The critic., 1891-02-20
WASHINGTON, d. c., FEBRUARY 20, 1891.

enterprise in getting news, without being
compelled to believe the same, we desire
60 take the fullest possible advantage of
that arrangement. Certainly we have
scen of late nothing more admirable in
the way of novelty than the Tosrs decla-
ration, this morning, that Mr.. CLEVELAND
has no idea of seeking and will under no
circumstances accept the Democratic NOM
ination for the Presidency in 1892 We
wish to put The CRrT1c OH record as ap-
preciating to the last degree the brilliancy
of such conception. II came on n dull
day like an oasis of sensation in desert
Of padding. 1t was an inspiration.
But our esteemed contemporary will
excuse IFS If we stop at this. Our esteemed
contemporary will, in consideration of
the boundless admiration we lavish on its
nerve, overlook the comparatively unim-
portant omission of confidence in its ac-
curacy.
There are two reasons-convincing to
us--why we reject the proposition in ques-
tion. In the first place, If Mr.. CLEVELAND
had not been seeking the party nomina-
tion he would never have allowed his
friends to think and say that he was. He
would not have pursued the course that
he has pursued with such obstinate energy
for the past year. He would not
has written or delivered the
speeches that he has delivered. He
would not have been so constantly az oDi-
dnee socially, publicly, and politically
No one possessing the smallest acquaint-
snce with Mr. CLEvELAYD's personal char
ncter and private inclinations can be made
10 believe that he would have courted all
this notoriety and endured all these tire
some and laborious functions save in the
pursuit of serious and overshadowing
purpose. Mr.. CLEVELAND is not a grega-
rious animal. He never was. He has
great fondness for a few chums, but
none for mankind at large. Even in his
youth, when man about town IN Buffalo,
he was noted for this trait He brought
il with him to Washington. He was the
first President to practice seclusion from
the people. He invariably kept out of
sight when he could, and IL is not yet for
gotten that on one occasion he ordered the
gates Of the south grounds of the White
il'kr' 'ltS'h bNNhAtSN llN tilh IlON Nloal Nllt
Iul lie 10 see him while he strolled there
dining leisure moment. To ask us to
believe that he has suddenly abandoned
the habits and predictions Of his whole
life without motive, and, from being q
cluse, has burgeuned into fluent and
ostentatious "rOunder,n is asking little
too much.
Then, again, why have they sent Mr.
WBITEEY here to make revelation which
could have been better made in New York,
and which was Of far greater importance
there The rival aspirations Of Mr.. CLEvE'
LAND and Governor HILL have agitatej
and divided the party for two long years
This rivalry has been industriously eX
plotted by the friends of either, and j
has been permitted to reach poin
Mt which the wiscst leaders of thu
Democracy perceived that tht
State would be lost to the party wer,
either nominated. Why has this perilou
conflict been prosecuted if Mr.. CLEvELANi
is not an aspirant? Why has the organi
zation in New York been carried to th'
verge of disintegration, all for nothing
And, finally, If Mr.. CLEVELAND had Ions
ago determined not to seek or accept tn,
nomination, why was this resolv,
guarded so carefully at the point where ID
promulgation would have done infinit'
good and left to leak out in Washington
under circumstances that deprive it o
authenticity and, therefore, Of value?
We take the liberty of refusing to be
lieve that Mr.. CLEVELAND does not wan
the nomination, and will not take it if i
he offered him. He may have at las
realized that he is not likely to get it
that his own State delegation will not sup
port him; but that he does not want it, o
that he has not been working for it thes
past two years, is CUFF too palpable for tn
credulity of the most innocent of ma
Jines.