Morris tribune., 1884-08-20
Gov. Cleveland's Duty.

The Albany Times is a Democratic
paper which does not think that Gov
ernor Cleveland can afford toignore the
charges against him. Published in the
city of his official residence, and repre-
senting the party which has nominated
him for the Presidency, it calls his at
tention to his duty in these emphatic
words:
The enemy cannot be vanquished by
firing blank cartridges nor frightened
by skyrockets. Work must be done,
and that Immediately. There is one
job on hand that grows no less by de-
laying it; that is, stamping out what is
known as the Buffalo Telegraph scan
dial. 1t is spreading like dry rot in
every State, and county, and township
in the Union, and wherever it goes and
so long as it goes uncontradlcted 1t
withers, and ScOrches, and shrivels the
prospects of Mr.. Cleveland, as did the
Juice of cursed hebenOn clTi and pos
set the thin and wholesome blood OF
Hamlet's father. 1t is q kind Of cam
paign literature which needs no hard
working literary bureau to spread it.
Purient curiosity, malicious mischief,
and partisan malice will do that with
out money and without price.
1t is time to stop it; and the only way
is the manly way. Newspaper Opin-
ions, anonymous letters, and general
denials will accomplish nothing, or on
lv make matters worse. There is one
remedy, and it cannot be too soon APP
Piled. The man and the paper which
have put these Infamous stories into
print are tangible. They can be reach
ed in an hours time. Let, then, a
prosecution for criminal libel be instl-
tuted before another day rolls around;
let the case be brought to trial at once;
let witnesses be summoned and the
falsity of the story be demonstrated. 1t
is matter of too much Importance to
allow technicalities to prevent an i'm
mediate trial. Everything should be
swept out of the way and this thing
settled.
But it may be said that it is beneath
the dignity of Governor or a candi-
date for the Presidency to StOOp to q
libel suit. We do not think so. 1t is q
duty Governor Cleveland owes himself;
but he also owes it to the. party and to
the country. His candidacy has been
largely based upon his personal charac-
ter: the Independents were expected to
vote for him largely on that account,
and without their help it is admitted
that he cannot be elected,
Notwithstanding this plea for immedi-
ate action, Governor Cleveland has not
instituted suit for libel, and what is
more. ariu not. The facts in the case
are susceptible of proof. The half has
not been told. The New 7 ork Sun
says:
The private life of candidate for Presi-
dent is a proper subject of examination. No
matter if he displays honesty in financial
affairs; no matter indeed if he exhibits ev-
cry political virtue and all possible admin
istrative talents, yet we say that if bis mode
of life is beaStly, if he is given to coarse in
trigues and purchased amours, il he is in
short not man but an animal then we
don't want him for President of the United
States. We do not believe the American
people will knowingly elect to the Presiden-
cy coarse debauchee who would bring his
harlOts to Washington and hire lodgings for
them convenient to the White House. the
private life of candidate for the Presiden-
cy is matter of public concern, and we
trust that Mr.. Cleveland will prove able
to clear himself of every imputation of this
sort.
This reference to the hiring of apart
ments" has more meaning than appears
on the surface, and the editor of the
Sun could undoubtedly enlarge upon
the theme by detailing certain transac-
tons in Albany last winter which were
matters of common nOtOriety in pOlitl-
cal CIRCLES, and in which the Governor
is alleged to have figured as one Of the
two parties most cOnspicuOuSly inter-
nSted