The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-09-01
RAISING DEAD DEMOCRATS.
What is snid OF the Living and Of the Dead OF
the Party.
(From the Waterbury America


(From the Waterbury Amcrican)
What remarkably good, patriotic men,
arc number of distinguished Demo
Gratis now that they are dead, and can
never again be candidates for the suf-
TRACES Of the American people. There
was Scymour-in life coppcrhead who
trucklcd to mobs; and i'll death one of
the ltindcst-heartcd of gentlemen, with
character above roproach, whose fame
is heritage New York should ever cher
iah. There was Hancock-in life ga
good man weighing 260 pounds" the
tool of designing politicians; in death II
brave, gallant soldier, without fear and
by all who knew him. And there above
all was Tilden-in life 'old usufruct,' -
the sage of Cyphcr alley" whose name
cunning i'll orthodox Republican politi-
cal circles, "who stole the livery of the
court of Heaven to serve the devil in;
i'll death a patriot who in whatever he
did, acted only and purely from an in
tense love OF country, never self
seeker, and whose final deed in leaving
the bulk of his great fortune for the
benefit Of the people was but the crown
ing act OF II career of disintcrcstcd pa
triotism. We can sec the historian of
the future, rs he compares what was
said of the great leader, living, by his
political opponents, with what they said
of him dead, moralizing for the benefit
OF generations yet unborn on the short
sighted habit Of lying, SO soon to be con
dcmncd out of his own mouth.
We can even see the future historian
sitting down to review the first year and
n nalf of Grover Clcvcland's administra-
ton. Beside him will be great mass of
clippings from Republican papers, CON
tanning editorials on him while he was
yet III power. They will discant on the
size of his neck and any little personal
habit that may be turned into ridiculc.
they will speak of his hypocritical dc
sire to appear to carry out his pledges to
the civil service rClormCrs, while in real
lty he was prostitllting the public service
to carry out the designs of n Caesars
ambition for second term. They will
show the imbCcility which has character
lHcd his State papers, and the blundcrs
he has been guilty OF in trying to pass
himself oil rs party leader, etc, etc.
Then tho historian will turn to these
Same papcrs-wC hope many years in the
undiscovered future for editorial COM
mcnts on Clcvcland'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. All through it will be
noted the conduct OF affairs was treated
with mOstcnttiouS business common
sense. Honest money was upheld and
national credit strengthened, our rights
abroad were maintained without buster:
the spoilsmcn 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-
rcato of the Republican party John
C'rccnIcaf Whittier. Coming forth from
his retirement TO lay tribute on the
grave OF Samuel j. Tildcn, who was of
all the Democratic leaders of our day the
most bitterly and unjustly maligncd by
the Republican press, Mr.. Whittier
closes with these words:
"Ihcn let us vow above his bier
To set our feet on party lies,
And wound no moro u living ear
With words that death denies"
Will not those words of one who has
never faltcrcd i'll devotion to any great
cause or in support of the Republican
party with which he has been identified
from his birth, strike IL responsive chord
in many hearts? There is little gained
by indiscriminatc abuse of the living.
The public discounts it and makes up its
own mind about its truth or falsity. 1t
accompishcs no good party end except
to keep alive feelings OF intense PARTISAN
ship i'll breasts where in any case they
would never die out.
Why not, then, be fair in criticising
the living? When must our criticism be
followed by eulogy at the bier?