Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-03-04
Che Ca,,faster 1ntelliaeirfer
LANCASTER, MARCH 4, 1885.
g WHO'S Grover Cleveland p

oWhO'S GrOVer VIevelhN "
There is no such romance of American |
politics as eliminates to-day in the inaug- |
uration to the highest place of Grover |
Cleveland. 1t has not happened during the |
later periods of our party systems that the |
most conspicuous political figures and the |
men most ardently pressed for the presi- |
dency reached that Office. Jackson con-
quered by his indomitable will power; but
Silas Wright was passed for lesser men. OF
the great senatorial triumvirate, Cal
houn, Webster and Clay, none reached
the goal. Buchanan came to the executive
chair by the easy gradual stages which
rounded out the career of our earlier pub
licists, but Douglas, Seward, Chase, Sey-
mour, Tilden and Blaine were notable in
stances of famous men who by one chance
or another had the cup dashed from their
lips.
It has been the wont of those moralizing
on these events to point to Polk, Pierce
and Lincoln as illustrations of unknown
men selected for availability who were win
ming candidates for their party after hav-
ing been selected by the compromls-
iRG spirit of conventions hut folk
llau seeh ----nr.nt pubic service. Twenty
years before no was nominated for
the presidency he had been elected men,
Der of Congress and took high rank at the
outset of his career as conspicuous
;,. r-, -s..5s,.v.o,.
and supporter of Jackson. He was four
teen years in Congress- term of service
that few members attain and for five ses-
siOns he presided as speaker. lie was gov
ernof of Tennessee and received the nomi
nation of several state legislatures for vice
president with Van Buren,. The question
"Who's Polk, " that was on many tongues
after his nomination in the great Van
Buren-Cass contest, was easily answered
Franklin Pierce had climbed the rounds of
the political ladder until he sat in the
Senate with Webster, Calhoun and Clay
Benton, Silas Wright and Buchanan. He
declined cabinet office, and fought and fell
at the head of gallant command at
CherubuscO. Mr.. Lincoln was no obscure
man when he was raised TO greater
eminence by his defeat of Seward
in the Chicago Republican convention of
nois for twenty years, member of Con-
gress, candidate for vice president, and his
memorable canvass with Douglass for
United States senator gave him promi-
nence before the people of the whole coun-
try.
1t has been doubted whether the man
who was inaugurated president at high
noon to-day, in the federal capital, was
ever within its limits before he went there
to take his oath of office. Certainly he was
scarcely known beyond narrow circle in
Western New York three years ago. He
had held and he baano Restly and wisely
ADMINISTERED certain local offices,
which require no emineNpt ability and
which many men have cteditably filled
without gaining gdistinction.\ Certainly his
name had not been whisperedl connection
with even congressional office, hpd if it had
been mentioned in national convention
it would have required an introduction to
the delegation from his own state.
Mr.. Cleveland's nomination to the 1Eatsssfi:: Eatssfi::
dency, after his extraordinary, -psfaority as
the candia---6r'h MS party for governor
IND afta. his very brilliant and successful
state administration, need excite no special
wonder. In view of New YOrk's empire
place and controlling influence in later.
day politics and the sagacity
of its politicians, his nomination is
easily explained and his election was
the triumph alike of a great party, of great
principles, of good management and of a
strong candidate.
The marvel of his career lies in his hom-
ination for governor, while he was simply
mayor of Buffalo, and when he was such a
stranger to New York state politics and
politicians. For they do not, over there,
as a rule, select candidates for governor
from strangers to their politics. Mr.. Cleve-
land had not been factor in the dominat-
ing Tilden organization of that state on
the contrary his associations in Buffalo
had been rather with the anti-Tilden ele-
ment.
What happy accident directed the at.
tentiOn of some leader of thought
to him? What event turned pop.
ular sentiment toward this un.
known individual as the coming man in
American politics 7 This may, perhaps
never be disclosed or, indeed, no one may
be able to tell it with certainty. But, in
the light of later events, any one who will
review the career of Mr.. Cleveland in
minor office will discover running through
his official conduct a consistent apprecia-
tion Of public duty, which in itself ex-
plains the success of his political career
and gives abundant promise of its con-
tinuance. When he accepted the nomination
of his party for president he said:
/ am Democrat because believe that
this truth lies at the foundation of true De-
mocracy l have kept the faith because
believe, II rightly and fairly administered
and applied, Democratic doctrines and
measures will insure the happiness, con-
tentment and prosperity of the people. NJ,
ia the contest upon s0hich zoe aOa enter, s0e
steddJdstiy hold 10 the underlying principles
Of oar party creed, and at al times keep ia
pteR Me peoples good, We shall he strong,
because we are true to ourselves, and because
the plain and independent voters of the
land win seek by their suiirages to compass
their release from party tyrI ny where there
should be submission 20 the popular will,
and their protection from pariy> corruption
where there should be devotion 20 the
peoples interests
With nothing behind this uttsranes to