New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-01
A LIGHT ~ TIE EAST.

Mr. Cleveland has returned TO New ork Tor
the purpose of being accessible when he Is
wanted by the other leaders of his party, ana
incidentally for the purpose OF re-eStablishnlg
his residence in this city and resumlng the
practice of the law. These various engage
ments will keep him pretty busy, but IN some
way he ought to save time enough for the com
position of supplementary letter OF accept
ance. For it is evident that the letter just put
in circulation has produced widespread dlsap-
pointment and discomfort in that section OF
the Democratic party upon whose fervent de-
votion he has hitherto most confidently relied,
and is tending strongly to dispel the illusion
upon which he depends for success at the polls
Recalling numerous documents of similar in
tent, We are unable to remember single one
which has invaidated so many claims made
by and for its author.
The esteem in which Mr.. Cleveland mas
heretofore been held by great number OF his
fellow citizens has proceeded from the beliei
that he was a bold and uncompromlslng advo-
cate Of his own conscientious convictions; that
he was possessed, in fact, by that courage OF
opinion which, just verging on wiifulness ana
rashness, has often availed to capuvate the
popular mind and heart TO this estimate OF
his moral qualities Mr.. Cleveland owes in great
degree the admiration which he has inspired
in many young and ingenious persons ana
most of the panegyrics to which the country
has listened with conflicting emotions during
the last eight years Indeed it is safe to say
that if descriptions of this nature were to be
erased from the Cleveland literature of tho
period the residuum would be scarcely recog-
nizable by those who produced it. And if this
element is to be missing hereafter in appeals
for the Democratic candidate, it is obvious that
striking, if not disastrous, change in the point
of view will result.
We might possibly distruSt our own Judg-
ment of Mr.. Clevelands letter of acceptance,
50 far as this feature of it is concerned If we
were not sustained and treasured by the de-
liberate verdict of several journals which al
WAYS hitherto have given him answering ser
vice and devotion. We suppose If Mr.. Cleve-
land himself had been asked TO name the two
newspapers upon whose sagacious and fervent
supnort he most implicitly and serenely count
ed. he would at any moment during the last
eight wears have named "The Providence Jour
nal, and 1.-THE Springfield Republican, with
ont the least hesitation or reserve. 1t has
gOnlPtlMp- SpcHlcu W us tiItto ~ ShbH' "N-''''
ure of doubt or disapprobation in the full and
steady stream of their devotion would make 1t
more impressive and helpful but that was a
question for them to determine. The single
ness of their purpose has never been disputed.
HUT even upon these thoroughgoing, though
rnselfish. partisans Mr. Cleveands letter has
nroduced an amazing effect. Witness this ut
terance of "The Providence Journal:
One reads the tariff paragraphs Of the letter through
and reads them again. and then lays down with only
q confused idea Of what sort OF tariff Mr.. Cleveland
really believes IN certainly with distinct concep-
ton Of what our revenue laws "ouio DE II ne iau the
making Of them
Witness also these comments Of The Spring
field Republican"
II il not the strongest piece Of writing Mr.. Cleve-
land has ever put his name 10. Particularly noucea'
be is the absence Of any remark on the question OF
the repeal OF the 10 per cent tax on State bank notes
raised IN the Democratic platform. From the stand
point Of mere party expedisncy-whch. no doubt, gov
erned hlm-we should say this course was unwse. IL
becomes more noticeable IN view OF the fact that few
other questions In aDywise connected with National
affairs at present escape his attention
1t must be painful experience for Mr.. Cleve-
land to find these two leading journals of New
England. in whose unfaltering support he has
heretofore safely trusted, declaring that it is
impossible to ascertain from his letter of ac-
ceptance "what sort of tariff he really be-
lieves in" and that, though doubtless gov
erned by "mere party expediency," he has
made a serious mistake and disclosed unfortu-
nate weakness. Their courteous phrases dc
not conceal their disappointment. In reality
they accuse Mr.. Cleveland of evasion and
| c, wardice. They strip him Of the very quail
tiles with which they have heretofore most con
spicuously invested him. There must be many
readers of these two journals and many othei
persons with similar thoughts and feelings, in
whom Mr.. Clevelands letter of acceptance has
produced sense of having been misled ano
| BETRAYED OF course it is for him to decide
| whether he can better afford to try to restore
their confidence by supplementary letter OIL
put his faith entirely in those elements OF hi'
party which he has hitherto affected to despise
and to which his present attitude of compliance
is doubtless most agreeable. But to us il
seems that he has lost his most valuable pos
session in losing the confidence of those who
have never before doubted his courage and
| sincerity.