The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-04-16
A sLANDER REFUTED.
President Cleveland Bitterly Resents
an Attack--The Preacher Takes
Back His Charges and Apologies.

President Cleveland Bitterly Resents
an Attack--The Preacher Takes
Back His Charges and Apologies.
When the report of a speech made in
q Methodist conference at Salem,
Mass, by the Rev. DIR. Lansing and a
| subsequent published interview with
the same gentleman, accusing the
President of intemperance, was shown
to President Cleveland, he. said with
considerable warmth:
This is simply an outrage. Though
1t Is not the first time q thing of this
kind has been attempted, cannot
avoid feeling of Indignation that any
man who makes any claim to decency,
and especially by one who assumes the
role OF Christian minister, should
permit himself to become dissemina-
tor of wholesale lies and calumnies not
less stupid than they are cruel and
wicked
easily recall Other occasions when
those more or less entitled to be called
ministers of the Gospel have been in
strumehtal in putting into circulation
the most scapdalous falsehoods con-
cerning my conduct and character.
The elements or factors of the most
approved outfit for placing false and
barefaced accusation before the public
appear to be, first. someone with base
ness and motive sufficient to invent it {;
second, minister, with more gullibili-
ty and love of notoriety than piety,
greedily willing to listen to it, and
gabble it, and third, u newspaper anx-
iously willing to publish it.
For the sake of the Christian re-
ligion L am thankful that these scan
dal-mOngering ministers are few, and
on every account l am glad that the
American people love fair play and
justice, and that in spite of all efforts
to mislead them they are apt to
form correct estimate of the charac-
ter and labors of their public SER
wants."
Rev. l. j. Lansing, whose reference
to the President in his address before
the New England conference at Salem.
Mass, has provoked extended criticism,
makes the following statement:
My allusiou made in IL temperance
4, to the drinking habits of the Presi-
dent of the United States, was based
partly on common repo:t and partly
on the testimony of eye witnesses.
From various and independent sources
which l believe to be wholly reliable
| had been informed that the Presi-
dent has been seen, on different oc
casions, and in the presence of many
persons in an Intoxicated condition.
From the substantial and detailed
character OF these statements | sup
pose there was no doubt as to the facts
alleged. | therefore made this allus-
ion as matter OF common report. bas-
ing my confidence on the testimony OF
personal, and as l supposed credtable
Witnesses. The names of these wit
ness obviously cannot with propriety
reveal, since. such sharing their know
ledge in common with many others
they might justly shrink from being
singled out and called to verify some
thing which not only they but others
equally with themselves had occular
proof | must therefore say that if
my statement resting on such testi-
mony is not in harmony with the facts
regret having made it. | could have
neither desire nor motive for saying
anything unkind or uncharitable of the
President on of any party whatsoever.
The case being one of conflict of testi-
mony between witnesses, OF equal credi-
liability, / cannot decide, and since
have no personal knowledge apart
from the testimony, | withdraw the
statement aud tender apologies and
sincere regrets to the President of the
United States and public.
(Signed.) l. j. LANSING"
lions Herald, tho organ of New
England Methodism. says editorially
in this weeks issue upon DR.. Lansing's
charge against President Cleveland
THE Rev. |. j. Lansing, d. d., pas
tor of the Park street Congregational
church, Boston, delivered an address
at the anniversary of the New England
conference temperance society at
Salem, April 4th, in which he,distinctly
declared that President Cleveland was
intoxicated at the naval review in New
York, and this accusation has aroused
storm of Indignation throughout the
country and the regret is genera, and
profoundly sincere that this dis
tinguished minister made 80 grave a
charge against the occupant OF the
highest office in the gift of the people.
Even were the statement true it would
have been much more disrceet not to
have uttered it. But it appears be-
yond question from the Presidents
own statement and from those who
were nearest to him on the day in
question that not only was he not in
toXicated but that he had not tasted
liquor. While we have no doubt that
Mr.. Lansing fully accredited tho in
formation as reliable upon which he
based his assertion, there seems for
him no other manly and Christian
course than to humbly confess his in
discretion and to ask President Cleve-
land and an indignant public to condone
his wrong.
"Of course, the ministers OF the
New England conference and the mem
bership of the Methodist church as q
whole utterly disclaim all responsible
ty for the rash charge"