Omaha daily bee., 1892-09-19
ANOTHER CLEVELAND LETTER
He Writes in Reply to Frank P. PostOn,
Brother of Colonel Kings Victim.
HIS MOTIVE WAS misunderstood
Why the Letter to the Murderer's Niece
Was Writtcn-Hc Is Not Sorry for
His Action-Cari Schurz Writes
Political Letter.

MEMPHIS. Tenn, Sept. 1S.-After the COM
mutation by Governor Buchanan of tho
sentence of Colonel H. Clay King, condemned
10 death for the murder of Daviu IL Poston,
the brother of Kings victim, Frank p. Pos
ton, addressed a letter to Grover Cleveland,
deprecating the letter he had written to
Kings niece, Mrs. X. White.
Mr.. Pos;on's letter, though courteous
throughout, was plain aud to the point. He
said that Mr. Cleveland's action was "un-
warranted and blow at good government
and would in all probability cost him some
among the me bers of the Poston fam lily
and its connections. To this, Mr.. Cleveland
replied as follows:
GRAY GABLES. BugZARD's BAY, Mass. Aug.
u, lsO2; O2;-Frank u. Poston, Esq,-My Dear sir:
In reply to your letter of the 18th Instant
beg you to believe that am in now Sc want
ing In sympathy for your family and friends
of your brother, nor do forget that in the
situation there is perfect excuse for the con
clusions arrived ut without perfectly cool
Judgment; but address you in the hope that
take IA more reasonable view of my conduct.
have been amazed beyond expression at the
to WSe of SSss condstSe wrstse
of your locality which leads them
intention and so entirely beyond it's Just in
tcrprotution This is the first reply which |
have thought fit to IN Ike to frequent criti-
cismS of my action in this matter. With some
hesitation, have determined to write to you
on account OF the sincerity and courtesy of
your letter and your rel lations to the ira edy,
that am still utterly unable to account for the
leciings which my letter has occasioned,
Have you and Others who crticisc my action
for n moment reflected on the fact that my
letter was written in response To the pitil %
plea of an apparently heart-nrolien woman,
setting forth in Il manner most impressive the
reasons why the life OF her uncle should be
sp red. Have you and my critics overlooked
the fact that have absolutely declined to
interfere with the governor in behalf of this
manl Have you and they forgotten the con-
siueration which gentlemen in the north, as
well as In the south, consider due to the APP
peals OF Il woman Has 1t occuple cd the attcn-
tion that the letter WAS dictated simply and
solely by the sympathy which every true man
not overlook the fact that in the closing
para graphs of the letter | did say | felt
there might be eXtenuutin! circumstances.
This was written IN connection with the
plain statement of my letter. absolutely y
forcing the meaning on unyOnc's mind who
saw that my fdcn concerning eXtcnuation was
derived from the letter to which | responded.
l should not be frank with you If | did not
add that so far as my meaning and intent
were concerned. 40 not regret my action. In
response to your su tgestOn that This act of
mine may result in the loss OF democratic
votes In the pending campaisn, you will par
ped ency forces me to be dlscOurteous to n d is
tressed woman. | am prepared to retire from
politics. Very truly yours,
GROVER CLEyELASD