, know his virtues.
True, there Is an illoRitimate son of his
by the woman Halpiu, but waving that
point, we defy his cowardly and malig-
nant accusers to produce tho slightest
evidence of his alleged unohastity."
This answer conclusivoly meets the
demand for accurate information concern
ing Mr.. Cleveland's personal habit; but il
meets 1t in q way that both his friends
and his opponents must deplore.
Another very serious charge was con-
tanned in the original publication of tho
Halpin- Cleveland scandal. 1t was alleged
that seven years ago, whom tho child was
about "a years old-that is to say, in the
year 1S77-the mothers opportunities SO
annoyed Mr.. Cleveland that, without legal
warrant no had her seized by detectives
In his employ, who shut her up in the
Providence Insane asylum. The several
defenders Of Mr.. Cleveland do not dispose
of this accusation in satisfactory man
nor. The Eyening Post adds to the other
damage which 1t has done TO tho candi-
dates reputation by asserting that the
chosen paramount of Mr.. Cleveland-the
mother of his child-was common
drunkard, and that the detectives who
were employed by Mr.. Burrows Ia lawyer
engaged by Mr.. Cleveland to do work dis
tasteful to himself found Maria Halpin in
fit Of delirium tremens. and therdupon
put her into an "inebriate" asylum. On the
other hand, the Rev. DIR. Kinsloy Twin
ing, who investigated the matter In be-
half of the Independent newspaper, says
that tho officer sent after Mrs. Halpin, TACT
ing on the right of personal Judgment,
did, in fact, place her In tho Roman Catho
lie Providence asylum, but that she was moi
incarcerated," and twas not entered for 9
permanence." In Mr.. McCune's state
ment in the Buffalo Courier the episode is
summarily dismissed as separation Of
tho mother and child by the removal OF
the former to an inobriate asylum" The
sixteen independent republicans. said tC
DO prominent citizens of Buffalo," who
sign the latest certificate OF Gov. Clove-
lands good moral character, merely SAY
that 'the allegations respecting hel
Maria ualpin's) abduction and ill treat
ment are wholly false" We do not know
what wore the results Of the Mr.. Horatio
@. Kings explorations of this part of the
scandal. His general assurance that thort
is nothing in the Halpin matter which
need prevent tho Rev. Henry War,
Beecher from voting for Mr.. Clevelant
Is probably satisfactory to both Of those
gentlemen.
The charge of abduction and inhuman-
ity is denied tho specification that thu
! woman was seized without legal warrant
and that she was locked up in an asylum
by men acting in Mr. Cleveland's interest
, is admitted.
The general charge that Mr.. Cleveland,
apart from the Halpin case, is known In
. Buffalo as man of licentious habits Il
/, emphatically denied by all the gentlemon
, who have undertaken his defense, Or
this point tho evidence preponderates IL
: his favor. 1t is not encouraging, however
; to observe that nearly all of Mr.. Glove
!; lands defenders attempt 10 shield hin
: from the full responsibility for his nc
! and Maria Halpin's misfortunos by rep
resenting the woman as u degraded AM
D shameless wretch. So far rs we can learn
Z; from careful examination of all tho do
l feusive statements, there Is an absolute
= lack Of the evidence on this polnt thu