Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-04-16
Mr.. Cleveland and the Force Bill.
the Editor ofthe Alexandria Gazette

10 the Editor oftke Alexandria Gazette:
L. an editorial published in the GAZETTE
Thursday, March 17.h, 1892. 1t is stated
that Mr.. Clevslard 1as "stlent on the Force
bill during al! the year 1890 when German,
Hill. and other patriots we're working for Its
defeat" There must be some mistake
about this. Congressman W. L. Wilson, Of
West Virginia, aays In an open letter pub
lishsd In tas last fsw days:
AT the famous Thurman banquft at Go.
lumbus, Oato, November Is, 1890, In the
presence of nearly thousand representa-.
| the table, and have In my possession tbs
notes from which he spoke, In his own
handwriting. 1 recall With exceeding WV
J idness the emphsais OF tone add OF manner
with which he alluded to the L-dge bill.
am able to quote from the full report of his
speech SIS i6 appeared In the papers next
day, and subsequently, In the printed souve-
DIR volume. He denounced the L ,dge bill
as oontrivance to perpetuste partisan go.
premacV by outrageous Interference With
The suffrage"
30 from this 1t will be observed that Mr..
Cleveland was not silent In 1890
| 10 The ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE OF January
9 b, 1891 In the account OF banquet at
Philadelphia, on Jackson Day." January
the s b, l resd-"Goy. Patlison. eX-secretsry
Bayar6, and other distinguished democrats
we're present ard spoke, and the speech OF
che evening was that on tina principles OF
true democracy" by ex.PresideLt Clese-
land. II was q scholarly production, clear
and concise, aud its points were received
with Grsss applause. In speaking OF the
Force bill Mr.. Cleveland said:
when We see our political sdVeraaries
bent upon the passage Of federal law, with
the scarcely denied purpose OF perpetrating
partisan supremacy, which inVades the
States with election machinery designtd to
promote federal interference with the Right,
of the people in the localities concerned, dis.
orediting their honesty and fairness and
| Justly arcuslng their jealousy Of cert al:zad
power, we will ttabbornly resist such dan
gerous and revolutionary scheme In OBJ d.
enGe to our pledge for the support of the
State governments 10 all their rights"
Mr.. Wilson's tett mony as to what occur.
red In the presence Of near one thousand
edemoorats &C Columbus. In 1890. and the
&GAZETTE's, ss to Whist was said by Mr..
Cleveland in Philadelphia, six weeks later,
January 1891, Is testimony OF the best
character. 30 TO borrow the language OF the
lawyer VINO l6 well ehlsneu Will no WIZ
nesses, The case is submitted without arg
ument," aud, will add, without comment
P.
I The Force bill was introduced In the
Rouse 10 t,e winter Of 1889 and passed thai
body July 2nd. 1890. During all thai
doleful while Mr.. Cleveland was dumb ou'
10 the suose queut, fall he made speech al
Columbus, In the course Of which hs did de-
nounce the Force bill, az all other democrats
did. The bill came up In the Senate De-
cember "a, OF she came year, and was pracii
csly defeated 10 that body by an agreement
between the free silver republicans and
democrats, early in the following month
Daring all that direful time Mr.. Cleveand's
mouth was olcssd bus, subsequently. when
the people OF the South we're rejoicing
in anticipation OF thelr fortunate escape
from mt I'D misery, he opened Il
again in Philadelphia, to say that
the bill interiered tn the rights OF the peo'
pie OF this section and aroused their sal.
ousy OF centralized power" The cass has
not only been submitted, but the verdict. to
all intents, has been practically rendered
Ed. GAZETTE.