Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-10-14
LIVING ISSUES.
Discussed by Senator John Sher-
man.
CLEVeLAND'S ADMINISTRATION IN
ITS TREATMENT OF SOLDIERS
AND THE COUNTRY.


mouth, O., September %, after reviewing the
records of the Republican and Democratic
parties for the past thirty years said: THE
Democratic party, by a vote Of the electoral
college, is now in control Of the executive
branch of the government. Grover Cleve-
land, who lived and moved and had his being
during all these years in Buffalo, N. Y,
without showing particle Of feeling or SYM
pathy for the Union cause, without a name
or a record as a citizen or soldier until he
was recently elected sheriff of his county, is
now president of the United States. This is
q remarkable fact, and the causes which led
to it are well worthy the consideration Of
the American people. 1t was brought about,
not by the discoutent of the Republican
masses, for the great body of them, embrac-
ing large majorities in nearly all of the loyal
states, heartily supported the Republican
nominees, but by coalition between the
states lately in rebellion and the city of New
York, aided no doubt to some extent by the
usual and natural defections and personal
controversy growing out of long administra-
tion of power by a Jingle party. There is no
pretense or claim TShatever that the princi-
Piles or policy of the Republican party in the
past have not been right, liberal and patri-
otic. And yet the great mass of the loyal
people of the United States, whose patriotic
services and support preserved the Union,
are compelled by this political revolution to
witness the government administered and
controlled by the very party and men who
sought by war to overthrow it, or who did,
as minority in the north, what they could
to weaken the Union cause.
81 do not stop here to depict the means re-
sorted to in the south to deprive more than
one million legal voters of their right to vote
whenever their votes would change the re-
suit, but take the case in its mildest form
the administration, in its appointments, sur
roundings and sympathies, represents the
triumph of the rebel cause. The restoration
to power of the Democratic party is the res
toration to power of all that were disloyal
north or south during the war, and is the de-
feat of the great party which sustained, up
held and supported the Union cause and the
national authority during and since tbe war.
1 do not know how you feel about this mat
ter, but aside from all differences about
minor questions, feel that, for the honor of
our country, for the vindication of its his
tory, for this generation at least the loyal
people of the country and not the disloyal
should be trusted with power in the govern
ment, should represent abroad, and guide its
policy and write its history. 1 have no feel
ing of resentment against the southern
people, and l would not deny them a single
right 1 ask for myself, and respect them
more than l do the grumbling copperheads
of the north; still, the Union cause was tri-
umphant, and those in sympathy with that
cause should mould its'results, or, at most,
only those who heartily acquiesce in these re-
suits should be trusted to execute them.
"And now, fellow-citizens, after eighteen
months trial are you satisfied with the result
of the change! Have Mr.. Cleveland and the
Democratic party adopted any policy or pro-
posed any measure that can be of any posi-
BILE service to the people of Ohio or of the
United States.
OUR FOREIGN AFFAIRS.
"But what shall we say of his management
of our foreign affairs? Our fishing vessels
are seized and detained for purchasing bait
at Canadian ports, right claimed and exer-
cised for half century, no firm remon-
STRANGE. made, but gentle and prolonged
negotiation is going on with the British au-
thorities to coax or buy right or privilege
only now denied. do not wish to criticise
until we know all the facts which we may be
able to learn next winter. But this gentle
dalliance with Great Britain is in striking
contrast with the clustering demand made
upon our neighboring republic, Mexico, for
the possession Of a characterless American
adventursr, who, in Mexico, violated the laws
of Mexico, and seems to have been too mildly
treated for his offense by the Mexican au-
thorities. l regret to say that see nothing
in the character or fitness of the men sent to
represent us abroad, or in the management
of foreign affairs that can at all compare
with that of Seward or Fish. But the people
of the United States care but little for for
eign diplomacy, but would like fewer Con-
federate brigadiers and more American
patriots to represent evena Democratic ad-
ministration abroad.
ain the presidential canvass the chief charge
against Republican administration was the
boarding of idle money i'll the treasury.
You are told that we-and / was the chief
sinner-hoarded up four hundred millions of
the peoples currency TO make money scarce
and the times hard. When l replied that all
this money belonged to the banks and the
people and was held in trust by the govern
ment, except one hundred and forty millions
held for the redemption of United States
notes, you were told that If all should be paid
out, that greenbacks were good enough with
out redemption, and that we could buy more
silver and issue silver certificates, or more
greenbacks if necessary In this way, they
told us, enough money would be got
out of the treasury to buy every family so
many barrels of flour. Such trash beguiled
many an honest voter, but not in Ohio. The
solid south wanted no such reason for their
vote. They voted as they would have voted
during the war and as they fought 1t was
the memory of the war that made the south
solid in favor of a Democratic administra-
tion. But this demagogical cry was the
chief reason given for a change in Indiana
and the west. How did the president and the
secretary of the treasury respond to the cryi
When they came into power they repudiated
this pretense, and increased the reserve in
the treasury $50, ,000, 900, excluded fractional
coin from the count and changed the form of
the debt statement so as to obscure this re-
suit. So this pretense for change was re-
pudiated by the chief beneticiaries OF the
change.
THEY WANTED A CHANGE.
"They said they wanted a change to make
times easy, to make money plenty and to get
out of the tolls of Wall street and th- money
sharks. How has this promise been realiEedi
Were the times made easy by Democratic
SUGGEST Is money more plenty or easier 0otI