Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-12-13
WHITE HOUSE SCANDALS.

script From Mrs. whitney.
WAsHINGToN, Dec. II -Senator ingalls,
has made the following statement con-
corning the suggestion Of Mrs. Whitney,
that he had circulated stories of domestic
infelicity at the White House: ''The So
cial leader of the Administration" said
Mr.. Ingalls,, deliberately, land the wife OF
the Cabinet Minister, would hardly con-
sent to formal interview upon subject
so delicate and so personal as the domes-
tic relations of the President without his
authority. l assume, therefore, that the
publication was made with his knowledge
and sanction. In falsely attributing to
me the invention and dissemination of
ISLANDERS, even in the guarded and cautious
phrase which is employed, Mrs. Whitney
transcends propriety, and evidently relies
upon the prerogatives of her sex for i'm
munity. The man who made such a
statement, directly or by inference, would
be required to prove it or retract. l have
never been either bitter or vindictive'
against the President. Politically l havs
been opposed to him, and my opinions
have not been furtive or stealthy. In the
North american Revieto, the New York
Sun, in various speeches in the Senate and
on the stump is declared the grounds OF
my hostility, which could not be rehearsed
now. I have no more ill will against him
than 1 have against the yellow fever or
the March blizzard. My weapons have
been those of the gladiator, not of the
assassin. Those who remember the
criticisms on Lincoln. Grant, Garfield and
Arthur will not differ with me when
] affirm that Mr.. Cleveland owes more to
the consideration of his political adverse
ries than any public man in our history.
1t would be idle to deny that l have heard
the stories to which Mrs. Whitney alludes
and others much worse, which time or
events alone can verify or disprove. They
have been the common gossip and rumor,
the open secrets of the promenade, the
hotel and the club for many months, but
they are Of Democratic origin, like the
scandals of the campaign of 1884. Repub-
licans are not responsible for them. They
have been circulated and repeated by the
highest Democratic authority, masculine
and feminine. If the partisans are wise
they will be silent. The Presidents mar
riage was the most popular act of his adj
ministration. The mistress of the White
House has no enemy and no rival in the
affectionate admiration of the American
people. Amid many temptations to levity
and many opportunities for frivolity, she
has borne herself with unexampled grace,
dignity and composure. Adulation has
not disturbed the charming and unaffected
simplicity of her character. She will carry
with her into retirement the undated
honor and regard of all who have been so
fortunate as to know her. She will re-
main among the noblest illustrations of
American womanhood so long as virtue
has votary or beauty a champion. Some
things are self-evident in morals and his
tory as well as in logic. They prove them
selves or are disproved by evidence. To
deny some accusations is to plead guilty
to them. When you have to offer evidence
that an egg is good that egg is
doubtful and a doubtful egg is always
bad. The merchant who is compelled to
produce affidavits to establish his honesty
is probably thief. The citizen who is now
obliged to prove that he was loyal and pa.
triotic during the war, was either rebel or
a 'copperhead.' Shakespeare casts an in
delible stain upon The lady who protests
too much and nobody cares to marry
the woman whose chastity is open
to discussion and debate. So when it be-
comes necessary for a husband to obtain
certificate of good moral character, and to
prove by the testimony of experts that he
rs faithful, considerate and tender toward
young, lovely and affectionate wife he
may be innocent, but he certainly is I'M
fortunate"
Mrs. Whitney authorizes the following
statement: Il dislike to say any thing
more for the press on this subject, but it
distresses me very much that Mr.. Depew
should have become SO much involved in
it. Still it was the very fact Mr.. Depew
had told the story that stung me into my
indignant outburst, for if he would believe |
them The would not repeat them unless he |
dld), what man or woman in the whole |
land would not have the right to believe |
them, toof for Mr.. Depew is eminent be-
yond all for fairne SIS aud courtesy to friend |
and foe and is beyond my criticism |
or praise in his kindness and indis- |
position to harm others. And vet |
he OF all men swas given as the |
authority for the stories-not by one but |
by several persons-for he forgot in the |
excitement OF telling them that his vivid |
descriptive powers sent them flying again, |
and in passing from one to another. his |
qualifications of them were forgotten. But |
his denial of belief in them now will do |
far more than any thing have said to |
crush them forever back into the dirt |
whence they came. Please say also that |
what / said was without communication /
with, and without the knowledge of auy
one. LIKE the responsibility alone, and |
/ am glad did, for the letters that I re.
ceived show that it was high time that
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