Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1892-09-15
WHY WAS CLEVELAND NOMIN,
ATEDP

WHY WAS CLEVELAND NOMIN.
ATED?
For the past four years the Democra-
cy of the South have been almost unan-
imously clamoring for the ''free and
unlimited coinage of silver" and with
very few exceptions their representa-
tives in the present Congress voted for
such a measure. Scarcely had the vote
been given when the Southern Democ-
racy nominated Cleveland who was
known to be hostile to any legislation
favorable to the dollar of our daddies. ="
In view of this glaring inconsistency
we are asked how the leaders could SO
stultify themselves. We reply it does
not embarrass a Democratic politician
to stultify himself when he shifts an
office. When the Democratic politi-
clans from Tennessee and other South
ern States saw that there was no posi-
bility of eleoting any man who pro-
fessed their principles on the money
question, they flocked to the standard
of Cleveland and the gold bugs" Of
Wall street in a perfect Juror of appar-
ent enthusiasm. They tumbled over
the Cleveland fence as a flock of sheep
follow an old bell wether over the stye.
But the number of free silver Demo-
Gratis who will not stultify themselves
by voting for Cleveland, though a small
minority of the whole Democratic vote,
is still sufficiently large to give the
electoral votes of Virginia, West Vir-
ginia and Tennessee to the Republican
party, elect Harrison President and
Winstead Governor.
Of course, the Democracy who want
Office will all vote for Cleveland, as
we'll as their ignorant followers. No
man can do anything so outrageous
as TO forfeit for him the respect, conf
dence and support of these classes, pro-
vided he be endorsed by a miscellane-
Gus collection of political hypocrites,
demagogues and confidence men in the
shape of a national Democratic con-
vention. Such a convention, by its
mere act of nomination and recommen-
dation, can SO whitewash and purify
even a Judas Iscariot or a Benedict
Arnold or a Peter Turney as to make
him acceptable to all the Democratic
editors and politicians in the land. To
gain their support and confidence they
neither request nor expect any ms to
r%enounce his principles all they ask is
for him TO call himself a Democrat and
conform to the usage of the party
that is, support all its nominations,
good, bad or Indifferent, and go it blind
generally, for the sake of the spoils
and he is at once transformed into an
immaculate patriot and a friend of the
South and of the farmers and working
people of the most unimpeachable
stamp. He may be for OF against the
tariff, for or against the unlimited coin
age of silver, for or against the social
cd force bill, for or against leasing
convicts to work by the side OF honest
men, and yet be excellent material to
make a President, Cabinet minister,
Governor or Congressman out of, pro-
vided he calls himself a Democrat and
huzzas for Democracy.
No man Eve understood the charac.
ter of a national Democratic conven-
ton better than that great Democratic
statesman, Thomas H. Benton. While
on his death bed a clergyman and old
friend called to see the great Missouri
Senator. He asked Col. Benton, as
parsons usually do q dying man, how
he felt in view of his approaching
death. Sir said Benton, II am not
afraid to die. There are three places /
have never been in, a house of ill fame,
agambling hell anda national political
convention"
OF course, Benton referred to nation.
al Democratic conventions, for having
always been a Democrat, nobody would
expect him to have attended any other.