The Indianapolis journal., 1884-10-24
LIBBRrINIsM AND HONORABLE MARRIAGE,

could have said9"
LIBBRTINIsM AND HONORABLE MARRIAGE.
If anybody imagnes that this is not fight
between genteel lbertinism and honorable
marriage, let him undeceive himself. Maddened
by the confidence felt for Mr.. Blaine by the
best citizens of Indiana, and notably by the
Christian ministers of Indianapolis, the In
dianapols Sentinel returns to its vomt in the
following brutal fashion, the brutality being
all the more palpable and infamous when it is
remembered that it is tissue of falsehoods,
libeling one of the purest and noblest women
in the land:
''To see these ministers following up and
deifying this man, who is self-convicted OF
lies enough to rank him with Ananias him
SELF this man who, by the testimony of one
of his leading organs, has cohabited with cor
ruption for dishonest gains; this man who de-
bauched a young woman and then left her to
walk before her associates as a woman OF
shame; this man who enjoined secresy upon
a marriage the publicity Of which was neces-
stry to show that his first child was
born within wedlock; this man who, after
that secret marriage, returned to Ken
tucky and passed himself off as sin
gle man, while his wife was suffering
the agony of childbirth and the modification
of social ostracism 1000 miles away; this man
who refused for eleven months after his secret
nuptials to Join his wife ald child; this man
who sought to deceive the public upon the
reports of Irregularities in his private life by
saying the story is utterly and abominably
false in every statement and in every implica-
ton, and who, one month later, under legal
compulsion, confessed the truth of the same
reports.
So detestable was the character of the Senti-
nel's lies, and so heavily did they bear upon
the more decent and self-respecting Demo
cratic papers, that the Louisville Courier
Journal was moved to denounce the Sentinel's
libel as the ''the basest and foulest job Of
scoundrelism that ever found its way into an
American canvass" Yet just such scoundrel-
ism is thought to be necessary. And why,
but because the private life of the Dem
ocratic candidate is SO reeking with
debauchery that the ministers of the
nation feel impelled to formally and emphat
elevation to the presidency. Seek to palliate
his repeated offenses as they may, the issue is
plainly drawn between the domestic freside
and the brothel. Eight years ago Grover
Cleveland was living in adultery. Seven
years ago an illegitimate son was born to him,
and he saved his 'honorv only by dishonoring
the woman he had betrayed. Freed from her
he took up with another woman-a half7witted
German girl-and another child was born out
of wedlock. Up to as late as July last the
Buffalo clergymen-thirty in number-fnd
that Cleveland was guilty of sprees. of drunk
enness and debauchery. Loath to defle their
hands with the pitch of his moral turpitude
they have revealed but the tithe of this mans
immortality, and the public is left to draw its
own conclusions. To make some show of
offsetting the terrible indictment brought
against its nominee the Sentinel, with filthy
feet and sacrileglous hands, dared to invade one
sault with infamous lies one of the noblest
women of her time. Her spotless do
mestic life, extending over thirtyfour years,
her honorable wfehood and motherhood were
no protection against the wanton attack of
this human vulture, which sought to tear her
robe of virtue from her character to serve as a
cloak for confessed libertine-the father of
bastardsl A more atrocious, damnable out
rage never was attempted before. Succeed
ing now in its infamous purpose, no wife, no
mother, no home in all the land IS safe from
this form of unique and dastardly scoundrelism.
Unless We misunderstood the temper of Amer
lean husbands and fathers, the time is near at
hand when fitting rebuke will be admin
istered.