Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-12-01

we do it? We doubt it, because we do
not control any man who might know
the fact, and could not make him sign
even if he knew it. But If asked
whether there are men in StauntOn who
have heard that it did, we say yes, and
as for circumstances they were indis-
putable.
This report did not come from the
cutters nor was it kitchen gossip. An
says the writer:
"Do you not know that if you listen
to kitchen gossip and to gossip from |
the slums and dives there is not family
ia Staunton whose character would
escape calumny."
This may be true, but we are not
much in kitchens, nor slums, nor dives,
and hear little of such characterization
of families, and therefore cannot re-
but slum logic. 1t may or may not be
strong, but we think not, it is more like
the pleading of a lawyer for sorry
client, we have heard it over and over
again in court. when all other pleas had
failed, and when it looked as if verdict
of guilty was inevitable Again he says:
There have been creatures even here
in Staunton who have slandered the
angels in heaven and Mary the Mother
of our Savior"
We do not challenge him to give a list
of the names of these creatures" nor
sign it himself, nor will we undertake
to dispute the proposition. Of course
he knows Or he would not make the as
seytion. But speaking OF grave charges
does it not strike him that this is one.
and when lecturing other people on
their duty, would it not he well enough
to recall that he is taking great latitude
| by associating 1.-The angels in heaven.
and Mary the Mother of our Savior"
with Grover Cleveland What on earth
could have suggested them at the same
time, and what possible relation do they
| bear to each othel We can find per-
sons of great responsibility who will
sign an affidavit that Grover Cleveland
is no angel. We leave to the News the
sacrilege of associating his name with
that of the Virgin Mary.
Further says the News:
Least of all is it becoming southern
man TO bring such an accusation against
Grover Cleveland. He is the only pres
| ident since the war to admit US again
fully to all the privileges of the house
of our fathers. He assisted in repeating
laws designed to Cypress the south. He
took into his councils and made his
most intimate friends southern men of
the old school who were imbued with
southern ideas, such as L @. g. Lamar,
than whom no loftier character has
been produced on this continent, even
making him a member of the Supreme
Court of tue United States; A. II. Gar.
land of Arkansas, and VIM. l. Wilson OF
w est Virginia. He sent as ministers
abroad such men as Clifton r. Breck
inrldge, whose name and associations
mark him as distinctly southern. Hi.
bosom friends while he was president OF
the United s ateS, and those on whom
he leaned for advice were southern
men.
u Southern men are the men who today
have dropped Cleveland, and who will
touch him for no purpose. When Mr.
: Tucker mentioned his name in the last
: State Democratic convention held il
+ this city the name was Missed. In al
the Democratic conventions held in the
: south during the last campaign, nont
so poor to do him reverence, even by the
; mention of his uame. The south had
r Garland and Lamar, VIM. l.. Wilson
and Clifton r. Breckenridge before
eaCleveland came among us. Aside from
2 Mr.. Lamar, who is dead, can the south
: be said to have these now? Twice the
south made Cleveland President, once
when his own State almost Iepudiated
5 b i'm. On whose side does the account
stand !! He may have done much, but
: he owed much. To pay just debt
leaves no obligation. 1t is no cause OF
graft ude on the part of the south that
; be associated with and made bosom
friends Of her great men. He was the
gamer in every instance.
, We had no intention of discussing
, Cleveland at all, we have baen Ora WI
, into it by the mixing of his name with
our financial system, and by q seeming
: desire OH the part of the News to switch
, off to subject it felt it could handle
, from one it seems to have little appe-
tite for. But we do believe that never
!, before was there such management OF
the national finances, q as Cleveland
, forced upon the country. Whether be.
cause he could not or would not see, We
cannot tell, but he set this country back
80 years and caused more suffering in
our opinion than the civil war. We
ourselves owe him nothing. We voted
twice for him aud did all we could to
make him president. II Gcd will for.
give us for that offense we shall be
thankful. We are sure we will never
do it again.