The record-union., 1895-05-04
EXECUTIVE MANSION.
WASHINGTON, April %, lS9


WASHINGTON, April %, 1895.
Hon. John NJ. Stone, GoUernor-MY
DEAR SIR: Your letter OF the 21st inst.
| is at hand. l do not ieei inclined to find
fault with your criticism, but / think the
matters you refer to should be judged
in the light OF the circumstances
existing at the time the things
were done. never had an
| idea of building up or foste ring
a personal following. but SO far as
politics should properly influence me in
| making appointments, L have tried to be
Democratic and not proscriptive.
am glad you are frank enough to ad-
NIT your participation in bringing about
a condition in ffice-hOlding which may
not be all that could now be desired.
Whether those appointments to place
shall in speech and action behave de-
| Gently toward the Administration under
which they hold office must remain, to
| largo extent, matter Of taste and good
| breeding. There are, however, some off,
| cials who devote themselves SO indusIri-
ously to villifcation and abuse of those
| under whom they hold office as to indi-
cate that their fidelity cannot be trusted
for the performance of their duties in
manner creditable to the Administration,
and who apparently assume they may
spend the time they owe to public service
in doing political mischief. In the inter-.
ers must not be surprised ii they are
sum marily dealt with.
When [ received your letter l had Just
finished reading letter of yours, in
which you explain to the citizens of Mis-
sissippi your views on the currency
question. 1t seems to me you have in
that letter contributed in the best possi-
BILE style and in most valuable way to
the fund OF argument in favor Of sound
money. l have never ceased to wonder
why the people of the South, fur
nished so largely as they do, products
which are exported for gold, should be
willing to submit to the disadvantages
and loss of silver monometallism, and to
content themselves with deprecated
and fuctuating currency, while permit
ting others to reap profit from the trans
mutton of the prices OF their produc-
tions from silver to gold. [ hope
this letter of yours will be given the
widest possible circulation, especially
among our Southern fellow -citizens, and
that they will be permitted to see the pit
tall which Is directly before those who
madIy rush toward the phantom light of
free and independent silver coinage.
five, who profess fealty to the Demo-
cratic party are sincere in our devotion
to its principles, and if we are right in
believing that the ascendency OF those
principles is a guarantee of present lib
6rtY, universal Cdko iOI suo LIZ VI dlls
nom sectional, American brotherhood
and manly trust in American citizenship
in any party OF our land, we should
study the effects upon our party, and con-
seQuently upon our country, OF COM
initial of the National Democracy to this
silver alterations If there are Democrats
VINO suppose that our party can stand
on a platform embodying such doctrine,
either through its affirmative strength or
through the perpleXity of our opponents
on the same proposition, or if there are
Democrats who are willing to turn their
backs upon their party associations in
the hope that the free and un-
limited and independent coinage of
silver can win victory without
the aid of either party organization,
they should deceive themselves no
longer, no longer refuse to look in the
face the results that will follow defeat. if
not the disintegration, of the Democratic
party upon the issue which tempts them
from their allegiance. If we should be
forced away from our traditional
doctrine of sound and safe money.
our old antagonist will take the
fold on the platform which we aban-
don: and neither the votes of reckless
Democrats or reckless Repu ublicans Will
avail to stay their easy march to power.
This is as plain as anything can possibly
be.
It, therefore, becomes the duty OF every
Democrat, wherever he may be. to con-
slider what such a victory would mean;
and in the light OF a proper conception OF
it's results, be should deliberately shape
his course. Yours very truly,
GROVER CLEVELAND.