The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-11-02
Desperate and Disreputable
Methods Used to Defeat
Right and Reason.
FINE PATRIOTIC APPEAL
All Americans Who Love Their
Country Should Make Common
Effort to Turn the
Tide.

1lu6.
At the Lenox Lyceum. New York. last
evening, before a crowded and enthu-
siastic gathering of citizens, Grover
Cleveland made the following strong and
patriotic address regarding the corrupt
methods by which the Republican man
ayers are planning to carry next Tues
days elections:-
FELLOW CITIZENs:-We have nearly
reached the last hours of discussion in a
campaign characterized by many unusual
features and incidents.
venture the assertion that never in
the recollection Of anyone here present
has Presidential canvass been carried
on with such lack OF noise and excite
ment, and in such an apparent atmos-
phere of popular thoughtfulness. IT this
is actually the condition. and if our
voters are really thoughtful, it should be
cause of congratulation on the part of
every American citizen; for it must be
that sober deliberation in the exercise of
the right of suffrage is the foundation o.
our hope for national perpetuitY. None
of US can complain of the political result
which represents the conscientious and
clear convictions of a majority of our
people. When these convictions prevail,
it is the misfortune or fault of a party if
1t is defekted because the principles it ad-
vocates aFe not understood by our voters,
or, if unR Rerstood. are not accepted.
DEMoCRAT1C AscENDANCY.
IfA7H assume that the quiet of this cam
l&gn is attributable to thoughrfulness
hong our people aud deliberate sense
81 patriotic duty in the exercise of their
a$uffrages. there would seem to be no
4ace for fear or misgiving as to the result
on the part of those who support Demo-
cratic principles. In exactly the form
they are involved in the present campaign
these principles we're presented two years
ago to the voters of the country and re-
ceived their endorsement by tremendous
majority; since then the drift of public
opinion has been in our direction, and th e
doctrines opposed to ours have been more
than ever discredited. 1t must be con-
ceded, too. that the intelligent and disin-
terested men who have left the ranks of
our opponents and joined our standard
are exceptionally numerous and infu-
ential.
The fact that with all things in our
favor We are still not absolutely sure of
success would be startling if we did not
know the desperate and disreputaple
M ethods which confront us.
APPEAL TO PASSION.
Our opponents, vanquished in every
argument worthy of presentation to the
reason of our countrymen, have appealed
to their passions and prejudices through
tbs distribution of the most impudent
lies concerning the record and action of
our party and its candidates. This. how
ever, is not their main reliance nor Is i6
our greatest danger. 1t is confession
most humiliating to American citizen
ship that with cause SO thoroughly en-
trenched in reason, and commencing
itself SO clearly to the intelligence of
patriotic Americans, we daily hear pre-
dictions of Republican success based
upon ithe ability of that party to pur-
chase the votes of the people.
LET CONSCIENCE AROUSE.
A little reflection. it seems to me, can
not fail to arouse the American consci-
ence to the wickedness as well as the
peril of debauched suffrage. II is, a
plain proposition that our Government
is only true to the principles upon which
it rests when in its operation it represents
the honest and intelligent sentiments OF
the people. When it does not its vigor
and its very life are gone. and it remains
but the mere semblance OF a free govern
ment-the weakest aud most deformed
plan of rule that ever deluded mankind.
1t can then no longer defend the rights
of all, because rights will be forgotten in
the capricious bestowal of favors. II will
then no longer be the proud manifestation
of the strength and virtue of a free
people, because it will only be the miser-
able instrument OF craft and selfishness.
CORRUPTION OF THE SUFFRAGE.
Who of all those who believe our Gov
ernment was created to bless American
people and benefit mankind will deny
that The corruption of our suffrage paves
the way to these conditions?
The time has surely come when those
who see the beginning of this corruption
should look beyond it and beneath it, in
an eDdeavor to discover the source of our
danger and the forces which give it
deadly strength.
It has its source in the perversion of
our Government to the furtherance of
limited and special interests, and in the
invitation thus extended to anticipate a
continuance of partisan support The
forces behind it are greed and selfish
ness. willing TO prostitute the suffrage of
the people to pecuniary gain.
A SHORT STEP
In the light OF these considerations
there is nothing unnatural in the situa-
tion Of the pending. canvass. When our
conntsymeD yield to temptation and turn
their backs upon the broad and disinter-
ested patriotism that should characterize
their citizenship, and when they reach
the point where they are wiling to sub
preiinate political duty TO business gain,
it is short step to active participation in