Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-09-22
GENRY yyARD BEECHEE.
Hopes ana Relieves cleveland Xili 4
Eiected aud Gives ffis Reasons.

| Hopes ana Relieves CLEVELAND "ili bs
| E Eiectod aud Gives ffis Reasons.
Evidently instigated by plrtisans of Mr..
Blaine, youthful acquaintance of Henry
| Ward Beecher has addressed to him a let.
tor making the following inquiry
| Can you advise young men to voto ioc
Grover Cleveland II tho greatest and
most eloquent of Christian ministers favors
the election OF a conceded libsrtine, pray
tel! NO what is to be expected from young
men who find that such scts arc not to be
| visited with reprobatiou from those to
whom We haye looked for years tor coun
| sci in morals and religion. 1t seems to me
| that no great Christian minister has ever
| 30 palpably held the destinieS of good
morals and religion in his hands as You do
| at this moment.
To this young Inquirer and through him
to his instigators Mr.. Beecher has returned
the following emphatic and convincing
reply
PEEKsKrLL, n. Y, Sept. 10, 1884. .-Hy
Dear Sir: When you are older aud have
had larger experience of public affairs
and political ethics you will regard the
letter sent to me with far different eyes
than you do now.
Who told you aud by what authority do
you state that Cleveland is a libertino-a
notorious libertine ? Do you regard sian
der as part of morality? That story is
slauder. Not particle of evidence has
been adduced to prove that Cleveland is
now an immoral map. That he fell in one
instance, twelve years ago. he frankly
admits. All the stories of continued dis
sipation have been searched and traced to
the Rrog shop and the brothel. Not q single
witness has even pretended that he knew
anything personally, and only hearsay
evidence has been bruited by men who
ought to be ashamed to offer their ears as
sewers to dens OF infamy to suffer their
tongues to commit adultery with notorious
lies.
As regards the sin of Cleveland in the
Halpin case, when divosted of the ex
aggerations, SO far from being an eucour-
agement to sin, 1t will bs vivid example
aud warning to ambitious young men TO
avoid evil and to maintain social purity.
Cleveland has already suffered loss.
modification and damage for the commits
sion of grisvous ain. aud to-day it stands
in his path with rod of chastisement, and
If he fails to gain the highest place in this
government it will be by reason of that
very transgression. That he will be elected
/ both hope and believe, but the chief
danger to his ambition today springs from
that sin OF twelve years ago. Is there no
warning IN that? no voice TO young men ?
Ii believed Cleveland to be a libertine
l would drop him instantly. i do not
believe it ] regard him as grossly
slandered man for political purposes, and
that abuse, instead of deterring me from
supporting him, appeals very strongly to
my generosity and chivalry. That no is a
prudent man, honestly and earnestly desir
ing To adninistrate every trust faithfully
and loyalty, have no doubt. My message
to eyory young man Is. beware of his mis-
take OF yea ago and initiate his virtues OF
today. HENRY WARD BEEcUER,
Dnring Tho Plymouth church service
Sunday evening, to an inaniry CONCERNING
the authenticity Of this letter, Mr.. Beecber
replied emphatically :--"Yes, sir, / wrote
IT, and stand by every word OF it."