The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-26
IT Is SIMPLY GROTEsoUE.

We take the following from the Dis
patch of Sunday.
CAN THIS BE CLEVELAND?
Those verses were handed the editor Of
the Dispatch by Major j. Horace Lacy,
of Fredericksburg. who says that they
have been retained in his memory for at
least half a century; that he never knew
who was the author. or about whom these
lines were written, and th5t for
some years ne has come TO the conclu-
sion that. like Col ridge. in that wonder
fully sweet mythical and sublime frag-
mcnt, beginning,
In Xanadu did Kubla Kan stately
pleasure dome decree,
Where Alph the sacred river ran
Bv caverns measuroless TO man down TO
the sunless sea-.
and must have been an inspiration de-
SIGNED TO pronounce the awful and ire
versiblo doom of God and the people upon
Grover Cleveland:
lie might have scared a miracle OF mind
Above the doubts that dim this lower
sphere,
And poured from thence as music on the
wind
Those prophet tones which men had
turned to hear;
Rut he BETRAYED his trust. and lent his
gilt OF glorious faculties
To blight and mar the moral universe.
And thus the star of his eventful des-
tiny became
A wild and wandering orb Of fearful
flame
That orb has set. yet still its urld light
Flashes above the broad horizons verge.
As If some comet plunging from its
height
surge.
The Times is no mans partisan, and
IT certainly cannot be justly accused of
being now or Of ever having been
partisan Of Mr.. Cleveland. The Times
has criticised great many Of his public
acts. and we can frankly say that there
was a something Of an underlined and UNI
dehnablc nature about his administration
of the government that was anything hut
acceptable to The Times Mr. Cleveland
has depended entirely two much upon
himself since he has been in Office and be
has been far too unwilling 10 confer and
counsel with the representative men of
his party and the nation 10 make a sue
cessful President, Most Of his present
unpopularity has grown out of that
stock. and we cannot say that It IS UNI
deserved Nevertheless. 1t is simply alb
surd. and in the highest degree migrate
full for any American citizen TO apply
these lines 10 Mr.. Cleveland. Whd--
ever his mistakes may have been. II is
ridiculous to question Mr.. Cleveland's
patriotism and public spirit. lie has
meant well by the country whether fis
measures were wise or foolish. lie mas
sincerely desired to give the country an
administration that would add TO he
contentment and happiness Of the people
and 10 the prosperity Of the country. and
q denial 10 him of this spirit is blind par
tisanary and nothing else
But, whatever his blunder Mr.. Cleve-
land has done something during his pres
ent administration that will rebound to
the interest OF this country as long as we
are a nation. IL is not too much TO say
that he has saved our nationality.
If the movement to degrade our staad-
ard Of value had prevailed in Novem-
Der last. we believe its result would have
been the beginning OF the end OF all
orderly government in this country. We
believe that We should have gone On
drifting downward. step by step until
tho Union itself would have dissolved
and we should have became. in time.
collection Of separated municipalities not
very FAR different from the turbulent
communities OF South America.
Mr.. Cleveland set himself like a great
lie faced II IN season and out OF season.
by day and by night, and never once
did he finch when the storm was highest
and the night was blacklist.
II weaker man had been IN his place