The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1884-08-30
MR.. HENDRICKS, MISTAKE.
The Indignation HIS Letter Has
stirred UD-Tho Cleveland Scandal
Will Have weight with tho People.

Will Have weight with tho People.
The New York SIN Of yesterday pub
fishes tho following communication COM
menting upon Mr.. Hendricks recent letter.
1t is worthy of careful perusal
ITO HE Editor ofthe Sun;
"SIR: have hitherto thought highly of
Mr. Hendricks, and have wished that his
name might have stood at the head of the
Democratic ticket. But Mr. Hendricks
letter, as published in this mornings Sun,
goes far toward restoring tho tickets
equilibrium, the Ex-Governor Of Indiana
having condescendcd to lower himself TO
the moral level of the present Governor of
Now York. Mr., Hendricks letter, brief as
IT is, is false in its assertions, illogical in its
argument, corrupt in its morals and mac
curato in Its language. Let me demonstrate
these four propositions
First--It is false In its assertions. He
says: Tho Cleveland scandal will not have
weight with the people He knows and
everybody knows, that tho Cleveland
scandal as he calls IL, has had weight will
havo weight and must have weight with
the people The very letter to which Mr.,
Hendricks is an answer proves this; the
number Of prominent and influential men
who have openly declared their detormina-
tion not to support Cleveland because of
this scandal proves 1t; and tho uttorances
of the press, and of virtuous men and
women through the press, aud tho prl-
vato talk of virtuous men and women
everywhere-all these combine to prove
beyond doubt or question, that tho
Cleveland scandal, using again Mr.. Hen
bricks incorrect expression, will have
weight, and tremendous weight, with the
people-weight enough, IL is to BIO hoped, to
| 10 sink lechery, licentiousness, adultery,
oIttltnrara oaa1 THAR 1aTanHnrq Qunnartara
| and apologists beyond the reach of resur-
| raction.
"secondly-It is illogical in its argu-
| ment, He says: Three times Governor
| Cleveland has stood the test of popular can
vass.' From which fact he would draw two
differences: First, that tho people have three
times overlooked, condoned, honored and
rewarded Mr. Cleveland's licentious crimi-
nality; and secondly, that they are there
fore ready and willing to do 1t again. But
this important consideration Mr.. Hendricks
fails to consider, namely, the corruption Of
Mr.. Cleveland's moral character, was not
then, as it is now, known, proved and ad-
mitted. When Mr.. Cleveland was elected
| Sheriff, Mayor, or Governor, it was not, a9
it is now, a matter of public notoriety, con.
ceded by his friends and himself that only
few years ago, when he was, not boy
nor youth, but man in his maturity, 80
years Of age, he was guilty of running, or of
| helping to ruin, In connection with some
Of his vile companions, the widowed mother
of two innocent children, and that he &C.
knowledged himself to be the father of her
| illegitimate child, which child, by tho by,
is to-day, if living, tho only person, as far
as known, entitled to the heirship of Mr..
Cleveland's name and honors. To infer,
from what the people thought aud did
when Mr.. Cleveland's character was UNI
known to them, that they will think and
do the same now that he Is admitted to
have been rake and libertine, is certainly
the poorest kind of logic.
"Thirdly-It is corrupt in its morals. lie
says that tho Cleveland scandal ought mol
have weight with the people. / say II
ought. Thousands and thousands say ii
ought. Virtue says it ought. Morality
says it ought. Common decency says il
ought. Ought not have weight with the
people,!
an the history of the race, in the history
| Of all nations, no crime has been more in
sidious in its workings, more damning in
its consequences, than the crime Of liOenti-
business. And Mr.. Hendricks knows this
| and every one knows it, and no one, not
even Mr.. Cleveland, will deny it. And
then to say that admitted immortality
acknowledged RIGHTEOUSNESS, tainted
character. ought not have weight with thu
| people. 'OugnU not! NOulu JuhU pc YOU
opinion, Mr.. Hondricks, If tho deluded
woman was your mother your daughter
your sister, your wife? Mrs. Halpin was
daughter, once pure; a sister, once pure; {
wife, once pure a mother once pure. Mr.
Cleveland, had he been noble man, a true
man, would have tried to save her for hel
own sake for the sake Of her father and
mother and for the sake of her innocent
children ; but his lust was greater than hi!
manhood, and, to crafty himself, he con
tributed all he could toward hor disgrace
and ruin. And yet, 1t ought not have
weight with the people
"Fourthly-lt is inaccurate In its Ian
guage. And such inaccuracy hides beneath /
gross Ierverson Of the TRUTH otherwise
would not notice It. He uses this expires
sion, "old and exploded private ISLANDERS,
and such as these, he claims, should not
and will not ipjure Mr.. Cleveland. They
shouldn't. admit it. But this story /;
not old; it has only been made public
within few weeks. 1t Is not exploded,
which implies denied" "Iefuted," "dis
proven" for it is admitted by all parties
and by Mr.. Cleveland himself. 1t is not 8
Islander" for it Is the conceded truth.
"Do you, Mr.. Hendricks, as a man,
Democrat, a citizen, patriot, believe tina
the best interests of this country Of tn
people, of truth and of morality, to sa.
nothing Of religion, will be promoted b,
comforting our two highest national honor:
the offices of President and Vice-President
upon lcentious rake and his defende
and apologist? f."
NEW YORK, Aug. 81.