Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-03
NATIONAL POLITICS.
The position in which DIR. Cleveland
Places Himself and Party
n ne pdifoy of The Dispaloh:

The Position in which Dir. Cleveland
Places Himself and Party
TO R,e Editor of the DiSpdich .:
T. eecns 10 me 10 be very early TO com
neuce tho discussion OF the claims OF en- en-
aidates for the presidency III lSS1' ~
nomination will not take place ioF SOM y. !.
thing like eighteen months h9nce, -. -,
true' Notwithstanding that a. large nuI ~,
mr. If leading newspapers, ana notap!y J..
tbc eastern and northern portions on oul
conbtrv are discussing the claims OF tnuli
roeDncfivo favorites for the important pu-
a.t;or aforesaid. For the want OF oppOI-
tnn,ty The people as yet have had no No.So
in this matter in which then uca' a.
terests are deeply involved ,o,,ors and
In mqnv instances the newspapers anu 1!
,,oii,;cians assuming to know their seiitl-
ments and views, have unoer ~, ~ oPf,o,-
FIr tbero. But the truth is, that the ae IsIl.
- 1o,,,ed have been. and are, lhuua-
tr,or1Iv ENGAGED in an effort 10 n I'm
caytein candidates, and IN dong so, tIs5
stretch greatly their authority ID spe"A'A"
az they claim for the p.eopie ,,,r,,,nico- -
desire particularly IN this con ar oF tLe
ton TO refer to the eIeat1 ~ l.lai9 o,t and
northern and eastern lndepe11uen l a.
IT5o',roacratic nress who are already present
- md discussing the merits ana the
! u - Mr. Cleveland for renominatOn
- 40 nresidency by the Democratlc par
| - There Is much stress lad upon Ms polu-
| 1ess his frmness, his abllty' ms honesty (,
| and ms uuhinching devotion 10 tne great
| cardinal truths and principles OF JeneI-
son;on Democracy. These are certainly
',,,ai,tios fiat cannot fail to excite the adj
,Tn",ration of all true Democrats throughput
| ~ iTnion Indeed, all of Thorn are lndl5-
Ur1sable to constitute any man nj per
! Con IN uresde over the destlnlos OF TINS
! - have been Democrat ever since the
war nave never failed once 20 vote IN
| General election. and have invariably voted
| fho Democratic ticket and expect 10 con
hnuc TO do SO as Tong as my life may be
enored. But while l admire and respect
Vr Cleveland for some of bis qualities l
am constrained 20 say that he does not
measure fully MP to my standard Of true
Jagersonian Democrat. The Democratic
marty has always claimed, as II had clear
r1obt to do. to be State's-rlght party and
particularly tho champion Of the rights or
the people. l know Of no instance IN
which il has veered or changed IRON us
ancient mOorings and traditions. some OF
its trusted leaders have, hut sooner or iater.
they have been made to pay the penalty OF
their apoetacv. The escutcheon of the
party itself has always been unstained by
n single act Of treacherv to its aYoWed
principles or TO the people whom 1t repre-
sentS
Now let us consider whether Mr.. Cleye-
land is in spirit and practically true Dem
crat and in full sympathy with the great
body of the down-tTOdden and oppressed
people of this country.
There is no use in attempting TO conceal
the fact that there has been for years and
is now more actively than ever struggle
going on between capital and labor IN this
countrv-a fight on the part of the money
barons 10 add 10 their already immense
and almost fabulous accumulatlOns
nj the expense of the wage-wOTkers,
the farmers, and all other classes.
This truth. patent TO all men, IS now
arOusing a greater degree OF interest than
II has ever done before, 1t IS agltatlng the
public mind OF the country, and Will con-
tinue to agitate and excite IL from now un-
til the next presidential election; and the
man or the party who arrays himself, or
itself, against the just rights and reason
able claims of the tOiling suffering classes
of the country, Will be overwhelmingly de
| feated and consigned to merited political
oblivion.
/ do not intend to enter hero into dis
cussiOn of the financial question now
pending before Congress. The silver blll
| missed by the Senate for the relief OF the
| For this the Republican Administration IS
| and will be, held responsible. said the
silver bill was passed by the Senate for tie
relief of he pe0Dle. Upon this question how,
| let Inc ask, does Mr.. Cleveland stand with
nine tenths of the Democracy of the West
| and South? Let us see. When an attempt
was being made by the lie
publican sectionalists of the North,
| the South-haters. and the conspirators
| tho i|p1fgr
| States Senate, TO pass a closure rule Tor
| the purpose of enabling them TO enact the
| infamous force bill. the Democrats under
| the lead of Dir. German made an arrange
| ment with the seven silver senators OF
| the West by which the closure rule and the
| force bill were defeated. When our noble
| Democratic leaders III the Senate, inspired
with sentiments Of the Hottest patriotism
and of duty. were working ceGselessly
night and day for weeks to defeat a
measure which would have destroyed the
peace and prosperity of the South, and
| threatened the liberties of the whole
| country, did they receive one word OF en-
| couragement or support from br. CleVe-
| land, one message advising them to stand
| by their arms and promising that he and
| his Democratic friends in the North would
| endorse their actionI Strange as 1t may
| appear, the answer comes back, No! NO!
| NO.. a.. why was IL IudJ inns great Otlllp-
| cratic leader did not extend a helping hand
| 10 this forlOrn hope Of the Democratic
party who were making every sacrifice
| that was necessary, who were lighting
| with all the earncstnes5 and despera-
| ton of their heroic spirits to maintain
| the principles of true Democracy and to
preserve the free institutions OF our CON-
mon country? Upon what other hypothe-
| Sis can his inaction-his, at least, apparent
. ! 4. la. 4lps
| between the force bill and the silver bill,
| he had either 10 choice or that he pre-
| ferred the former to the latter! This may
appear to some persons to DO a rather harsh
| conclusion, but think it is fairly deduct
! ole from the premises.
Can any man be so ignorant as 10 believe
| that but for the arrangement the Demo-
| cratic senators made with the Republican
silver senators the force bill, with all OF its
| dlabolcal train of evils, would have been
fastened upon the country! Nothing else
| but direct interposition of Divine Provi-
dence could have warded off the great evil.
Yet, while Congress is still in session, Mr..
| Cleveland startles the country with letter
| opposing the free coinage of silver, there
by conveying at least an implied censure
! of the Democratic senators who voted for
! il and to deter Democratic representatives
from voting for it ia the House.
In view of the foregoing considerations
repeat that Mr.. Cleveland does not, in
my Judgment, measure up TO the full
standard of a true whole-souled Demo-
crat. The cry comes up from the toiling,
suffering masses Of every portion of the
| country Give us more money; let US
have free coinage of silver-our needs are
| great and we must have it.n
But Mr.. Cleveland turns deaf ear TO
their entTeaties and throws the weight OF
his influence with the gold-bugs, thereby
helpng 10 make the rich richer and the
| poor poorer. The nomination OF Mr..
Cleveland, with the West and the South
arrayed almost solidly against him. Ia my
| judgment amounts almost TO an impossi-
biiity. Bat il nominated we can reason
ably. expect nothing less than an over
whelming snd disastrous defeat.
CHEsTERFIELD.
morgan's Percentage.