Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-10-20


Cleveland in 1884 under the name OF Inde-
pendents, or, more properly called, Mug
wumps,' circular letter was a few weeks
since sent TO all the former Independents in
Massachusetts,. One of these was received
by ex-senator Conness. The letter of in
quiry and his reply are interesting, and as
follows:
8 FREMONT PLACE.
Boston, August 81, 1888.
Dedr Sir: 1t has been decided to ask for
an expression of Presidential preferences
in this campaign. from those who were ac-
tive and prominent Independents in 1884
II you continue to support Grover Cleye-
land for the Presidency, and are willing tn
be publicly quoted as in favor of his re-
election, will you kindly send me a reply
at once?
If not in favor of the reelection of Oeye-
land, have you any objections to stating
your reasons III full? Very truly yours.
A. J. C. SowDoN,
Late Assistant Chairman Executive Com
mittee, Massachusetts Independents.
SENATOR coNNEss' REPLY.
RIVER STREET, DORCHESTER.
September IL, 1888.
-fy Dear Sir: Your circular asking for
my preference of the candidates for the
Presidency, is received. circumstances
have prevented a reply before this time.
but II IS perhaps not too late to answer your
courteous request. The circular is ad-
dressed to me as one who voted for Grover
Cleveland in 1884, and, if not favoring his
election now, you ask me if l have any OBJ
lection to stating my reasons in full In
my view, there are many, but / will state
only few of them, and such as seem to be
consequential.
First, every objection by Republicans to
the candidate of 1884 has been disposed of
in the candidacy of Benjamin Harrison.
No better man than he has appeared in our
public life. He Is not passive, but a pos
tive man, the record of whose life is open
TO the country. In at least one respect it
far exceeds that of his opponent. During
the war of the rebellion, while the one was
Bnugly at home, not even burdened with
civil cares, the other put his life in issue
that we might continue to be nation ::
and, surely, there was no little merit in
that
In a speech that made for Clevelan in
1884 l said that his election would take
off the alleged pressure from the people of
the South, and with it the "solid South +"
might or would become thing of the past,
and l hoped for this, as a consummation
devoutely TO be wished. But now, after
nearly four years, during which time the
South has become potent force in the ad-
ministration of the Government, there are
no differences upon the issues which di-
vide the people of the Northern States.
There is b1t one undivided "solid
South, without the pretense that a single
electoral vote will be cast there save for the
candidate of the Democratic party. 1t goes
without successful contradiction that in
most Of the States Of the South, solidified
upon sectional feeling voters must vote the
Democratic ticket or not vote at all Even
if permitted to vote in those States, such
votes are overeorne by manufactured ma
jorities, shamelessly uttered while in
every State of the North men vote as they
choose without fear or favor.
The Democratic President whom helped
to elect might electrify the North by a lust
and courageous word in condemnation of
fraud and force in the elections at the
South, but no such word has been spoken.
In every department of the Government
Mr.. Cleveland has given preference to men
of the Southern States, and not always
judiciously. The leading Law Office is
filled by one who commanded rebel forces
in the field; and who. in his great office,
has employed its powers to build interests
for himself and his friends. There has
been no more fiagrant action in the history
of our Government than that taken by the
Attorney General, in his relation to the
litigation against the Bell Telephone pat
ents. II is a scandal of the first magni-
tude, and stands unredressed by the Presi-
dent.
In this connection, also, and upon gen.
eral principles, the selection of the late
Secretary of Interior, and his subsequent
promotion to be Justice of the Supreme
Court, is a discredit to Mr. Cleveland. If
he thought there should be Southern
Justice on the Supreme Bench, there were
many from whom he might have chosen
who would have been unobectionable
Out of the sixty millions of our people,
he Sc lected a man who, doing all he could
at home to destroy his country, went abroad
as representative of the "Confederacy," to
offer in European shambles American in
teresis and honor for sale to the highest
bidder, the highest bidder being the one
who would agree to do US the greatest
amount of injury IN exchange for part of
the national Inheritance. As it seems to
me, this comes near perfdy. If public of
fee is a trust, what shall we say or think OF
trustee who thus executes the trust?
Mr.. Cleveland is a strong man, and
seemingly dares do things at which other
men would hesitate; but | think that in
these and in many other cases, he has dared
to 90 wrong, and no man is strong enough
to do this with impunity.
On the tariff question l differ essentially
from the President. He evidently be-
ieves that every man should buy in the
cheapest market and to that end laws
which he thinks hinder free trade should
be modified and changed.
do not accuse the President of desire
to abolish all duties on imports. He does
not; but he argues that a material reduc-
ton of such duties will contribute to the
best interests of all our people. The record
of our national experience on this general
subject is against him, and bear out the
proposition that it is better policy and bet
ter craftsmanship to pay even more to our
own people for the supply of our wants
than less TO ans foreign people.
4 believe the home market is of more
consequence TO the American people and
producer than the foreign market is. ]
think we should aim at preserving the one
and dividing the other with foreign peo.
pies There are things we cannot produce
and those we should buy as low as possible
from the foreign trader. There are Other
things of which we have a surplus, and
they will buy of us.
In the adjustment of duties on imports
regard should be carefully had to the worker
for wages here, and TO the capital employed
also l do not think the majority of the
Committee on Ways and Means of Mr.
Carlisie's appointment carrying out the
views of Mr.. Cleveland on this subject, 6
safe or wise one to intrust with this work
In my opinion, it should not be done by
those who deride American manufacturers
Joined by all the free traders in this an6
other countries. Horace Greeley used t
say that every Democrat was not horse
thief, but every horse-thief is a Democrat
So every Democrat is not free trader, We
every free trader is Democratic voter.
Those philosophers and humanitarians
who in those matters see the whole worlC
akin, are not safe guides. Political and
economical affairs demand that we look
carefully TO the interests and welfare o
our own. while we may look kindly upor
all mankind. / must say, l have tn,
warmest impulses for our own people, anl
therefore am for due protection TO Amer
lean labor and capital.
Thus, point out few of the reason
why prefer Harrison to Cleveland, and DE
lieving. as / do, that he represents bette
and wiser policies on this and other sub
jec's. will support him.
Allow me to say word of Mr.. Blain
before | close. There are those who hav
ing been Republicans, but who did no
choose him for President in 1884. nov
seem to object to Harrison because he re
ceives Mr.. Blaine's support. With du
respect, think this almost inane Do the