St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-09

of scandal about Blaine, for the purpose, as
said, Of giving your readers ga chance to judge
for themselves" how much truth there was in
it. We have heard rumors in regard to a scan
dial about Cleveland, but SO far, we fail to find
anything about it in the Republican, and we do
not think it is fair play besides we want a
''chance to judge" in this case as well as in the
other; supposing both to be true, we decidedly
prefer Blaine for our president. You cannot ex-
cuse yourself ON account of the nature Of the
charges, after devoting SO mnch space to the
Beechcr affair, and this is of much Importance
to the public. Where there is so much smoke
there is usually fire enough to warrant an invest
igation, and the only way to get the truth is first
to get the facts Your contract with your readers
is to give US 'all the news and the truth about
it," Will you fulfil it?
ONE OF Your READERS.
GREENFIELD, Mass, July %, 1884.
The Republican is much obliged to the
writer of this letter for giving it an oppor->
tunity to answer the questions which he asks
and which have perhaps occurred to others.
First, in relation to Mr.. Beecher, we wish
to say that ''the Beecher scandal was we'll
known to the Republican, as it was to other
well informed journals, for months before
it was made public, and for years before a
word of it ever appeared in these columns.
1t was not until the chief parties began to
issue statements and send them to the press
that the Republican touched it, and it never
would have touched it had not Mr.. Beecher
been an eminent preacher whose character
in public and private relations was precious
to multitudes of people. A preachers office
and influence presume purity of private life,
and the case alleged against Mr.. Beecher
or
merely his own guilt, but the ruin of another
mans home, that it was impossible to sup
press it. Such an offense is totally and
fundamentally incompatible with the Ugh
and holy Office of minister of the gospel.
In regard to men in public station, as civil
legislators and administrators, different
standard of judgment prevails, growing out
of the different work which they are set to
do. When a man is chosen for the ministry
purity of personal conduct is the first point
on which strength is required. When man
is sought for high political station, to stand
like firm mountain around which shall play
harmless the lightning of ambition and greed
the first qualities sought are firmness in deal
ing with men, courage and discerning in
fsd the sneer of Sydney Smith at Perceval,
the vrtuous but stupid prime minister Of
Great Britain, early in the century, whom he
pictures walking at Hampstead church in
front of his dozen children with their faces
washed and their hair pleasingly combed,"
and who was shocked at the idea of assemb-
ling parliament on Monday, lest members
oh bo,,a 70 on N,
Smith, that he had fogged his children, and
saved the country! Alexander Hamilton,
the man to whom as much as to any other
we owe our present form of government,
and who first established the credit of the
United States, paid bitter tribute to the same
distinction when he published to the worl1
an amour in which he mad been entrapped,
rather than rest under the suspicion of hav-
ing traded in claims against the United
States while secretary of the treasury. When
by the carelessness or treachery of Monroe,
his political opponent, the true nature of the
affair, which Hamilton had confded to him,
was misrepresented to the public, Hamilton
published his "defense against more helm
GUS charge" at the expense of his marital fl
deity, saying of his wife: ~ can never
cease to condemn myself for the pang which
it may infiict on bosom eminently entitled
to all my gratitude, fidelity and love, but
that bosom will approve that even at so
great an expense, I should effectually wipe
away a more serious stain from name
which it cherishes with no less elevation than
tenderness"
IVa do pof onnfract fhacn tmO Of do
nestle rectitude and domestic impurity to
beittle the virtue or to palliate the Vice, but
to show that in public men personal CONT
nence is not the first requisite sought and
cannot be. Propriety of pri vate life is one
of the points justly assumed, while others
are as justly demanded, and we assn me it
with equal freedom in the case OF Cleveland
and of Blaine. The ability to serve the pub
lie is quality more open and public than
the course of q mans private life. Webster
and Clay and Jackson and numbers of men
have become the idols of thousands, to whom
their private life was necessarily an u n
known story. We accept it, therefore, as
truth that the chastity or unchastity of public
men of national repute and nominated for
Office before the people of the whole country
is not proper subject for discussion. The
rule NAV be different in regard to petty
neighborhood canvass. where those who pass
upon mans qualifications for local Office
know something also Of his private life, but
fifty millions of people cannot attain intma
cy with all the social life and family affairs
OF their candidates for president, and it is
not profitable that they should. Gov. Robin
son very aptly and properly stood upon this
principle when he replied as follows to
question from the audience 'sabout Uncle
john in his speech in last falls campaign
at Woburn Il don't know who you are, sir,
but want to say to you, that if there is any
gentleman who is anxious to know about my
private and family matters, which do not
concern the public of Massachusetts,, and are
not an issue in the present campaign, If he
Is man enough to stop with me after this
meeting and make my acquaintance he
shall have the whole story.''
TIE Republican has stood upon this prin-
ciple unreservedly and without variation in
its treatment of public men. When a man
has had the political support of the COM
munity where he lives and is personally
known, the Republican has uniformly de-
cliued to entertain scandal of his private
and domestic life. We have known for
many years story which would prove very
narrowing to the Blaine family, but which
would have noproper bearing Oh Mr. Blaine's
fitness for the presidency of the United
States and which has never before been al
luded to in these columns. Whether it is
true or not we have never sought to discover
and never shall. Gen Garfeld's opponents
In 1880 acted with entire propriety tn alb
staining from making this side OF his char
acter an issue. We have within few months
suppressed all mention of an affair connect
ing the name of an eminent functionary Of
the republic with that OF married woman Of
high social position. Nor do we advance the