Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-05-17
THE GAZETTE.
Mr.. Cleveland's Force Bill Record
and Mr.. Wilson.

and Mr.. Wilson.
WASHINGTON, May 13, 1892.
To the Editor of the Alexandria Gazette.
In a letter last month to your journal
on the subject of Mr.. Cleveland's atti-
tude on the force bill I showed how he
had failed all during the spring of 1880
when the bill was before committee and
Congress; how during June, July and
August when it was topic of discus
sion in Congress and by the public
press; also when it had passed the
House of Representatives on July I'd,
1890, and later when the fall campaign
was in progress and it was SO important
in order to defeat the bill to have an
emphatic popular condemnation of this
atrocious measure, he had remained con-
spicuously silent until about 31st of Oc-
tober, just before the election before he
had uttered word or two of disapproval
SO vague and brief that it proved clear
ly that he really cared nothing about
the subject. TO say that all this time
MIR. Cleveland had no opportunity to
express his sentiments on this revolu-
tionary measure is simply ridiculous.
1t is pleading the baby act. There is
not newspaper in New York whose
columns are not open to Mr.. Cleveland
every day. Then there is the Associ-
ated Press always open to him or to any
ex-President-as open to him in July,
August or September, 1890, when pub
lie opinion was being formed on this
great subject, as it was on the 31st of
October, when he put forth his little
manifesto on topics utterly insignificant
in comparison A brave, honest, consci-
entious public man will make his own
opportunity. No man can doubt that
at word from Mr.. Cleveland G great
public meeting would promptly have
been held in New York TO protest
against this outrage on the constitution
and the northern people. One-tenth of
the influence" employed by his New
York friends to subsidize newspapers
and corrupt the agencies by which the
national democratic convention is to be
organized and controlled, would have
sufiiced to get up monster meeting i'll
New York city which would have ap-
palled the conspiratOrs at Washington
and given fresh impetus to such man.
~ champions of the people as German,
Faulkner, Pugh, Daniel and others l
could name in that long and doubtful
combat But Mr. Cleveland did not
once lift up his hand. Put all his late
and tardy utterances on the subject to-
gether and they are not worthy of q
sophomore speaking to debating club.
The "great big man" was about as elo-
quent and impressive as Bunsby and
yet the topic was worthy the eloqneucc
of Patrick Henry or ST. Paul himself.
Public men have been charry of de-
Tending Mr.. Cleveland's silence and
inactivity, but Mr.. Wilson, of West
Virginia, came to his defence in let
ter. He suggested that Mr.. Cleveland
lacked opportunity" for an utterance,
and in a naughty fashion said in effect
that to accuse him of lukewarmness
was unjust and untrue;;" and that it
was "humiliating to him as southern
er that any southern man should try
to make capital in such way against
Mr.. Cleveland"
l am not one of those who believe
that when congressman open their
mouths every on else shall shut up.
They are simply mortals, liable to 60
astray like all the rest of us. 1t was
provoking to me that Mr.. Wilson should
dispute the recorded facts of history
which it was his opportunity and duty
to know and / could not help feeling
irritated at his severe reflections upon
those including numerous journalists
and democratic representatives and
Senators who had made this very
charge against Mr.. Cleveland. His sug-
gestion that he was ''humiliated" on
their account was very offensive and
uncalled for. Irritated at this style Of
his reply 1 commented on Mr.. Wilson
in rather sharp language. But l am
moved by the recollection of kindly
personal relations in the past with Mr..
Wilson to believe that he did not mean
to be offensive, or to reflect upon those
who, like myself, had preferred this
charge against Mr.. Cleveland, and that
he wrote incautiously without taking
the pains to refresh his memory of the
record of those times. l am reluctant
to believe that he would willingly mis-
represent any public transaction and
assume any moral superiority over his
opponents in this matter as his Ian
guage seemed to indicate. freely con-
cede his eminent ability and public
services, and am only sorry that his
talents were not employed as they
onght to be in showing how this
migrate failed to do his duty
to the party that had honor
ed him far beyond his merits by two
Presidential nominations or to speak
one word for that section which though
robbed, impoverished and most foully
abused had given him support as gen
erous and unstinted as it had ever CIV
en- to Lee or Jefferson Davis.
There are two Clevelands-one of
them the ideal Cleveland. Many thou
sands of honest, patriotic, intelligent,
but ill-informed men in the south wor-
ship the ideal Cleveland. They have
been told very little about him by the
professional politicians. Speaking the
honest, plain truth seems to be one of
the lost arts nowadays. Indeed, it is
not always safe to do SO, and the Rev.
Am;nadah Sleek was really very world