Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-02-21
HAYES and Arthur were ansle-tcrm presi-
c,.ry,,.nn,. srcoxp rox,,,rtoS.


ards foolish speech about Rum, Roman
ism, and Rebellion" SIR. Blaine would
have beaten Mr.. Cleveland and been the
President. II did not seem 70 me that u
was the wise thing 10 renominate Mr..
Cleveland in 1888. lie had done nothing
10 cement his party or build it up, but
much to dishearten and divide IL. A Pres
ident who could aokso strangely as TO
make war on such Democrats and patriotic
statesmen as James Il. Beck and samuel
j. Randall, while he retained Re
pnblicans in Office, was not likely TO rally
his party successfully for such great
struggle. But the forces of patronage
were strong. There was no popular Demo
cratic contestant for the nomination and
Mr.. Cleveland was put on the track again,
with what result we all know. He made
his own platform aud ran bis own cam
paIgn. The end OF it all--foliowing him,
ms counses. and his banner-was the
election % the presidency Of the most
cruel and implacabe foes the South has
ever known--a pitlless tyrant; the passage
OF the robber Mckinley tariff bill the
pressure, with oil the forces of the Admin
istration. Of the force bill, from which we
escaped as II by miracles the packing OF
high judicial positions by partisans, and
other evils. some of which, fear, are yet
TO come IN another year Of this bad mans
placate one mans ambition.
When the election of 1888 was over and
Mr. Cleveland defeated. | supposed. as did
many others. that in our struggle Tor re-
lief from Radical rule we would no longer
DO embarrassed aud hinderod 10y his can
didacy. i did not suppose that he would
I've SO selfish as to desire the party TO take
him up again, and still less that any con-
siderable number Of persons would favor
l. he ali a4k a
nomination. There had been 20 case OF
the kind in our history. This honor had
been refused TO Martin Van Buren,
although he had the favor Of Andrew
Jackson, Benton. Blair, Silas Wright. and
a host of great Democratic leaders.
AHIsETR CONFEDERATION.
Apart from the precedent and law OF
political history there are most soiid rea-
sons for such a rule. IL President. with
all the vast forces Of executive patronage
nc his command, cannot be reelected.
how vain II Is 10 expect him 10 be stronger
when he has lost them. Be 1t remem-
bered that It ~ not patronage ana
Office alone that the President has TO
WELD nor contracts, disbursements. and
the like. There must be added 20 these
the enormous deposits Of public money,
amounting TO many millions OF dollars,
winch, under the regime OF Hugh hcCul-
lock, John sherman, and, / am sorry to
say, Mr.. Cleveland's Administration, were
deposited IN pet banks. Any business
man can compute the form OF such
power as this IN renOmnattng ana re-
olccting n President.
But there is higher consideration. As
sumiue that the President is able md
patriotic, that be is wiser and better than
his party or any party, moving on hlgher
plano than common politicians, u u not
clear that II the President cannot obtain,
when his great deeds are fresh and con-
splcuOus. the verdict of well done, good
and faithful servant" 1t Is vain for hun TO
expect 1t afterwards lie mas Deeh trleu'
condemned, aud told TO so 10 the rear
lie may have acted from the best motives.
The pcoule say 1--WE have tried you and
found Won wanting To attempt TO re-
open such verdict after the man has
been friei in Office IL, TO say the least, a
rash experiment,
Dir. Cleveland did not merely lose hls
own State at time when the Democratic
candidates for Governor. Lleutenant-Goy-
ernor. and Judge of the Court of Appeals
were elected by good maiorities, but be
fell of from the Democratic vote IN nearly
every State Of The Union. In Connecticut
he fell from 1.276 in 1884 TO 1856 In 1858. In
Indiana he had in 1884 a majority of 6,427.
but in 1888 this was converted into ma
ority for the Republicans OF 2,3i5. Yet
Connecticut. New York. and Indiana are
States that the Democracy must carry III
order to elect President.
c1EvELASD's VOTE N VIRGINIA.
The votes of the State OF Virginia are
hardly less significant. In the election OF
1888 II was estimated that the Democratic
majority on the legislative ticket was
about 5000. In 1884 Mr.. Cleveland car
RED the State, but It was only by ma
ioritv of 6.O03. This was surely great
falling OF and argued no SPECIAL strength
in our candidate. In the autumn OF 1855
General Eitz. Lee carried the State for
governor by over II, 600 majority. lie got
nearly the party vote, although If the Re
publican postmasters and officials IL the
Black Belt and many other points
had been removed he would probably
have done much better. In 1888 MI.
| Cleveland ran again and we obtained the
beggarly plurality of .639 votes, and for
| This we were notOrlouslv indebted TO the
| divisions IN the Republican ranks in the
Petersburg District, which served to elect
| Mr.. Venable TO Congress and u cut down
| narrlson's majority some 1000 votes from
| tho usual figure. In the Eighth District
| General w. II. j. Lee received for Con-
| sress only l.024 majority. Was TINS reduc-
| ton of our vote In this grand Democratic
| district que 10 Gcntfdi Lco : UNIV "
| or TO the load of having to carry Mir. Cleve
| land!
In 1899 Hon. p. W. Mckinney ran unen.
| numbered of MIR. Cleveland's administra-
| lion and obtained % majority OF 42,lIl
| Something OF this Is due doubtless 10
| Governor McKinnev's popularity, and
much TO Mahone's weakness but. mixing
full allowance for both causes. We may es
innate the Democratic majority IN th'
| State at not less than 10000 votes. i
there any Virginia Democrat VINO Wis W.
| e. repeat the miserable business OF 1880
| with close fight, and to run the risk o
| losing the State
TEE RAINBOW STATES.
There was a good deal of talk IN 1888, a;
now. of carrying certain Republican
| States. called by some the rainbow
States such as Massachusetts,, Mlchi'
gan. Iowa. and Wisconsin. With Mt
Cleveland for our candidate and the tari'
the one and only issue TO be made, w
would carry those States certain. 80 l
was said. and the skeptlcal marvelleC
greatly. Look a. the figures: In 1854 Mr.
cleveland was beaten in Massschusett
2l.872. In 1883 be was beaten 32,O3
votes. In Illinois he made an I'm
proyement on his vote of 1884. bu
was beaten 221Oi votes. In Iowa tn
majority against him was increased
from 1878 IN 1884 to 3l,72l in 1883. IL
Michigan, another rainbow State, the ma
iority against him of 3,30S was augmente'
10 ISIS. In Wisconsin, where he hat
taken Cabinet Minister who had pratec
| az Chicago in 1884 of the sin OF slavery
and the CRIME of secession" the majorlt.
AGAINST him was run up from l4,69S TO FL,
al. The rainbows all vanished, but the,
have reappeared to delight the babes anc
sucklings of 1892. Once more we are IN
yIted to repeat this folly and throw AVA
our chances Of election.
Can the South afford to disregard all Ia
teachings of political history and not tax
10 heart tho lesson of 1882 Can tn
southern Democracy AFFORD to fout an
insult the Farmers Alliance with an Oh
noxious candidate, weaker by far than IA
was in 1855 in his own State and Gil throug
the North? Is the force bin dead? Is tn
Mckinley bill mere Pigment of tn
brain? Is there not before us severe an
doubtful struggle. IN which we need
fresh, bold. and strong man tor leader
with the spirit of Jackson, Who had Ia
courage to fire the popular heart and IN
sah "a