The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-03-16
CLEVELAND,s LETTER.

CLEvELAND'S LETTER.
Mr.. Cleveland formally consents to be q
candidate for the presidency. His deci-
sion to speak comes in our Judgment too
late. He has lost New York beyond re-
demption, and neither of the great parties
can afford to nominate a candidate who
has no chance of carrying the Empire
state. The Mugwump press of New Eng
land continues TO express confidence that
Cleveland will yet be nominated at Chi
cago. The Springfield Republican says:
We believe that Grover Cleveland viii be the
candidate of the Democratic party for the presi-
dency.
New York state can not be carried for the man
who lives to ''down Cleveland" Mr.. Hills
hope OF national acceptance has never had
solid basis, and it is now rapidly becoming
ridiculous. Hill cannot be nominated at Chi
cago, and Grover Cleveland can be if party
leaders have the courage OF their convictions.
Rhode Island is for Cleveland. The
Massachusetts Democracy is clearly for
Cleveland, and it is probable that the
delegates from Connecticut and New
Hampshire would prefer Cleveland to
any other candidate The influence of
Senator Villas will be sufficient to give
Cleveland the delegation from Wisconsin.
Indiana is reported to DO Cleveland
state. This is about the extent of Cleve-
lands boom. and even this small balloon
will burst the moment the Chicago con-
vention assemblies. The best service that
Cleveland's friends can do their party and
the country is to dismiss the thought of
his nomination and devote their energies
to preventing the nomination or election
OF David B.. Hill.
Cleveland has doubtless many friends in
the South, Southwest, Middle West and
the Pacific coast, but this section of the
Democracy is crazy on the subject of free
silver, while Cleveland is irrevocably COM
mitted against free silver coinage. All his
partisans at the East are opposed to free
West. No man SO pronounced against
free silver as Cleveland can possibly get
the Democratic nomination.
The Mugwump will probably continue
to the last his support of Cleveland on the
same plea that makes q mother admire her
deformed child, or a father watch with
loving and patient eye the awkward
antics of his hunchbacked hopeful. Cleve-
land is the hybrid offspring of the Repub-
lican Mugwump represented by Curtis,
and the Democratic independent repre-
sented by ex-Minister Phelps. He is the
ugly duckling of the Democracy and vet
the Mugwumps seem to love him tor the
very sake of his deformities.
Cleveland is beaten man, like Van
Buren,, but a younger, more ambitious,
aggressive and pugnaclous man than Van
Buren, was in 1874. A far less able man,
he is of coarser fibre. Cleveland has met
Van Buren's fate, and he will stay in
politics and try to rise to the top again by
dint of the qualities of Andrew johnson
rather than those of Van Buren,. He is of
the Andrew Johnson type, and it will not
be his fault if he does not remain an
ambitious Democratic politician to the
end of his days. He is not of delicate
sensibilities; he is not easily dis
couraged; he is full of selfconfi-
dence; he is both pugnacious and
persistent, and like Andrew Johnson,
whom lie resembles in temperament, al
though by no means his equal in intellect
or powers of public speech, Cleveland is
a thorough paced demagogue. Had he
not committed himself against free
silver" he would be a live figure in South
ern politics, for h e made q shrewd bid for
the heart of the South when he officially
wrote of Calhoun:
/ believe it would be well if all he did and
believed and taught, and all his aspirations for
the welfare and prosperity OF our republic were
better known and understood. If this were so,
much would be found to eniighten ana en-
courage those charged with public duty and
much to stimulate patriotic enthusiasm.
When Cleveland was defeated in 1855
he was without question the strongest
| man IN the party at the South, for he was
the best type of Northern man with
Southern Bourbon principles that the
country had seen since the days of Presi-
dent Pierce The time has not yet come
! for the nomination. much less the election
| of an ex-Coniederate to the presidency
| The candidate must be Northern man
| from one of the great doubtful states.
| Cleveland exactly suited the Southern
Democracy in lSSS. who read between the
lines OF his public utterances his full sym
| pathy with what is termed the peculiar
| Southern construction of the Federal con-
stitution. The South expected in lsSs that
the Democratic regulars in New York who
| did not like Cleveland. would swallow him,
and that the Mugwumps would make his
Adiposity's calling and election sure. They
underestimate the strength of the Demo
| cratic Tammany dislike for Cleveland, and
! the capacity of David b. Hill for party
treason. Democratic Governor Peck, of
Wisconsin, did not shoot wide of the truth
the other day, when he said:
The impression has prevailed among many
| Democrats ever since 1855 that H.ii acid Cieye-
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