The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1895-05-11

o p. M, to-day gave to the Associated d
Press, with the consent of the writer. d
letter addressed to him by President
Cleveland under date OF April 26th.
The following is the full text Of the let
ter:
EXECUTIVE MANSION. !
WASHISGTON. April e. 1885.
| Hon. }. NJ. Stone, Governor. Etc.
My Dea" Sir-Your letter OF the 2lst
inst, is at hand do not feel inclined
to find fault with your criticism, but |
think the matters you refer to should
be judged in the light of the circum-
stances existing at the time the things
were done. l never had an idea Of
building up or fostering personal fol-
lowing, but so far as politics should
properly influence me in making ap-
pOintments, have tried to be Demo-
crat and not proscrip ptive. l am glad
you are frank enough to admit your
participation in bringing about con-
dition in Office holding, which may not
be all that could be desired.
Whether those appointed to places
shall in speech and action behave de-
Gently towards the administration,
under which they hold Office, must re-
main to u large extent matter OF taste
and good breeding. There are, how
ever, some officials who devote them
selves so industriously to villifcation
and abuse Of those under whom they
hold, as to indicate that their fidelity
cannot be trusted for the performance
Of their duties in q manner creditable
to the administration, and who appar
emily assume that they may spend the
time they owe the public service in
doing political mischief. In the inter-
est of good government, such of1icehold-
ers must not be surprised, if they are
summarily dealt with.
When I received your letter, I had
just finished reading another letter of
yours in which you explain to the citi-
zens Of Mississippi, your views on the
currency question. 1t seems to me you
have in that letter contributed in the
best possible style and in most valua-
BILE way, to the fund of argument in
favor of sound money.
have never ceased to wonder why
the people OF the South, furnishing so
largely as they do, products which are
exported for gold, should be willing to
submit to the disadvantages and loss
of silver mono-metalism and to content
themselves with a deprecated and
huctuating currency while permitting
others to reap profit from the transit
tion of the prices of their productions
from silver to gold.
I 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 pitfall which is directly be-
fore them who madly rush toward the
phantom light of free, unlimited indc-
pendent silver coinage.
If we, who profess fealty to the Dem
ocratic party, are sincere in our devo-
tion to its principles, and if we arc
right in believing that the ascendency
of those principles is a guarantee Of
personal liberty. universal care for the
rights OF all, nonsectional American
brotherhood and manly trust in Ameri
can citizenship in any part of our land,
we should study the effects upon our
party and consequently upon our coun-
try of a cOmmittal of the national Dem
ocracy TO the silver alteration.
IF there are Democrats who suppose
that our party can stand upon a plat
form embodying such doctrines, either
through it's affirmative strength or
through the perplexity OF our oppon-
ents on the same proposition, or if there
are Democrats who are willing to turn
their backs upon their party associa-
tions in the hope that free and unlimi-
ted and independent coinage of silver
can win a victory without the aid of
either party organization, they should
deceive themselves no longer, nor
longer refuse to look in the face the re-
suits that will follow the defeat if not
the disintegration Of the Demoratic
party upon the issue which tempts them
from their allegiance.
If we should be forced away from our
traditional doctrine of sound and safe
our old antagonist will take the
field on the platform which we aban
don; and neither the votes of reckless
Democrats nor reckless Republicans
will avail to stay their easy march to
power. This is as plain as anything
,an possibly be.
1t therefore becomes the duty OF
every Democrat. wherever he may be,
10 consider what such Il victory would
mean; and in the light of a proper con-
:eption of its results he should delib-
,rately shape his course.
Yours vc"y truly.
GROWER CLEVELAND |