The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-03


and social reconcentrados of the black race
HOW 1T FEELS TO BE PRESIDENT.
Two Interesting verSfons az Remarks
by Ex-President Cleveland.
New York Sun
From out-of-the-way places such. for in
stance, as the dining rooms and smoking
rooms of clubs and the so-calied lecture
rooms of churches I'm small towns in the
interior, there sometimes come utterances or
magnitude and consequence. which would be
entirely overlooked by the general public
1t is due to the enterprise of the Lewiston
Journal that the Hon. Grover Cleveland's
theory OF his own success In life. and OF the
impaired by him in a confidential mood to
DR.. Lorettus S. Metcalf. formerly editor OF
the Forum. Is not lost TO that larger part OF
the world. which lies outside the walls of the
Bates-street Universalist Church In Lewis
ton.
That Have Met" His lecture consisted OF
anecdotes of famous individuals. and
counts of conversations held with the great
Ward Beecher. Wendell Phillips, General
Grant. General Sherman, Edwin Booth,
Madame Blayatsky and others. we shall
audience concerning Mr.. Cleveland states
man who once honored him with few min
utes Of real soul-talk. The following Is the
Lewiston Journals report of this part OF
the lecture.
Il once asked President Cleveland how it
felt TO be President of the United States. He
locked down a long time and when he looked
up there were tears in his eyes. and he said:
i grew up in home with good father
and mother. and they taught me the right
and the wrong. and when / grew. 10 be a
man | am sorry TO say did not always do
thing happened. was elected mayor OF
Buffalo. / said that j was not worthy to
fill the place felt ~, was not capable ID but
what is right and what is wrong because my
father and mother taught me- and thanks to
them ! will be mayor. and will try to DO
~ went ahead doing what was right.
And one day a still stranger thing happened.
/ was afraid. / said surely there is some
mistake. / am not worthy for this great
place. cannot fill IL. But thought IL
and fear not. And / went ahead and did
what 1 thought was right. And still a
greater surprise awaited me l was made
President OF the United States. and / YVES
the most surprised man you ever saw. But
/ have tried to stick closely 10 what know
is right. and have done II in spite Of what
others say to me. Committees come to me
and ask me to do things because IL will ad-
vance the selfish interests of someone. They
never ask me to do a thing because 1t Is
Here is one of the finest pictures in his
tory. The chief executive of the United
States weeps when DIR. Metcalf asks him
how II feels to be President. and then he
proceeds to explain the principles of right
statesmansnip. and explains the same in a
manner which would have reflected credit
upon the preceptor of Sanford and of Mer-
ton nay, even upon Mr.. George. the eminent
There will be no question that the senti-
ments attributed 10 Mr.. Cleveland were
calf a truthful gentleman, incapable or
using great mans tears and intimate con-
ms nf or Of IN any
salist Church. but there is also in the mar
rative intrinsic evidences of its substantial
accuracy. The delicate allusion to that Pc
riod of his life anterior to his election as
mayor of Buffalo. when Mr.. Cleveland did
not always. do the right" the conversion
wrought in his methods by the sudden recol-
lection OF his boyhood's teachings at the
time when he was Unexpectedly confronted
humility with which he entered the execu-
tive mansion at Albany, and later the
White House; the ever-present sense of per-
mination to do right lin spite of what
others say to me"-all these features led up
to the concluding and enthusiastically Cleve-
Landscape declaration that he was never
once approached when President by any
committee inspired by the same noble and
unSelfish principles as Influenced his own
acts and decisions. DR.. Metcalf could not
have invented this If he had tried.
When we say that Mr.. Clevelands speech.
as printed above, is unsupported, We mean
the form of it, and not the substance; II
would be impossible for Mr.. Cleveland to
use the exact language attributed to him In
a single sentence which he could have ut
tered as 1t is printed. This statement does
c cet or os h bee Lewiston reperter Ether
the lecturer or the reporter, or both. have
unconsciously and innocently. translated
Mr.. Cleveland's remarks into ordinary Eng
lish. Everybody that has studied his
speeches and writings knows that what he
actually said to the doctor after he had
wiped away his etars was more like this:
THE moral Discriminate which distin-
guishes readily and surely between the dis
interested public service which is conse-
Grated by steadfast adherence TO princi-
pie and fearless advocacy OF right, and
the prostitution of political opportunity TO
ignoble purposes was implanted In me by
early domestic education. Ii was only tenn
porarily obscured by the temptation Incl
dent to youth under circumstances destruc-
tive of the sense of personal responsibility
and fatal TO the happiness and contentment
which are the fruits Of improving study and
triotic satisfaction with what an "s earnest
appreciation Of the moral grandeur OF fidet-
ity and sinister influences of selfish and
partisan interests. / consecrated myself TO
details of local government in Buffalo. The
consciousness of individual shortcomings
did not intimidate a determination to dem
onstrate my loyalty and devotion 10 those
same early and well-grounded convictions
to which i have already referred Elevated
to the highest trust within the bestowal OF
the people OF my State, l was nevertheless
profoundly conscious that the management
of the diverse interests of a great common
wealth was not an easy matter unless sup
scrupulous redemption of pledges and con-
slant remembrance that diligence and faith
fulness are the measure OF public duty.
Called. to my great surprise and embarrass-
ment, by the suffrages of my fellow-citizens
to the essentially executive office OF chief
executive of the Nation, | was not insensi-
BILE to the consideration that the sure path
to administrative success must continue 10
rest upon the cultivation of that spirit or
calm. deliberate and intelligent fidelity TO
principle which had characterized my for
mer administration of less exalted trusts.
To these vital and essential truths have
constantly adhered, in spite of the efforts OF
those who are actuated by a sordid disre-
gard OF all but personal interests; in short.
my whole official career has been guided
and controlled by pure conscience. an UNI
alterable devotion TO duty. and thought
full intelligent and independent judgment
In public affairs. etc.
Ii was in some such impressive form as
this. very sure. that the Hon. Grow
er Cleveland. after wiping away his not dis
creditable tears. responded 70 DR.. Metcalfs
sympathetic question as to how 1t felt to be
President.
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