St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-15
The Wisconsin Fighter Sue
ceeds in Getting Grover
to Come Out.
Not Ready to Actively Urge
His Claims, but Willing to
Be Called.
Mr.. Cleveland Is Modest but
Decided in His Views Of
Public Duty.
Ex-Secretary Whitney Lets
Fall Some Wise, Timely
Words.

MILWAUKEE, Wis, March 14.-Gen.
Edward S. Bragg, author of the famous
phrase eve love him for the enemies he
has made" has been urging eX-PreSl-
dent Cleveland to make public avowal
of his position in connection with the
approaching Democratic presidential
convention. Under date of March 5,
he wrote letter to MI. Cleveland from
Fond du Lac containing the following
paragraph:
"The danger to the public interests
which failure of the Democratic party
would involve seems to me now to re-
0uire the open avOwal of your willing
hess to submit to any service to which
your party and the people may assign
you. Many entertain fears that you
may decline further public duty, which
none but you can effectually remove, and
your voice will be everywhere heard
with benefit and effect. L believe your
usefulness to the nation may be greater
now than even in the past, to carry to
victory the cause of tariff reform and to
restore the blessings of good govern
ment to our people; and, as your fell
low citizen, | ask you to say to your
party and the people that your name
may be presented to the national Dem
Ocratic convention as a candidate for
its nomination to the presidency, and
that you will accept that nomination if
the convention shall make it. and again
undertake the duties of president if the
people shall, as l believe they will,
choose you for that office"
Cieveland's Reply.
In reply the eX-preSident writes as
follows from Lakewood, n. j., under
date of March g.:
Hon. Edward S. Bragg-My Dear Sir:
Your letter of the 5th instant is re-
ceived. / have thought until now that
| might continue silent OH the subject
which, under the high sanction of your
position as my fellow Democrat and fell
low citizen, and i'll your rela ton as a
true and trusted friend. you present to
me. If. in answering your questions,
might only consider my personal desires
and MY individual ease and comfort,
my response would be promptly made
and without the least reservation or
difficulty. But if you are right in sup
posing that the subject is related to a
duty owe to the country and my
party, a condition exists which makes
such private and personal conSidera
lions entirely irrelevant.
| cannot, however, refrain from de-
claring to you that my experience in
the great Office of president of the
United States has so impressed me with
the SOlemnity of the trust and its awful
responsibility that | cannot bring my
self to regard candidacy for the place
as something to be won by personal
strife and active self-aSSertion. [ have
also an IDEA that the presidency is pre-
eminently the peoples office, and | have
been sincere in my constant advocacy
of the effective participation in political
affairs OH the part of all our citizens.
Consequently, believe the people
should be
Heard i'll the Choice
of their party candidates and that they
themselves should make nominal tons as
directly as is consistent with open, fair
and full party organization and methods.
l speak of these thingS solely for the
purpose of advising you that my con-
ception of the nature of the preSiden-
tial office and my conviction that the
voters of our party at large should be
heard in the nomination, preclude the
possibility of my leading and pushing
self-seeking canvass for the presi-
dental nomination, even if / had de-
sire to be again candidate.
Believing that the complete suprem-
acy of Democratic principles means in
creased national prosperity and in
creased happiness of our people, | am
earnestly anxious for the success Of the
party. | am confident success is still
within our reach, but [ believe this is a
time for Democratic thoughtfulness and
deliberatiOn, not only as to candidates,
bat concerning party action upon Ques-
lions of immense interest to the patriotic
and intelligent, and others of the land
who watch for an assurance of safety as
the price of their confidence and sup
port. Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.
LAKE WooD. n. j., March 14.-There
was reception at the Cleveland cot
tage here tonight, but Mr.. Cleveland
found to speak of the letter he sent to
DR.. Bragg. When asked if the missive
could be looked upon as an indication
that he is willing to accept the nomina-
ton for the presidency, he replied:
"The letter speaks for itself.''