The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-15
OH. THAT THIRD TERM!
A MYSTERIOUS LETTER AND A
CLEVELAND SMILE ARE TIE
TWOLATESTPH
THE SOUTH SOLID IN ANY CASE

The Views ofthe South on Silver FrivO'
lousy Brushed Asi'e IN the CaIcuIa'
tion in the Hope that She Will a gair
Swamp Her Convictions in the Col.
or Questionable Late DIR. Hall was
the Pastor OF Jefferson Davis, Whose
Pew-PIate Caused Row.
WASHINGTON, D. O., Sept. IA.
The interview of Senator Gray declar
ing in favor of a third term for Mr.
Cleveland has caus d men who secuted
the third term talk to take the idea seri
ously. 1t is now asserted that the prop
osition to renominate Mr.. Cleveland had
its origin outside of the circle of man
aging politicians. AS the story goes,
early in December, while the politicians
were still hopelessly and helplessly in
the dumps about the November result, a
prominent official received long letter
from friend-a man not IN office and
not wanting ofice-in which the whole
situation was carefully, and, as the off
cial thought, luminously examined. This
man was a tariff reformer and an adyo-
cate of "sound" money. He was also a
great admirer of Mr.. Cleveland. He
wrote at some length and pointed out
that Mr.. Cleveland must again lead the
party. Otherwise, as this man insisted,
Democratic disorder and disruption
would be inevitable. The argument was
that the party as party had failed to
score except as to the money question
Tariff revision was next to confessed
fiasco. Mr.. Cleveland had been right
and had tried to secure the proper and
the promised legislation, but protection
Democrats in the Senate had defeated
him. But he had hit the bulls eye az
to the finances, and was the only man in
the party capable of carrying the fight
to successful finish. He must be re
nominated for this particular purpose
1.-The figures offered were these: The
South's vote sure. The South, it was as
serted, would not bolt. In the last anal
ysis she had always held the negro ques.
ton above all other questions and would
do SO again. She might insist and
threaten as to silver, but she would never
bolt for any failure to get what she
wanted on that score. Then New York,
New Jersey, Connecticut ard Indiana
would, it vas predicted, return to the
Democratic column with Mr. Cleveland
in the forefront standing for sound
money, while in Ohio aud Illinois, Wis
consin, Minnesota and Michigan, a
greater fight could be put up in Mr..
Cleveland's name than in that Of any
other leader in the party.
1.-THE prominent official, in reading
this letter to a friend, remarked at the
close: i believe III show this to the ole
man himself
81 would if / were in your place,
was the reply.
1.-The thing was done. The promi
nent official upon his next visit to the
While House, after transacting his reg
ulsr business, produced his friends let
ter, saying: Here is something, Mr.
President, that may interest you
Mr.. Cleveland took the letter, read
it slowly and handing it back smiled
pleasantly and replied: That is very
kind. But, of course, haven't thought
about such thing. Tell me something
about your friend And this the prom
inent official proceeded to do in terms OF
very warm eulogy.
1.-THE story got out. The President
had smiled ct the suggestion of his
name for another term and had in
qnired about the author of it. The sug
gestion soon came from other quarters.
This same official got letters Of Ike
tenor from other persons and Other
prominent men did also 1t seemed
to please such people to be told that
their letters had been read by the Presi
dent, and that he had appeared to appre
ciate their very high praise. And 3
good many of these letters, it liz said,
found their way to the White House.
Beyond this there is no authoritative
report. Mr.. Cleveland at most Seems
only to have smiled when the subject
was mentioned and to have manifested
some polite and natural curiosity aboUi
those INDUCING in such unusual praise
of him.
''But this is sufficient to give many
Democratic leaders genuine alarm. They
don't like the looks of things They arr
not criticsing Mr.. Cleveland, but ratbel
the men who are laying before him their
private correspondence written in thu
vein. ANY man, they hold, is liable t.
be impressed with praise so hearty anC
to have his judgment more or less affec
ted by it. But that Mr.. Cleveland could
be elected President again not a man o
them believes. And they hope he ma!
see his way at an early day to put th'
whole matter at rest"
The death of Rev. Chas. f. Hall, D
D., recalls the story that during his in
cumbency of the rectorship of the Church
of the Epiphany, in this city, during tn
war, he was under suspicion of sym
pathizing with the South. Jefferson
Davis had held pew at his church, anc
they were warm friends. When Score
tary of War, Mr. Davis had appointeC
DR.. ball chaplain at West Point Militar,
Academy. Yesterdays Star gives tn
following interesting account of DR.
Halls embarrassing experience iron
1851 to 1866:
''Dr. Halls experiences during tn
war we're stirring and often hazardous
Many in his church went South an
served on the other side Among ther
was Jefferson Davis When, in 1857
the church was enlarged, Mr.. Davis wa
given the first choice of Il pew, and b
gave the pew to his wife. When th
Davis family left for the South in 1866
Mrs. Davis asked Mr.. Proctor, the SCI
ton, to put plate on their pew. The se1
n did not do this until the war was ha
over. One engraver committed suicide