Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1886-10-16
WHY he APPOINTED MATTHEWS TO
SUCCEED DOUGLASS.

correct nOtt1y US at ONCE IL
WHY he APPOINTED MATTHEW'S II
SUCCEED DOUGLASS.
The Right Man for the Place.
His Reason for Thinking Their
Must be Colored Democrats.
From the N. Y. Herald
SARANAC INN VIA. PAUL SMITHS N
Y.-The Appointment ofMr. Matthews il
place of Frederick Douglass, resigned
has made quite a stir even in these
Adirondack forests. When the Herald
containing a large variety of opinions
both pro and con, reached this place
the matter was discussed freely, and
with very general approval of the pres.
ident's course. Armed with the Herald
1 went at once t MI. Cleveland's cot
tage. 1 was of course received with
courtesy, for the president is one OF the
most accessible of men, and, if one
happens t have no x to grind, one
OF the most cordial. Endowed with a
very remarkable faculty tor silence
whenever he wishes to avoid a danger
Gus topic, he is very affable and ready
to talk on a subject which he feels free
to discuss. He was sitting on the hotel
piazza, when l asked for q few minu-
tes' conversation, and he at once offer
ed me Q chair and gave me a generous
welcome.
ssMr. Cleveland, 1 have come with a
definite purpose,"I began.
"Well, a man with a purpose" he re-
Piled, sis the easiest man in the world
to talk to-"
"You have read the Herald's account
Of the Matthews appointment, sir"
He nodded. 'sIt is q matter on which
there is such a large variety of opin-
ions." l continued, "that you may be
willing to give our readers some ex-
PLANTATION of your action"
"Certainly, l am always ready to
give the reasons for my action. The
people have a right to know both what
l do and why 1 do it.. l have no secrets.
IdOn't believe in them. The senate
rejected the nomination of Matthew'S"
I suggested perhaps it was a strictly
party vote.
"Perhaps," he replied, thoughtfully.
eff, however, Matthews was really re-
jected by a party vote, then the party
did not rise to the Importance of the
occasion. 1t was a matter of very grave
Importance, in which ~partisanship is
c%uriously and obviously out of place."
Then he turned on me and asked point
edly:-"Matthews is an able man, is
he not? 1 endeavored earnestly to find
out all about him. 1 thought l sue
ceeded. 1 consulted those who were
best acquainted with him; who know
his whole personal history. | had only
one object, namely, to put the best man
l could find-that is, the best colored
man. in the position. The colOred race
are developing a great many very able
men. They have accomplished won
ders during the last twenty five years.
l could mol appoint them all, so l was
compelled to use my best judgment to
do q service to onr cOlored fellow citi-
zens and at the same time to give the
appointment to a faithful and able man.
! think l have done both.
CHARACTER OF THE APPoINTEE.
"Matthews is, I believe, a thorough
ly competent fellow. He has a good
education, and he achieved it in spite
of many serious obstacles. He Occu-
pies q good position as a lawyer, and
he has won it by right honest hard
work. The people who know him
most intimately speak of him most
highly. What more can be requested?'
ga colored democrat" l suggested,
sis regarded as a novelty. l have even
heard that one gentleman well known
in Washington remarked that a colored
democrat is a political anomaly or even
q monstrosity."
eyes," he replied, "I believe there is
some such opinion IN the air. But it is
not an opinion of which q man has any
right to be proud. A colored democrat
an anomaly And why, pray"
SWELL" l answered, because the
sO~utherners, who were their masters in
the old days, were nearly all demo-
Gratis"
TIMES CHANGES.
"True," he answered, s'but the last
thirty years have brought great changes
in this country. The old relations are
broken up and the old times can never
return. The north and the south are
equally gratifed at this fact. You
cannot apply the rules which obtained
yesterday to the things of to-day. We
are a new nation. The occurrences of
twenty five years ago belong to ancient
history. Now, then, we have two
parties in this country. That Is our
salvation. Every four years these par
ties have a wrestling match. It's a hot
fight throughout the campaign. But
when the fight is over then we forget the
fight and settle down good naturally to
support the administration in ever hon.
est effort toward good government.
Well, the colored people of the south
are just like all the rest of us. The
moment they begin to recognize the
duty of citizenship, that moment they
will begin to form convictions and to
be governed by them. Does any rea-
sonable man suppose that when the
white people of the country divide
themselves between the republican and
the democratic parties the cOlored peO-
pie will all think alike and join the re-
publican party? This is an insult to
the colored mans brains. 1t is the
sheerest nonsense, and more than that,
it would be a great political calamity.
Difference of opinion is not only the
charm of the republic, but it is also its
safety, and l have no doubt, neither has
any thoughtful man, that when educa-
~tion does its effective work the colored
race of the south will partly wheel Into
line with the republican party and
partly in line with the democratic
party. 1t cannot be otherwise so long
as human nature is what 1t is now. j
have great respect for the colored peo-
pie. Again and again l have told the
delegations which have visited me that
they must have convictions of theil
own and act on them; that they musl
choose their politics with thoughtful
care and personal independence. In
that way alone can they become worthy
citizens of the best government in the
world"
81 appointed Matthews solely be.
cause / believe him to be the right mai
for the place, and l feel certain tina
the people will come to see that l an
right"
STAND BY YOUR OOLORs,
From the Independence Sentinel.l
The democracy, while organizing
should not forget that there are thre'
tickets in the field, state, congressiona
and county. There will be no difficult,
in carrying the state ticket, and bu
little more in carrying the county ticke
through to success. 1t Is against thu
congressional candidate, Col. Philips