Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-08-23
.The Crisis OF Our Duty"

"The Crisis OF Our Duty"
WHY THE INDEPENDENT" wITHpRAws
IT'S SUPPORT FROM GOVERNOR oLEvE-
LAID.
New YoRK, Aug. 20.--The Lsde-
pendent, the leading religious
newspaper, in q double-leaded ed
itorial to-day, says: Eve publish
ed last week, in our correspon-
dence columns, a communication
from Or. Kinsley Twining, one Of
our editorial staff. giving the result
of his investigation in regard to
the Cleveland scandal. The grave
and serious part of this scandal,
which he declares that he found to
be true, is that which imputes
personal impurity to Mr.. Cleve
land 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 part of the scandal is
true, and this is quite enough to
determine our course.
This damaging charge came
upon us wholly unexpected, and
with the sudden, stunning force
of q thunderbolt out of q clear
sky. None were more surprised
and overwhelmed by it than the
Governors friends and intimates
among the Independents of Buf-
falo, and it was a case that called
for thorough and fearless inves-
tigation.
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.
We utterly refuse to accept two
standards Of character. We re-
pudiats with contempt the doc
trine that q mans private life is not
to be inquired into. DR.. Twin
ings investigation went on the
recognition 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 real enthusiasm to support the
tried and, as we then believed,
honest reformer, Grover Cleve-
land. Now, without one word in
derogation of his record as COVER
nor of this state, our enthusiasm
is wiped out by the discovery of
the acknowledged and awful facts.
We hence desire to have all our
readers plainly understand, once
for all, that whatever has been
said in the editorial columns of
the Independent favorable to the
election of Governor Cleveland
was said prior to the recent sick
ening disclosures in regard to his
private character, which have just
~ shocked the moral sense of all
pure and right-minded people.
The attempt now to force such q
candidate upon the people would,
in our opinion, disgrace the party
which nominated him and the
whole nation if he should be cleo
ted. 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 Independent to
smother their conscience and dis
grace themselves by engaging
directly or indirectly in any such
movement.
We are now in serious difficulty
as q 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 q deeper gulf by any seeming
indifference as to the private char
| acter Of one who has been nomina-
ted to fill the highest Office in the
gift Of the people 7 We say no !!
e thousand times no ! Governor
Cleveland should positively decline
to be . candidate, and withdraw
Immediately from the canvass. and
be compelled to do so if ssit is nee
essary. The party which nom-
mated him through its chosen rep
L ~>~~>A~ks-~~ ~A~.11 49, 1900