New-York tribune., 1896-06-02
THE NATIONAL CENSOR.

President Clcveland's power To harm the
country by his acts will soon end, AMI that u
n cheerful thought 1t is likewise IN agree"
able. though less important. fact that "rN
for a short time to come will II bc necessary 10
listen with that respect which Is always due
to n President of the United States. TO his aWk-
ward gloomy and egotistica rcbukcs. MI
Cleveland has once been made President 10y
fictitious majortics in Southern States ana
frauds in \ew-Iork, and he has once b'"h
elected through a sudden and mysterious laps"
of reason in A multitude of voters. But he has
never received a human or divine commission
to scold the American people. Whether large
oppropriations and larger contracts for Internal
improvements are or are not advisable at TINS
time IS n question on which opinions may diner.
and the President is as well entitled to his "pn
ion as any other man. Furthermore. an hon
est Judgment expressed in an Executive veto
is alvoys resDectable however mistaken II may
be But n splenetic mputation of sordid and
unnotrlotic motives 10 the ma ajority who dis
agree with him is not becoming TO any ri'lz'h
and least of all TO the Chief Magistrate. If the
orraicnlnent of the people by their President
in his veto of the River and lIarbor bill were
his first offence of the sort il would be intrln-
sicallv as objectionable hut ii would not be- so
exasperating The thought that /, Is the latest.
and presumably not the last. in long series of
accusations disinclincs the accused To make
such allowances as might bciit n single indis-
cretion
The contrast which the President iS so FOND
| Of drawing between himself and the rest OF
the people is beyond doubt one of the most fan
tostic peryersions of truth ever submitted for
the rejection of mankind When one reflects
that this is the man whose public career is lined
! with monuments of insincerity. and whose
stubborn ignorance has inflicted incalculabl
misery upon his country. the vanity capable OF
adopting such tone and posture appears utter
ly incomprchensible Perhaps II is bewildcr-
ment which explains the forbrarance shown Ia
Mr. Cleveland. Surely no one ever had less
| reason to claim or expect immunity, and yet
except from leaders Of his own party expires
! sions of bitter personal resentment are seldom
| heard From his political antagonists especial
ly he has invariably received unstinted praise
whenever a meritorous action has diversified
q monotonons record of bundcrs. Thus. for
| example though at times when Il prohigate us'
of patronage has seemed likely 10 be politically
profitable he has permitted perfect debancl
of spoiIs. so that even "'rhc New York Evening
| Post" in moment OF inadvcrtent candor has
astounded its readers by acknowledging The
TRUTH he has nevertheless been generously ap
plauded by Republicans for his spasmodic "N
tensions Of Civil Service Reform And similar
ly against every default the people lav" be"i
anxious to set off benefit. and hav" don" S'
whenever they could find one
For this unparalleled magnanimity Oh ih'
part Of his countrymen the return which th'
President IL fondcst Of making is n wholesale
denial Of their reciiudc and loyalty. Bctw'el
the lines Of the Indictment obtrudcs the impli
cation that the only sensible thing they have
ever done was making him their ruler an'
that their only hope Of salvation Is IN compel
ing him 10 accept third term.