Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-19
rHE EXECUTIVES IGNORANCE or
CURRENT POLITICAL MATTERS
CONCERNING GROVER CLEVELAND
iN EXHAUSTIVE TREATMENT OF
THAT CHARGE.
HE S UPREME COURT.
=" Need 10 Renew the silver Discus
sion With the Governor-Tbe
Democratic Party the True Con.e
'"tve Pnrty of the Country.

LfNCHBURG. VA, September 1S-
iSpecial-)-SenatOr Daniel has addressed
me editor Of the Lynchburg News the
ioAowing open letter. which will be pub
'shed In Sundays issue of that news
paper:
shall not answer in detail the volurni-
nous letter OF Governor OFerrar. The
game Is not worth the candle. The igno-
rance OF current political matters it dis
plays is made the base Of its reckless
assertions, and its happy-go-lucky style
III accompaniment vast nor
ton OF II IS consumed to make II ap-
pear that l was inconsistent about the
State debt and other obsolete issues of
campaigns long bygone No public in
terest attaches now TO these stale things
They have been passed on and DISPOSED
Of. am not sufficiently impressed with
the gravity Of his observations upon
them, or upon me in connection with
them. TO deem them worthy of notice.
The people of the State have too often
endorsed me for me to feel anxiety for
reopening Of the ended political causes
IN which l participated, now long since
stricken from the docket.
Neither do / feel that | need take les
sons in consistency. fidelity, or graft
tude from even so shining an illustration
Of those virtues as my volunteer censor
and pronered teacher.
In the Washington Post interview he
condemned me by name as to my cours.
al the Chicago convention of 1896. and
evidently hit at me when he arraigned
The leaders Of the Roanoke convention
in language as unbecoming as II was
useless and unjust-peculiarly unbe-
coming from him who had been so Of
ten upheld by those iie- Sought to pull
down.
The attack was utterly "unfounded"
in fact 1t was "unprovoked" because
not elected by any criticism Of mine on
its author. That he believed it was a
serious and injurious assault on me is
shown by the manner I'm which it's rem
nants are renewed, and attempted to be
fortified.
THE CHARGE.
He charged in his interview that / |
nav bAANAfA a iN1OauNlOu III the senate. |
which IT unanimously passed. approving
President Cleyelands course in sending |
troops to Chicago to defend the post
routes and mails OF the United States:
that the Chicago Democratic Convention
OF 1896 IN its platform denounced Mr..
Cleveland for doing the very thing for
which Senator Daniel had praised him.
that 1 was a prominent member of the
Committee on Resolutions" and that If
raised my voice in the committee or
III the convention against the plank de-
nouncing Cleveland, he had never heard
OF it,"
This was IN order to put me in a false
Light before ihe public, and TO show thar
! was capable Of doing small and un-
just thing.
REPLY.
l replied ] was not member of the
Committee on Resolutions; that there
was no such plank IN the platform as
construed 1t, ana according TO fair
construction; that the plank against
arbitrary interference" In local affairs
was an ancient and general Demo-
cratic principle and the denunciation
OF government by injunction the sole
application thereof i'm the platform.
that Mr.. Cleveiand's peculiar adherents
In the convention had made no obiec-
Iion TO H. nor regarded it as having
reference TO his action at Chicago; that
reference TO Cleveland was as / was |
expressly disclaimed I'm the
that 1 had always defended
Cleveland as to the matter, and would !
have done so at Chicago If / had thought
he plank would be given the meaning
hat had been attributed TO it by the
.nemies Of the Democratic party. I
THE REToRT VERBOSE. |
The Governor now rejoins that l al :
owed this charge O "to go unchal- y
enged for more than a year; CD that =
took refuge in silence; CD that my y
tongue had lost its cunning; a. that
received the criticism meekly"; G) a
hat / permitted the platform 10 be n
lddled"; CO that i placed myself "in a
false light" CD that l heard the I,
rlticism with serenity; 9 that +,
preferred silence; (D that "the pub v
Ic heard no denial; QO) that "the bill n
vas taken for confessed" This inn u
nense display Of verbosity and gar a
ulity is crowned with the fippant C,
uery. "Was he asleep all last cam
align? Oh. no. he was very wide awake "
Vas he deaf? oh, no! his ears caught II
very sound" ii
il4s ANisA I 4 Il AAANs "
I left the Chicago convention in ses- n
ion. and before the Vice-President was p
dominated and embarked for England s.
n legal business / returned home in "
eptomber Scarcely pauslng at home. .
made my opening campaign speech on -,
Sth. at Danville, and l -
romptly and fully answered the charges
hat had been made I'm my absence, and
hich are now rcvamped by Governor IN
'Ferrall II ! did not hear my critics pl
cross the water. ] answered as soon te
/ did hear: but Il seems strange that c,
lose who could hear the criticism s
lines without number"-could never I'm
-ar the answer. IN
How false is the light in which the 81
iblic censor has placed himself. and sii
in what rashness he gloats in his W,
.oss misrcpresentations. Will be dis tn
vered by turning 90 the Richmond Dis or
Itch OF October is. 1896. After the IA
awhile speech OF September Sth I was vo
,ain absorbed I'm the case that took me tn
Europe. September 2Sd IT'S trial COM cr
onced. October 18th, near midnight. ov
concluded. The next day ] wrote and fol
I'VE 20 the press for general circulation ye
e omen letter which the Dispatch con- dc
ms. and from which the following ex- of
act Is taken: sh
FROM LETTER OF JOHN mC
" DANIEL IN RICHMOND DIS We
PATCH OF OCTOBER is, 1886 sci
The suggestion which has been made Ito
at / am sensitive about the Democratic tn
aiform. and that l regard Il as repug- a
amt 10 the resolutions which | offered an
sl.4 t.s.f In