The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1893-06-22
WOULDN'T MAKE PLEDGES,
A Little Dinner Party at Which Mr.
Cleveland Showed
HIS HONESTY AND HIS MANHOOD.

Il Will Make No Secret Promises: III
be Damned ifI WILL" Mr.. Cleve
land is Reported to Have Said to
Mr.. Sheehan-Said he Would Come
OF the Ticket Rather than Make
Them.
New York Herald
Mr.. Cleveland's own story of the ia
nous little dinner party at the Veto
ria Hotel at which Mr.. Sheehan's nosC
was tweaked, SO 20 speak, is quite in
tereStng.
This is the way it is repeated by an
intimate friend of the President and
is the first time it has been made pub
lie in its details.
Mr.. Whitney had urged upon Mr..
Cleveland the Importance of meeting
the surly leaders of the Democratic
organization with view of harmony.
The then ex-President was unwilling
at first. He insisted that the fight at
Chicago had settled the question of
personalities and that there was no
more reason why he should go to New
York and make oyertures to Mr.. Hills
followers of any defeated candidate in
any other State If they were Demo
Gratis it was their business to support
the ticket.
Finally, however, Mr.. Whitney's ar
guments prevailed and Mr.. Cleveland
started from BuZZard's Bay to meet
the sullen leaders. When Mr.. Cleve-
land met Mr.. Whitney prior to the
dinner he looked at him with curl
Gus smile.
''Well, Whitney, have you got your
dinner ready"
Eyes, everything is ready"
''Who will be there tonight?"
''Murphy, Sheehan, Croker" and
Mr.. Whitney named the invited
guests.
There was moment of silence and
then Mr.. Whitney laughed.
81 saw Sheehan at the Hoffman
House today" he said, ''and he says
he intends to read the riot act to you
tonight
81 have heard that he intends to do
something of that SORT" said Mr..
Cleveland quietly, land | have come
to New York so that he may have
good opportunity"
When the dinner was ended that
night Mr.. Sheehan turned to Mr..
Cleveland and said there was matter
of business to be discussed. Mr..
Cleveland expressed his willingness to
hear anything that might be said.
Mr.. Sheehan told him that the gem
tlemen then present were the leaders
and representatives of the Democrat
ic organization in the State of New
York and that they wanted to come
to definite understanding with him.
He could not be elected unless they
supported him and they did not in
tend to take any chances this time.
"Well, what do you gentleman
want?" asked Mr.. Cleveland.
eve want pledges from you," said
what you are going to do if you are
elected. We want you to give US
PROMISES that will satisfy us that
the organization will be properly rec
OgniZed if you become President
again."
Mr.. Cleveland doubled up his huge
fist and smote the table.
''Gentleman." he said, speaking
slowly and with almost painful dis
White House pledged to you or to any
one else. l will make no secret prom
ises. I'll be damned if | will"
Again the big fist whacked the
table.
'What are you going to do them"
inquired Mr.. Sheehan cynically.
81 II tell you what | am going to
do" said Mr.. Cleveland as he rose to
his feet. II intend to address letter
to the public in which / shall with
draw from the ticket. / will write
that letter before | sleep tonight and
give it to the Associated Press. l in |
tend to explain my situation and re-
port what you have said to me. |
will tell the voters of the country
that l cannot give any secret pledges,
and that unless l do you will not sup
port the Democratic ticket, which
means the loss of the State of New
York and defeat. l will tell the vot-
ers that do not want to stand in the
way of Democratic victory. That
is what l shall do. Then, gentlemen.
you can pick out candidate to suit
you, and if he is a proper man and the
candidate of the party | will vote for
him."
There was a pause.
But I'll tell you one thing, Mr..
Sheehan," said Mr.. Cleveland, as he
turned to the now breathless Lieut.
Governor, Sin my opinion public in
dignatlon will snow you and your or
ganization out of sight before the end
Of the week"
Mr.. Croker leaped to his feet.
''This must stop, Mr.. Sheehan," +" he
said, 81 agree with Mr.. Cleveland. He
cannot make any pledges and it is not
right to ask for them"
So the dinner party separated.
Il tell you what it isl said the eX-
President, as he related the story,
those fellows got hold of Mr.. Whit
ney and ratified him. He was actually
ratified. They scared him.
A gentleman who saw the Presi-
dent few weeks ago says Mr.. Cleve-
land now thinks it was a great mis-
take not to have allowed the anti
Tammany Democrats to nominate an
independent local ticket. He is conf
dent that such ticket would have
been victorious and would have re-
suited in political condition in the
State less embarrassing than that
which now cOnfrontS him.
'sI:am satisfied" said my informant,
'that the next local election will
result in Republican success. And it
seems to me about the best thing that
can happen"
SIS that Mr.. Cleveland's idea too?n
u won't say that. In fact, | don't
know"