Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-08-13
ANOTHER REPUTATION.
Independent Republicans Bear Witness to
Governor IIeyeInnd's Character.


ANOTHER REPUTATION.
Indepeu dsnt Republicans Bear Witness to
Governor CIeveIand's Character.
A BnfIalo special says: The following
address will be published tomorrow MORN
inc in the Buffalo Courier. IL was the
basis for the Cowier'S editorial OF this
morning, and has to-day been adopted by
the Independent Executive Committee,
To the Independent Republicans Of The Ma
ton:
As Republicans and Independents re-
siding IN Buffalo, and having peculiar
means OF knowledge. we have been called
upon by private letters and otherwise for
information in regard to the scandals which
have been put in circulation respecting
Governor Cleveland's private life. We have
felt II TO be a duty imposed on us by cir
cumstances 10 examine these stories in de-
tail and 10 make formal statement OF the
results. No ssch examination would have
aeon necessary to satisfy ourselves, bat il
was due 10 those who have read the Charge
against Governor Cleveland without know
ing personally his general character and re-
putatiOn IN this community, and without
knowing either the position or means OF
information OF those who have made the
charges. that we should not put forth
mere general statement without previous
investigation. We have. therefore. through
committee appointed from our number
for that purpose, carefully and deliberately
made such an investigation. and we have
taken every available means to ascertain
the precise facts in the case.
TIE general charges OF drunkenness and
gross immortality which are made against
Governor Cleveland are absolutely false.
His reputation for morality has always
been good. There is no foundation for
any statomeSt to the contrary. He was
sought out and nominated for the mayOraly
against his will, and was supported for
tia. position by the larger portion Of the
educaled. intelligent. and moral citizens OF
Buffalo, without regard to politics and on
purely personal grounds. After he had
gone through this contest he was again
put forward a. one OF the most dis
iinguished citizens Of Buffalo rs a candi-
date for the gOyernorship, and again re-
ceiyed The support Of the same class OF his
fellow-ctizenS. In this community, where
he had lived FIR tweniy-nine year,, and
where his life was known and his character
well understood, this supper: would not
have been given to Linn bad he been either
q drunkard or q libcrtine. We are able
10 speak from personal knowledge, ~ his
acquaintance OF long Standing. and TO
say that his general private lie has
been that Of a quiet, orderly, scli-rcSpcct-
ing. and always highly-respected citizen.
Since bcaSsumcd his present Office his visits
10 Buffalo have been few and OF short dura-
tion. II is susceptible OF absolute proof
and has been proved TO Us that upon no one
of these visits has anything occurred to
Justify the statements which have been
made hy bis dctractOrs. The charge that
he has recently taken part in a drunken
and liccnsiouS dcbauch in Buffalo on the oc-
ca>icn of such a visit is entirely false. We
have been particularly careful and thor.
ough in our Investigations OF the alleged
betrayal, abduction, and inhuman treat
mont OF a woman Of this city, as detailed
in a local newspaper. The circumstances
out Of which this story was fabricated oc-
CURED eight years ago. The woman In
question was al that time widow. between
thirty and forty years OF age, with three
children, the youngest Of whom was ten
years old. The facts OF the case show that
she was not seGuced, and thai the allega-
tons respecting her abduction and iil-treat-
ment are wholly false.
We deem these the only features Of the
charge in connection with this matter which
constitute a public question requiring any
declaration on our part. Our examination
ofthe other charges which have been made
against Governor Cleveland's private char
scter shows thai they are wholly untrue.
In every instance in which the reports and
insinuations nave been tangible enough TO
furnish clue TO guide us 10 cur investIga-
ton they have been positively proved TO be
false. The attack upon Governor Cleve-
lands character is thoroughly discredited
when we consider the sources from which
il GENES. II was first publicly made in
Buffalo by n newspaper OF no standing
whatever. We have twice called upon the
editor OF this paper and asked him to pro-
duce his proofs, the names, dates, and other
particulars, which he bad publicly stated be
was at liberty TO show. He declines to DO
so or TO facilitate investigation into the truth
Of either his own charges or those contain
ed in the anonymous letter which be pub
hshed. He admitted that he had no eYl-
dence to support any accusation against
Governor Cleveland except IN the one ln-
stance to which We have particularly re-
ierrcd. H0 rested his case on that story,
and ~ to that story he is contradlcted by
the witnesses having personal knowledge.
The two clergymen, whose profession has
been invoked 10 give weight TO these
charges. have no personalknowledgc OF the
facts. aud under the circumstances could
not possibly have such knowledge. They
have yentuTed TO state rs facts known
10 Themselves stories which rest upon the
nerest hearsay and which, when traced to
their alleged sources, are in every case de-
MED by the persons TO whom they are
sscribCd. We have designed to make .
! candid judicial statement Of the results oi
| our investigation Of this matter without
PARTISAN coloring. We have not thought 1t
necessary or proper to repeat the charges
sgainst Governor Cleveland in detail, MOI
TO present in full the evidence by which
| they have been disproyed.
John II. Cowing, Ansley Wilcox, william
f. Kip, Thomas Cary, George P.,awyer
Ralph Stone, John Z. Ransom. Henry
". :. Rague, Josiah c. Munro, L. I'd
Ramsey, G.. BaTrettmich. Charles 4. Nor
ton, John B. Olmaead. j. Tallman Da
Wis, Henry Altman, j. n. LEARNED.
Buffalo. \. Y, August .. 1854.