Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-07-14
CLEyELAND's NOMINATION.
From the New York Evening Post.

oy the democratic convention makes the
way perfectly plain and simple for all
friends of good government who are for any
reason dissatisfied with the republican can
didate. This time the democrats have made
no mistake. If Cleveland had no other
claim to the confidence and support of those
to whom parties are simply means of pro-
noting the national welfare, he would have
a strong one in the character of the opposi-
ton he encountered in the convention. AS
General Bragg finely and happily said in
seconding his nomination yesterday-"We
love him most of all for the enemies he has
made" The hostility of Tammany and
Butler, and in fact of whatever is basest and
most demagogic in his own party, is of it
self tribute of which any public man
might we'll be proud.
But he is by no means dependent on this
negative kind of testimony. The enmity OF
corrupt intriguers might mean after all
simply that his intentions were good, and
that they merely feared that he would, II
put in power, fail to answer their purpose.
Cleveland has happily something far strong
er than the promise of strong character to
commend him to the sutfrages Of good men
of all parties. He is tried administrator.
One of the Blaine organs in its great
agony has tried to relieve itself by call
ing him "a man destitute of experience"
Of one kind of experience experience
in political trickery and manipulation, and in
the art of making money for himselfand his
friends out of politics he is, indeed destitute.
But the present extraordinary political crisis
is due to the profound and growing popular
belief that this kind of experience is too
common among our statesmen, and that the
republican candidate in particular is too
rich in it either for his own or his country's
good. OF the kind of experience which the
present situation in national affairs most
imperatively calls for, experience in admin
istration, Cleveland has more than any one
who has entered the White House since
1860, more than any man whom either party
has nominated within that period, except
Seymour and Tilden-more than Lincoln,
more than Grant, more than Hayes, more
than Garfield more than Arthur.
He laid at the start that best of all founda-
tons for American craftsmanship by becom
ing good lawyer. He began his executive
career by being a good county sheriff. He
was next intrusted with the administration
of great city-as severe test of a mans
capacity in dealing with men and affairs as
any American in our time can undergo. In
both Offices he gave boundless satisfaction to
his fellow. citizens of both parties His nomi.
nation for the Governorship his State came
in due course, and at crisis in State affairs
which very closely resembled that which we
are now witnessing in national affairs. His
election by an unprecedented majority is
now an old story. 1t was the beginning OF
revolution. 1t was the first thorough
fright the tricky and jobbing element in
l:ts ,,ol t. e. 10
time in their experience gave reform an air
of reality. But it might, had Cleveland
proved q weak or incompetent man, have
turned out very bad blow for pure politics.
Luckily he justified all the expectations
and even all the hopes of those who voted
for him. No friend of good government
who, in disregard of party ties, cast his vote
for him, has had reason TO regret il for one
moment. We owe to his vigorous support
large number of reformatory measures
which people in this State for forty years
had sighed for with little more expectation
of seeing them enacted than of seeing the
Millennium. In other words, he has ar
rested the growth of political despair among
large numbers both of young and old voters
in this State. His messages, too, have been
models of sound common sense and pene-
tratng sagacity, clothed in the terse and
vigorous English which shows that there
is man and not windy phrasemonger
behind the pen. Though last not least,
his best work has been done in ut
ter disregard of the hostility of that
element in his own party which for so
many years has made it an object of min
gled hate and fear to the best part of the
American people. He is in truth demo
crat Of the better age of the democratic
party, when it was party of simplicity and
economy, and might almost have put its
platform into the golden rule Of giving
every man his due, minding your own bust
ness, and asking nothing of government but
light taxes, and security in the field and by
the freside. No one who has entered the
White House for half a century except Lin
coin in his second term, has offered reform
ers such solid guarantees that as President
he will do his own thinking and be his own
master in the things which pertain to the
Presidency.
We say, in the things pertaining to the
Presidency, because we are all very apt in
discussing the merits of Presidential candi-
dates to discuss them on irrelevant grounds.
A Presidential campaign rarely occurs in
which the constitutional distinction between
the different branches Of the Government is
not completely ignored. In the current
popular discussion, the President is apt to
be treated not simply as part of the Leg
islature, but as himself supreme legisa-
tor. His views on the tariff are considered
as anxiously as if the duties on imports
were settled every four years by proca-
nation issued from the White House. His
position on the labor question is examined
as carefully as if he could fix the rate of
wages by general order, or, as O'Donovan
Rosa thinks, clap tax on all Englishmen
and other obnoxious persons entering the
country. The consequence is that the pub
lie attention is apt to be totally distracted
from the kind of administrator he is likely
to make. The true questions for the voter
to ask himself about Presidential candi-
date, especially in crises like the present,
when there is no substantial difference be-
tween the bids which the contending par
ties make for the popular support, are, In
what way will be probably behave in the
proper sphere of Presidential duties? What
kind of nominations to office will he send