The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-08-23
THE CHARGES SWEPT AWAY.
A Political Scandal Speedily
Settled.


Settled.
Report of Committee of Inde-
pendent Republicans, DWELL
ing in Buffalo, Concerning
Accusations Against
Gov. Cleveland.
To tie independent Republicans of
tie Nation.
BUFFALO, n. Y, August, o.
AS Republicans and Indepen-
dents residing in Buffalo. and hav-
peculiar means of knowledge, we
have been called upon by private let
tiers and otherwise for information in
regard to the scandals which have
been put in circulation respecting
Gov. Cleveland's private life. We
have felt it to be duty imposed
on us by circumstances to examine
these stories in detail and to make
a formal statement of the results.
No such examination would have
been necessary to satisfy ourselves;
but it was due to those who had
read the charges against Governor
Cleveland without knowing person
ally his general character and repu-
tation in this community, and with
out knowing either the position or
the means of information of those
who have made the charges, that
we should not put forth a mere
general statement without a pre-
vious investigation.
We have. therefore, through
committee appointed from our num-
Der for that purpose, carefully and
deliberately made an investigation,
and we have taken every available
means to ascertain the precise facts
in each case.
The general charges of drunken
ness and gross immortality which
are made against Gov. Cleveland
are absolutely false. His reputa-
ton for morality has always been
good. There is no foundation for
any statement to the contrary.
He was sought out and nominated
for the Mayoralty against his will
and was supported for that position
by the larger portion of the educa-
ted, intelligent, and moral citizens
Of Buffalo without regard to poll
tics, and on purelypersonal grounds.
After he had gone through this
contest he was again put forward
as one of the most distinguished
citizens of Buffalo as a candidate
for the Governorship, and again re-
ceived the support ofthe same class
of his fellow citizens. In this COM
munity, where he had lived for 20
years, and where his life was known
and his character we'll understood,
this support would not have been
given to him had he been either a
drunkard or a libertine. We are
to speak from personal knowledge
as his acquaintance of long stand
ing, and to say that his general pri-
vate life has been that of a quiet,
orderly, selfrespecting, and always
highly respected citizen.
Since he assumed his present of.
fee his visits to Buffalo have been
few and Of short duration. 1t is sus-
ceptible of absolute proof, and has
been proved to us, that upon no
one of these visits has anything oc-
CURED to justify the statements
which have been made by his de-
tractors. The charge that he has
recently taken part in a drunken
and licentious bebauch in Buffalo
on the occasion of such visit is
entirely false.
We have been particularly care
full and thorough in our investiga-
tons of the alleged betrayal, alb
duction, and inhuman treatment of
a woman of this city as detailed in
a local newspaper. The circum-
stances out of which this story was
fabricated occurred eight years ago.
The woman in question was at that
time a widow, between 80 and 40
years Of age, with two children,
the younger of whom was 10 years
old. The facts of the case show that
she was not betrayed, and that the
allegations respecting her abduc-
ton and ill-treatment are
WHOLLY FALSE.
We deem these the only features
Of the charge in connection with
the matter which constitute pub
lie question requiring any declara-
ton on our part.
Our examination of the other
charges which have been made
against Gov. Cleveland's private
character shows that they are who
ly untrue. In every instance in
which the reports and insinuations
have been tangible enough to fur
nish clue to guide us in our in
vestigation they have been posi-
lively proved to be false.
The attack upon Gov. Cleveland
character is thoroughly discredited
when we consider the sources from
which it comes. 1t was first pub
licly made in Buffalo by newspa-