The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-28
AN AMUSING B1oGBAPHH.
Some Gems from Campaign Life of Grover
Cleveland.

.
Boston Journal
A campaign life Of Grover Cleveland, which
reaches the massive proportions of 200 pages,
and is written by one Pendleton King, has a
quality rarely possessed by campaign biographies
that namely, Of being highly amusing. 1t IS
written with q freshness and naivete which
would arouse mirth in hypoehondriac. We
must confess at the outset that we are not ac-
quainted with the gifted author His name, in
deed may be nom de plume; the first half Sug-
costing the distinguished senator who was
slaughtered by the Ohio Democracy because he
was suspected of being sincere civ1l-service re-
former; and the second half suggesting one of
Mr.. Clevelands most ardent and adroit defend
ers, General Horato King. We venture this
conjecture for what it may be worth, and do not,
by any means, insist upon its accuracy The
pressure upon our columns does not permit us to
make extended quotations, but we cannot resist
the temptation of taking out just few gems
Let us begin with this:
cat q time when many good and able men are
complaining of our moral decadence as nation,
there is something encouraging and stimulating
in seeing man brought boldly and quickly to
the front by his simple strength in the old fash
toned virtues
The bearings of this observation, as the la
mented Mr.. Bunsby was wont to say, lies in
the application ont;p and as the gifted author OF
it reads it in cold print and observes the applica
ton Of it to the Halpin matter he will under
stand why his book is pronounced amusing. He
will be surprised at his own powers OF irony as
he reflects upon the term "old-fashioned vir-
tuesT applied to Grover Cleveland. Was seduc
tion,, then we wonder, one of the oldfaShloned
virtuesf
Butthe author continues: This independent
movement in behalf of higher standard of pub
lie morality is the most striking feature of the
present campaign. So it is, great deal more
striking than those engaged in it were at first
aware. The more it is contemplated with all its
accessories, the more striking it becomes. It
has already struck the Democracy with panic,
the Republicans with delight, and the world with
wonder. One more gem and we are done with
quotation:
ssIf Mr. Cleveland should be chosen President
there will be in Washington City on the 4th of
March next such gathering of the clans from
the Potomac to the Rio Grande as was never
seen before in our history. The rebel yell will
at length be heard on the heights of the capital
of the United States, but only in expression Of
patriotism and the heartfelt joy of prodigal sons
who, after twenty-five years Of political exile
realize at last their full restoration to the
Union
With this rapt vision the seer and biographer
closes his volume. To the veterans of the war
for the Union, and to all patriot citizens of the
loyal North, this is a delightful prophecy with
which the somewhat over frank eulogist Of Mr..
Cleveland concludes his work. A ralying of all
the clans Of the South from the Potomac to the
Rio Grande;1 the sound of the rebel yell upon
the heights of Washington; and the exultation
of the South as it comes back to the control of
the government from which it was driven twenty
four years ag0-what a panorama of delight
that is to unfold before the vision of people who
value liberty and love their countryl What en-
thusiasm this prospect is calculated to arouse
among the ex- Republican allies of the Democ-
racy! 1t would almost seem that this particular
life of Cleveland was intended solely for con-
sumption in the Southern States, and that its
emission in the North was mistake. However,
we cheerfully give it the benefit of this gratui
tious advertisement