Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-07-27

There is some danger that the campaign
viii degenerate into a mud-slinging con-
test. The best elements Of both parties
would deplore that kind Of a campaign.
A few Republican papers have published
a scandalOus story about Gov. Cleveland.
1t connects him in a very disreputable
way with a widow who, it is alleged, at
one time resided in the city OF Buffalo.
1t is to the credit of most Of the leading
Republican papers that they have refused
to publish this scandal. Even if it were
true, it has nothing to do with the cam
paign. There are excellent reasons for
believing that it is not true. If it
were, the probabilities are that it
would have found its way
int print long before Gov.
Cleveland was nominated for President.
There were those, when he was candidate
for Governor, who would have been glad
to have published such story. When he
was Mayor Of Buffalo he incurred the
hostility Of a very strong ring Of ward
politicians, and yet there were no scanda-
lous whisperings respecting his public
or private character. 1t being impossible
invented, doubtless, with the hope of Gre
ating the impression that his private life
was not such as to commend him to moral
people. The scandal does not promise to
meet with much encouragement. No class
Of people is disposed to believe scandals
about candidates which are published
after the campaign begins, and which are
not accompanied with any proof.
A few Of the small fry Republican or
gans argue that the attacks which have
been made on Blaine justify personal war
fare on Cleveland. There is a great differ
ence between the attacks on Blaine
and this indecent attack on Cleve-
land. 1t is difference which
anyone of ordinary intelligence
can see at once. No stories reflect
ing on Blaine's private character have
been published. The charges against him
were made while he occupied a very
prominent public position, and they re-
lated entirely to acts which raised the
question of his official integrity. One
was that, while Speaker Of the House, he
saved the land grant of the Little
Rock and Fort Smith Railroad by
shrewd ruling; and that
for this service he demanded and received
compensation. Another was, that having
received bonds of the road as payment tor
the part he played in saving the land
grant, he made false statement respect
ing the matter to the House. A third was
that he sod his influence to the Northern
Pacific Railroad for an interest in the
road while a member of Congress. His
interest was TO depend upon the success
of certain proposed legislation in favor of
the road. a fourth charge was that he
obtained from a man named Mulligan, by
promises which he did not intend
to fulfill, and which he never did
fulfill, letters which implicated
him in the Little Rock and Fort Smith
Railroad business.
Blaine has denied all these charges and
his friends have denied them for him.
Letters, the commences of which have
never been questioned, have been pub
lished, however, which in the minds of a
majority of bipartisan and unprejudiced
people sustain them. Charges like these
are legitimate subjects OF inquiry and
comment. Blaine IS the candidate of
great party for the greatest office in the
gift Of the people. He is accused
of corrupt practices as an official
while holding the third greatest Of
fee in the country. If he is guilty
Of the things with which he stands charged
he is wholly unfit to be elected to the
great Office of President. In that position
the people want man in whom they have
the fullest confidence. To SANDER Cleve-
land Will not disprove the charges against
Blaine.