New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-07
crrrr1AYp u.s. CLEVELAND.

Tn his address on taking the chair OF the st.
I,ouis Convention, Mr.. Collins referred 10 Mr.
CLEVELAND nc an honest man, as q " straight
forvardu man. "a trustworthy" man, as
man who is the very incarnation. OF irmness'"
Something is to be pardoned to the partiality
~ friendship. A certain measure of extrav-
ocance is To be condoned in speech delivered
on such an occasion. Nevertheless Mr.. Collins
oucbt 70 have used more discretion in selecting
b;s enlocistic terms. His speech shows plainly
that he was inebriated by the eHuoerahce Vi
his own verbosity"
Is Mr.. Cleveland "honest," straight1or-
wards Trustworthy" "the very lncarnation
Of frmness,? Let us answer these questions
Inv applying crucial test. -Four years ago.
in. his letter accepting the nomination Tor the
Presidency. Mr. Cleveland used this language:
When an election to Office shall be the selection by
tho voters of one of their number to assume for time
n,blIc trust instead of his dedication to the pro-
fess,on of politics. when the holders OF tho paot,
ou,ckened by sense OF duty, shall avonge truth De-
traycd and pledges broken, and when the SURFACE sha
he altogether FREQ and uncoTupted the iuii reaiIaion
NJ Governments by the people VIII be at hama. Ana
~ the means to this cnd not ono would in my 1uds
on, bo moro effective than amendment to the
constitution dlsqualfying the President from re-
election When we consider the patronage OF this great
oelce the alurements OF power, the temptation 10
retain public office gained ana moro IMAM all the
availability a party finds In an incumoent "hom d
horde Of office holders with zeal born OF dement's TO
ccvcd and fostercd by the hope OF iaVors 10 come
stsnd ready to aid with money and trained political SER
e We recognize in the eligibility OF the President for
recollection a most serious danger to that calm, de-
ubcrate and Intelligent political action which must
characterize government by tho people
Now Mr.. Collins a few questions based upon
This publS expression of Mr.. Cleveland's con-
,,;ct;on on q matter of large public concern.
Do "honesto men write one way and act
another? Would straightforward man,
after pronouncing the eligibility OF the fresl-
dent for reelection "a most serious danger
ia the public veal make dead set for re-
election to the Presidency? Is man trust
worthyn who declines to enforce preccpt by
EXAMPLE? What sort Of an incarnation OF
6rmness,' is the man who surrenders his con-
viction at the suggestion Of an ambition Tor
office which grows by what it feeds on?
Daniel Dougherty, in presenting Mr.. Cleve-
lands name. proceeded to out-CollinS Collins
in The production of msfit adulatiOn. He
asserted that the promises Of the Presidents
letter of acceptance had been tulillled ana that'
" scorning subterfuges," he disdaned re-
election by concealing CONVICTIONS" Does
Mr.. Dougherty hold, then, that in view OF the
passage which we have quoted it can be main,
tanned by any one not a pettifogger or an artful
dodger that Mr.. Cleveland has been true to
his letter of acceptance? If the President
argues that his letter of acceptance contains
no specific promise not to run again, 1t is idle
to hold that he scorns subterfuges. On the
other hand if he proposes to run again, be-
lieving that fidelity to the public veal demands
that President should not be candidate for
reelection, then what becomes of Mr. Dough
ertys proposition that the President disdains
reelection by concealing conviction?
If Grover Cleveland were the soft OF man
that Messrs. Collins and Dougherty paint him
he would be incapable of accepting renomi-