Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1889-04-12
Mr.. Cleveland.

Mr.. Editor Now that Democratic rule
has been superseded by Republican, Dem.
ocratic adherent may venture 10 pay part
ing compliment to his ex-chief, who has gone
SO gracefully into retirement. Mr.. Cleve-
land, like all men of positive convictions
and unbending determinations to do right,
had both enemies and friends. Both of
these classes were in his own party. 1t is
believed, however, that his adherents very
largely outnumbered his opponents. So
patent is this fact, that some wise statesmen
still expect him to return to the council of
our country in some capacity.
That he is a man of unusual ability and
of great and varied information was clearly
developed by all of his official documents,
unless the last should be an exception, which
because Of its brevity and confinement to n
single topic, did not admit OF a diffusive
style or of extended logical deductions
But from his inaugural to the last stroke of
his pen, there was no mediocrlty visible
either in the matter or the style of his pro-
auctions. They did not perhaps display the
rhetorical elegance of the Madison papers,
but for conciseness, cearness and propriety
of statement, they had but few equals and
no superiors. Then why was he defeated :
Some might answer this by the aphorism of
Sir Horace Walpole, "Every man has his
are many noble exceptions to this statement,
yet it is capable of demonstration that money
was the winning factor in several States
during the late election. The Republicans
had the money, and Mr.. Wanamaker and
Mr.. Quay, if they would testify, might shed
some light as to the truth of the aphorsm
of the great English statesmen.
1t may seem little humiliating that any
Democrat could be bought, and yet when
we consider the financial pressure on the
farmers and on the working classes the
| temptation to make few dollars SO easily
was to many irresistible. The case may be
stated thus: The money of the country is
in the hands of comparatively few persons.
Farmers can only borrow money at a high
rate of interest by mortgaging land at three
times the amount OF the sum borrowed.
Artisans and laborers work at reduced
wages, even for the government; and hun
dreds do not know any difference of issues
between the two parties. Under these cir
| cumstances it is by no means wonderful
that many persons sold their votes. But
this temptation being removed, the truants
have come back into the Democratic lines,
as recent elections in several States have
shown
Yet after all it is doubtful whether Mr..
Cleveland lost his election either by the
bdiill HlcSShBc III ny lllS DdIteliIS iDl foIcS
In the opinion of many ne made two fatal
mistakes-honestly no doubt-but still mis-
takes. But for these he would have carried
New York and have gotten much larger
vote in several of the Southern States. The
first was the disappointment of the postmas
ter at New York, who was q Republican,
when his time had expired. There was no
complaint at not removing him, but to re-
nominate him at the Metropolis of the coun-
try, when so many Democrats wanted q
Democrat in Democratic city, was an
atfront which his party would not cOnd0ne.
This lost him the State, as seems to be
proven by Gov Hills reelection.
The other mistake was his appointment OF
negro as Recorder of Deeds for the Dis.
trict of Columbia. The property holders of
the District have right to white man
who lives among them. But the persistence
Of the President in taking a coored man
came near breaking the Solid South. Many
leading men became soured and Indifferent
The South will never submit to negro dom
nation, and white people vince at every act
which looks in that direction. But not
withstandng these errors or mistakes, Mr..
Cleveland was a good President, and his
administration compares favorably with all
that went before it, On many accounts il
is worthy of the highest commentator, and
it leaves coronet on his brow OF which he
need never be ashamed. He was honest and
sincere, and If he erred in judgment to his
own discontinue, he accepts the situation
with the serenity of philosopher
Let the Democrats organize and utilize
all their resources, give the present admin
istration due credit for all meritorious acts
and if the minority party makes full sweep
of the majority-empties all the small offices
| as well as the large ones-as some affirm
that they villa Democratic victory four
| years hence is assured. But President Har-
rison comes from an honorable ancestry
and may be less proscriptive than his sub,
alterns w.