The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-09-01
RAISING DEAD DEMOCRATS.
Want Is sa:d OF the Living AID Ct the Dead or
the Party.
(Fcom the Waterbury American }

~ hat - SRs0 OF the LIVING l:ia VI aiS DSao VI
the Party.
fFcom the Waterbury Ancrican)
What remarkably good, patriotic men,
are number Of distinguished Demo
Gratis now that they arc dead, and can
never again be candidates for the SUI
tragcs Of the american people. There
was Seymour-;n life copperhead who
truckled to mobs; and in death one Of
the hndest- hearted of gentlemen, with
character above rcproach, whose fame
is heritage New York should ever cher
ish. There was Eancock-in life ga
good man weighing 26o pounds" the
tool Of designing politicians; in death a
brave, gallant soldier, without fear and
without rcproach, honored and respected
by ali who knew him. And there above
ali was Tilden-in life cold usufruct, "
the ':sage of CIPHER alley" whose name
was a synonym for low, disreputable
cunning in orthodox Republican poiti-
cal circles, ''who stole the livery OF the
court of Heaven to serve the devil in"
in death a patriot who, in whatever he
did, acted only and purely from an IN
tense love Of country, never a self
seeker, and whose final deed il leaving
the bulk Of his great fortune for the
benefit of the people WAS but the crown
inc act Of a career OF disinterested pa
triotism. We can sec the historian Of
the future, as he compares what was
said of the great leader, living, by his
political opponents, with what they said
OF him dead, moraizing for the benefit
of generations yet unborn on the short:
sighted habit Of lying, so soon to be con-
demned out of his own mouth.
We can even see the future historian
sitting down to review the first year and
q half of Grover Cleveland's administra-
ton. Beside him will be great mass OF
clippings from Republican papers, con-
tanning editorials on him while he was
yet in power They will discant on the
size OF his neck and any little personal
habit that may be turned into ridicule.
TAcy will speak Of his hypocritical de-
sire to appear to carry out his pledges to
the civil service reformers, while III real
ity he was prostituting the public service
to carry out the designs of Caesars
ambition for second term. Th"v will
show the imbecility which has cha r
lied his State papers, and the blunders
he has been guilty of in trying to pass
himself off as party leader, etc., etc.
Then the historian will turn to these
same papers-ve hope many years IN the
undiscovered futare-for editorial com
ments on Cleveland's death. He will
find this same period Of his administra-
ton characterized as one in which an
earnest effort was made to serve the pub
lie faithfully. AL through it will be
noted the conduct Of affairs was treated
with uncstertatious business common
sense. Honest money was upheld and
national credit strengthened; our rights
abroad were maintained without bluster;
the spoilsmen were kept at bay by strong
efforts and the tone of the public service
raised; appointments to office were on
the whole exceptionally good.
All that has thus far been limited at was
well said the other day by the poet lau-
reate of the Republican party-John
Grcenleaf Whittier. Coming forth from
his retirement to lay a tribute on the
grave of Samuel J. Iilden, who was of
all the Democratic leaders OF our day the
most bitterly and unjustly maigned by
the Republican press, MIR. Whittier
closes with these words:
'sThen let Us vow above his bier
To set our feet on party lies,
And wound no more living ear
With words that death denies.
VIII not those words Of one who has
never faltered in devotion to any great
cause or in support of the Republican
party with which he has been identified
from his birth, strike q responsive chord
in many hearts? There is little gained
by indiscriminate abuse Of the living.
The public discounts it and makes up its
own mind about its truth or falsity. 1t
accompLshes no good party end except
to keep alive feelings OF intense partisan
ship in breasts where in any case they
would never die out.
Why not, then, be fair in criticislng
the living? When must our criticism be
followed by erlogy at the bier?