The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1884-07-22
Grover Cleveland.
Harper's Weekly.

Harper's Weekly. c5.
The nomination of Gov. Cleveland de.
fines sharply the actual issue OF the Pres
idential election Of this year. He Is a
man whose absolute official integrity has
never been questioned, who has no iabo:
rious and doubtful explanations to IN.
dertake, and who is universally known
as the Governor of New York elected by
an unprecedented insjorisy which was
not par,i an, aad represented both the
votes aud the consent Of an enor nous
body Of Republicans, and who as the
Chief Executive Of the State has steadily
withstood the Establishments and the
threats of the worst elements OF his
party, and has justly earned the reputs-
ton of courageous, independent, and
efficient friend aud promoter OF admin
istratIve reform. H Hs name has become
that Of the especial representative smorg
our public men Of the integrity, purity
and economy of administration which
are the objects Of the most intelligent
and patriotic citizens. The hitter and
furious hostility Of Tammanv Hall and
Of Gen. Butler to Grover Cleveland is
his passport TO the confidence of good
men, and the general conviction tina,
Tammanv will do all that it can to defeat
him will he an additional incentive to the
voters who cannot support Mr.. Blaine,
and who are unwilling not to vote at all,
to secure the election OF candidate
whom the political rings and the party
traders instinctively' hate and unitedly
oppose.
So. firm and "clean" and independent
in his high Office has Gov. Cleveland
shown himself 60 be that he is den0unc.
ed as not being n Democrat by his Dem
ocrstic opponents. This denuncistiou
springs from the fact that he has not
hesitated to prefer the public welfare to
the mere interest of his party. Last au-
tntnn, when the Democratic District At
|tornev Of Queens County was charged
with misconduct, the Governor heard
the accusation and the defense. and de-
cided that it was his duty to remove the
officer He was asked hy his party
friends to defer the removal until after
the election,as other wise the party would
lose the district by the opposition Of the
attorneys friends. The, Governor un-
derstood his duty, and removed the Off.
Ger some days before the election. and
the party did lose the district. This kind
of courage and devotion to public duty
in the teeth Of the most vlruent opposi
ton Of traders Of his own party is IN
usual In any public man, and it shows
precisely the executive quality wLich is
demanded at time when every form OF
speculation and fraud. presses upon ,he
public Treasury the specious plea OF par.
ty advantage. .-s
The argument that in an election 1t il
not man but party that is supported.
and thst the Democratic party is less to
be trusted than the Republican is futile
at time when the Republican party has
nominated q candidate whom great
body Of the most conscientious Repub-
Iicans cannot support, aud the Demo-
cratic party has nominated candidate
whom great body OF the most venal
Democrats practically bolt. Distrust OF
the Democratic party springs from the
conduct of the very Democrats who
madly oppose Gov. Cleveland. because
they cannot use him. The mere party
argument is vain also because no hon.
orsble man will be whipped in to vote
for . candidate whom he believes to be
personally disqualified for the Presi-
dency on the ground that q party ought
to be sustained NJ honest Republican
would sustain his party for such rea.
son, and the honest Republicans who
propose to vote for Mr.. Blaine, will do
so because they do not believe, as the
protesting Republicans do believe. that
he made his officis. action subserve o
personal advantage. Nothing IS more
hopeless than an attempt to persuade
such Republicans to sustain their party
by voting for an unworthy candidate.
Should the Republicans help to reward
such a candidate nv cohferring npon
him the highest off .ial honor in the
world they could not reasonably expect
the nomination of o worthier candidate
at the next election, and they conld moi
consistently oppose the election Of any
candidate whom the party might select
Tue time to defeat unfit nominations is
when they Are made, not next time The
nomination of Governor Cleveland Is
due not so much to the preference Of
his party as 10 the general denand Of
the country for 9 candidate who stands
for precisely the qualities and services
which are associated with his name