Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-08-29
The Religious Conscience of
the Country Calls Oh MIR.
Cleveland to Withdraw as n
Candidate for President.

w " nov ~ hAbAAOA W paw llO AbJOAi
ton to the attitude of the religious
journals Of different denomination
toward the so-called Buffalo scan
dalS, but their declarations are i'm
portant and constitute a most note
worthy feature in this unpreceden
ted canvass. The most striking
utterance is perhaps that of thu
Independent of this city, hitherto
a paper of Republican proclivities
but devoted since the nomination
of Mr.. Blaine and the Republican
revolt to the success of Mr.. Cleve
land. Now the Independent finds
that it cannot support Cleveland
any longer. We quote its article:
ave published last week, in Oul
correspondence columns, com
munication from DR.. Kinsley Twin
ing, one of our editorial staff, Civ
ing the result of his investigation
in regard to the Cleveland scandal
The grave and serious part of thi;
scandal, which he declares that he
found to be true, is that which i'm
putes personal impurity to Mr.
Cleveland in the specific instance
that has come to the knowledge Of
the public. We cannot in view Of
all the facts, resist the conclusion
that this partOf the scandal is true:
and this is quite enough to deter
mine our course.
"This damaging charge came up
on us wholly unexpected, and with
the sudden, stunning force of a
thunderbolt out Of a clear sky
None we're more surprised and
overwhelmed by it than the Cover
nOr's friends and intimates among
the Independents of Buffalo, and ii
was a case that called for thorough
and fearless investigation.
"That we felt this in every fibre,
and that we intended to impress
this feeling on our readers, and to
hold ourselves absolutely free to
act as circumstances required, is
the simple truth; and our silence
as to the Cleveland nomination
from that day was intended.
owe utterly refuse to accept two
standards of character. We repu-
date with contempt the doctrine
that a public mans private life is
not to be inquired into. DR.. Twin
ing's investigation went on the re-
cOgnitiOn of this principle.
"On this subject, as it now stands
we will not be slow to give advice.
The conditions have wholly chang
ed since the Independent Confer
ence. Then we were ready with a
a real enthusiasm to support the
tried and, as we then believed,
honest refOrmer, Grover Cleveland.
Now, without one word in deroga-
ton of his record as Governor of
this State, our enthusiasm is wiped
out by the discovery of the acknOwl-
edged and awful facts.
eve hence desire to have all our
readers plainly understand, once
for all, that whatever has been said
in the editorial columns Of the In
dependent favorable to the cleo.
ton of Gov. Cleveland was said
prior to the recent sickening dis
closures in regard to his private
character, which have justly shock
ed the moral sense of all pure and
right-minded people. The attempt
now to force such a candidate upon
the people would in our opinion,
disgrace to the party which nominal
ted him, and the whole nation, if he
should be elected. We will have
no hand or voice in helping on this
matter, let the consequences be
what they may, and we will not
advise the readers of the 1ndepen-
dent to smother their conscience
and disgrace themselves by engag-
ing directly or indirectly in any
such movement.
awe are now in serious difficulty
as nation in regard to the I'M
checked progress Of MOrmOnism ;
and shall we now, in the face of
threatening evils and perils, plunge
into a deeper gulf by any seeming
indifference as to the private char
acter of one who has been nOmina-
ted to FIJI the highest Office in the
gift Of the people? We say No, a
thousand times No. Gov. Cleve-
land should positively decline to be
a candidate, and withdraw imme-
diately from the canvass, and be
compelled to do so if it is necessary
The party which nominated him
through its chosen representatives
should then recOnvene and select
a new ticket that will command the
hearty support Of the people of all
parties. There is time enough to
do this, and there is no hope or
safety in any other course. To stand
still now, or to attempt to go blind
ly forward with the present ticket,
would, in our judgement, be an in
suit to the Ruler Of Nations, sure
death to the Democratic party, in
also its leaders, and an
everlasting disgrace to the repub-
lic."
The CongregatiOnaliSt, the lead
ing religious newspaper in New
of the denomination from
which it takes its name, reviews !
today the several sO.called refuta- |
tons of the charge that Mr..
Cleveland's private life has been
icentious. We quote its conclu-
siOns.
eff twere true that GOv.'Cleve-
and could be shown to have
abandoned evil courses seven or
Eight years ago, and to have
ived since, and to be living at
present, an upright life, very many
people, while not failing to con-
Tenn that past sin and to regret
hat any candidate who has such a
lark fact in his his history should