The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-08
SIMPLY OUTRAGE
The President Denounces Dr..
: Lansing's Utterances.
Wave Of Intense Indignation Appears
to Have Swept From City to City.

w APfh o. : w Hcn Sno
,ort Of a speech made In Methodist con-
ference by Rev. Dr. Lansing. and his sub
sequent published interview. accusing the
president of intempcrance, was shown to
Mr.. Cleveland last evening, he said with
considerable warmth:
This is simply an outrage, though IL Is
not the first time a thing Of this kind has
been attempted I cannot avoid a feeling
of Indignation that any man who makes
claim to decency, and especially one who
assumes the role of Christian minister,
should permit himself to become dis
seminator of Wholesale lies and calumnies
not less stupid than they are cruel and
wicked.
81 easily recall other occasions when
those more or less entitled to be called
ministers of the gospel have been instru.
mental In putting into circulation the
most scandalous falsehoods concerning
my conduct and character. The elements
or factors of the most approved outfit for
placing false and barefaced accusation
before the public appeared to be first,
some one with baseness and motive suffi-
cient 10 invent It.; second, q minister with
more gullibility and love Of notoriety than
piety greedily willing to listen to 1t and
gobble it; and third, a newspaper anx-
iously willing to publish 1t.
"For the sake OF the Christia n religion,
i am thankful that these scanda l-monger-
ing ministers are fcw. and on every ac-
count am glad that the American people
love fair play and justice, and that In
spite OF all effort TO mislead them. they
are apt 20 form correct estimate Of tho
character and labors Of their public serv.
ants"
Cleveland Defended by Republicans.
NEW YORK, April s.-The World says
.oday: Indignation OF the intensest kind
das been excited among Democrats in
New York and other cities over the attack
made upon President Cleveland at the
New England Methodist conference, by
Rev. i. j. Lansing of Boston, charging
the president with drunkenness at pub
lie dinner in New York.
Many of the leading Democrats and Re-
publicans who attended the thres din
ners at which Mr.. Cleveland was present,
between the time of the election in No
vember. 1892, and the inaugurations in
March, 1898, yesterday denounced the
story as a lie, and In set terms expressed
their opinion of,the American citizen whe,
without the shadow of proof, on a simple
hearsay statement, would malign tue
character Of the President OF the United
States.
The three dinners referred to were those
of the Chamber OF Commerce, given at
Delmonicos on Nov. IL, 1892; a.dinner at
the home of Henry Willard two days later,
and that given by the Reform club on
Dec. 10. 1852.
Depew's Say.
Chauncey M. Depew said last night:
'"There Is only one reply that can be made
to such a story-it is absolutely contempt.
ible and absurd. At the Chamber Of Com
merce dinner / sat near Mr.. Cleveland. 1
saw him from the time he came in until
he went away. can say that he was alb
solutely sober and In full command of his
faculties He conducted himself in the
way that the world at large would expect
from the President of the United States"
T. Ellery Anderson said: II was one of
the guests at the dinner given by Mr..
Willard in honor OF Psesident Cleveland
Incidentally, too, presided at the Reform
club dinner. On both these occasions, as
on every other on which i have met Presi-
dent Cleveland ,durilS an acquaintance OF
many years, he has conducted himself in
n way, II possible, to increase the adnira-
ton and respect Of his fellow-men. We
all felt proud Of our president. He was,
as always, n gentleman"
Frederick Il. Coudert, who was one of
the leading men men at the Reform club
dinner of 1892, had this to say on the sub
ject: "The suggestion or the assertion
that President Cleveland was drunk is too
contemplate for notice. was present at
the Reform club dinner of that year. I
sat next, or almost next, to the president,
and l say that he, from first to last, con-
Quoted himself as a gentleman and In a
manner befltting his Office. To say that
he was the worse for drink Is to utter
falsehood. 1t seems almost incredible to
meet any man, Republican or Democrat,
claiming to be an Americsn, with the
credit of his country at heart, who would
so readily cast an unjust aspersion OH tho
character of the president. A possible ex-
planation of the story is that DIR. Lam
sings informant was himself drunk and
saw all things as though through q glass
darkly."
Rev. DIR. W. II. Vibbert of Trinity
chapel, said: "The story Is ridiculous,
and worse untrue. DIR. Lansing has been
mlsinformed. 1 was present at the
Chamber of Commerce dinner, sat next to
President Cleveland, talked with him,
heard his admirable address, and can say
that he was in the fullest command OF
himself from first q last. How on earth
such a story could bo told puzzles me. 1t
is almost too absurd for denial"