Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-08-08
Aanraster fntfIIigenrfr.
FRIDAY EVENING, AUG. Q. lee4. ::
A Test of NaIntIiness.

A Test OF SaIntIiness.
The New York Evening Post consid-
ers very frankly the question of the
relations Of men with women as touch
ing their public career. II truly says
that nearly all Of the great men who
have figured conspicuously in the history
OF the world would have had little part
In Its affairs IL they had been barred
therefrom by the lack of the virtue of
continence. In the face OF this fact II
Is hardly worthwhile to argue whether
the world has been right or wrong in not
demanding this kind of virtue from
those to whom II has yielded applause and
power for other virtues and for exalted
faculties. 1t is not to be denied that
men are Judged by what they are able to
do; and II they can do great
deeds and display great virtues,
in the conduct of the affairs Of the peo
pie, their weaknesses toward the other
sex have not been accounted against
them. The attempt has always been
futile to drag them down with tales of
the immoralities of their private liie
unless perchance there may have been
something of particular aggravation in
them. The world has set up a
standard of manhood which would
not endure the scrutiny of its moral or
even statute laws A; and it is established
by common sufferauce, and its existence
has heretofore been generally recognized
in political contests. In the one we are
engaged in new test is applied 10 Gov.
Cleveland by his political foes, in default
OF material for assaults upon his public
virtue. The demand is made that he
must prove the entire confluence of bis
private life to entitle him to elevation to
the chief magistracy.
1t is safe to say that if this test is to
be applied to presidential candidates
there will be great scarcity of material
for the office. Suppose that Governor
Cleveland should resign his candidacy,
as his enemies call upon him to do, what
would be the position of the Democrats iC
convention called TO select a candidate
in his stead obviously, such test hav.
ing been raised and its candidates res &
nItion being proffered TO it in cons e
quence If it accepted it, its function
would be to find q candidate not thu
assailable and 1t would need to ente,
into a critical examination of the live
of all its statesmen, from their youth
up, starting out with categorical ex
animation of them as TO whether or IL
they had ever broken this commandment
or any other one. The statement of sucl
a position for u national convention
sutfices itself to show how impracticabl,
is the requirement made from candidate
for Office Of absolute purity in their pri
vate relations. Conventions and tn
psople, in selecting public officers, cai
only look TO their general public recUrC
for virtue and morality. II man dis
charge well and honestly his public
duties and is decent in his private life
his character will pass muster in hi!
candidacy for office. Gov. Cleveland ha
lived respectable life, and has gaincl
high place by the suffrage of his fellow
citizens; and when now he is before
them for greater preferment, the allega
tons against the proprie.y of his pri.
vate life, which spring from campaign
malice, will not be effectively urged
against him without overthrowing all
the conditions which have so far been
laid for political preferment.
We have thus spoken in the suppositiOr
that there may be something of sub
stance in the charge that Governor
Cleveland has not been always continent
We have given him credit for the pos
session of ordinary human passions, anC
for exercising no more than the Ordinar,
restraint over them. How it may il
fact he we do not know, and no suili
cient evidence has yet appeared. Wha
we do know is that the public demand NJ
unreasonable qualification for holding
Office, and that absolute personal purIty
would be such demand. The man whc
would meet it would hardly be one whC
would be otherwise qualified for Office
The world was not established to b.
ruled by saints ; and the saints are no
plenty enough to go around in the offices
If it waS.