The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-11-12
A Rumor Of Authorship.

The current report that Mr.. GROVER
CLEVELAND is now engaged upon the COM
position Of "A Constitutional History Of
the United States" Is denied by the Critic.
Our esteemed contemporary is uncommonly
we'll informed about what Is going on in the
way Of literary production. and In this
case 1t speaks with positiveness: but we
hope that 1t Is mistaken.
There are several reasons why consti-
tutional history of the United States from
Mr.. CIEvKIAND's pen would be an inter-
esting addition to the literature OF this
great subject.
In the first place. the author Of such q
treatise would naturally devote good deal
of space TO- the elaboration and discussion
Of the ideas presented in his own letter Of
Aug. 49,, 1884. accepting the Democratic
nomination for President At that time
Mr.. CLEVELAND was firmly convinced that
the one. thing needed for the perpetuation
and preservation of our institutions and
1.-THE full realization" as he expressed 1t.
"of government by the people," was an
amendment Of the Constitution disqualify-
ing any citizen who had held the offlce Of
President from reelection. In the single
passage quoted below from Mr.. CIEvE-
LANDS letter OF 1884. there Is text for many
chapters OF philosophical dissertation. pa
trotic exhortstion against ambitious SELF
ishness. and historical argument tracing
the evils that grow out OF what he then ssr-
castically described as "a dedication to tho
profession oS: politics
when Vi consider the patronage Of this great ONCE
the alurements OF power the temptation to retain pub
Lie place once gained. and. than ALL tho available
ity party hnds IN an incumbent whom . horde Of
ofceholders with zeal born OF dement's received and
oserd by the hope Of favors yet 10 come stand ready
aid with money and trained political service
ognxe In the eligibility Of the President for reelection
most serious danger to that calm deliberate and In
tslisent political action which must characterize
government by the people"
Equally instructive and valuable would
be the chapter which Mr.. CLEVELAND de-
voted to the misuse Of the taxing power
The most fragrant example Of this in the
whole constitutional history Of the United
States was the enactment Of the Oleomar-
garine law OF 1885. which imposed tax not
for revenue. but solely and simply to pro-
tect >, ono legitimate American industry
against another and equally legitimate
American industry. OF the outrageous
theory that our precious Constitution is
broad enough to cover legislation designed
to tax out OF existence one American indus
try for the benefit Of rival industry. no
historian is better qualified to write forcibly
and jntelligently, than the statesman who
affixed to- the Oleomargarine bill the sigma
ture that made 1t law.
These are two points on which Mr.. CLEvR-
LANDS Constitutional History Of the United
States would be especially interesting.
Varv likelv there are manv Othera R,,t
the greatest usefulness Of such q book would
be to that small but devout circle OF wor-
shippers which Graves more than anything
else definite system OF canonical writings.
A Constitutional History Of the United
States by the Hon. GROVER CLEVELAND
would supply the long felt want OF the Mug
wump faith: and II written In the proper
spirit Of conservation and in not too labored
q style. no doubt 1t would be accepted
promptly and eagerly as inspired.