The Irish standard., 1908-07-04
HAD No PREJUDICE!
The Career Of Grover Cleveland
Briefly Considered.
One of the Greatest of Our
American Presidents.

the United States, and for many years
the only living exPresident. died
rather suddenly at his home, Prince
ton, N. j.. on the morning of Wednes-
day, June "a. He had been i'll for sew
eral months past, but latterly had
seemed to be on the road to recovery
The passing of this honored citizen
who has been as dignified and useful
( in his private as in his public life, will
be sincerely deplored by patriotic
Americans without regard to party,
says the Boston Republic.
Grover Cleveland must go down in
history as one Of our greatest Presi-
dents. Forceful in the sincerity Of his
been twice to break the far-1ung and
all but immovable battleline, of Ma
tional Republican strength, which, but
for him. has persisted since Lincoln's
election in 1860.
The ex-President was born in Cald-
well. Essex County, N. j.. his Ameri
back to Moses Cleveland, who came
to America from Englan d in 1885,
settling eventually in Woburn. Mass.
On the side of his mother Anne Neal.
the daughter of a Baltimore merchant
of Irish birth, he was second-growth
Irish American. The elder Cleveland,
who was a Presbyterian minister, died
at Holland Patent. Oneida county, N. Y.
in 1858. Young Grover, who had here
tofore earned his living in small clerk
ships, while making the best OF local
educational opportunities. found him
self obliged to give UP all hope of a
college training, and to assist In the
maintenance OF his mother and the
\ younger members of the family.
Teaching, miscellaneous editing, etc,
filled his days until his uncle the Hon.
Lewis +. Allen of Buffalo, got the
young man an opportunity to make
his law studies. Grover Cleveland was
admitted to the bar in 1859, and four
years later was appointed assistant
district attorney Of Erie county.
His duties to his family kept him
from the front during the Civil War.
He acquired some local celebrity for
taking up unpopular but righteous
causes, and sticking to them with the
dogged pertinacity which characterized
+ him lifelong until he brought them to
a successful issue.
His Irish blood asserted itself during
the Fenian troubles of 1867, when
learning that certain Fenians arrested
for their attempt to invade Canada
were prisoners without counsel, he
release. declining all compensation \
He held the office Of sheriff in 1870
Meantime. he was gaining steady rec
ognition as the strongest member OF q
reliable Buffalo law firm, first Bass
Cleveland and Bisscll. afterwards
Cleveland and Bissell.
Municipal affairs in Buffalo were In
q bad way in 1881, when Cleveland
who had been long out of politics was
remembered, and induced to take tho
Democratic nomination for Mayor. His
determined and effective protection of
the public money earned for him the
title Of the veto mayor" and spread
his fame Throughout the State. He
had served but one year Of his term
when the Democratic State convention
< nominated him for Governor. The
Buffalo Express, the City's leading Re-
publican organ, frankly Joined the
X Democrats, heading it's editorial col
umns with Clevelands name, and
Il working with will for his election
q He went into Office with a plurality
of over 200,000-the largest ever given
a candidate in New York State-over
Nh his Republican opponent, Charles j
Folger.
s5g 1t is worth mentioning here that ou
OF the four best Offices in the gift o
the new Governor, three went to Cath
olic Irish-Americans--n of course
RIA }USCduSC OL THEIR laltn OF ancestry, Dl1
il because they were eminenty worthy
and Governor Cleveland had no preju.
n dices.
Cleveland fulfilled his larger trus
with the same regard for the Interest,"
sSSof the people which had marked hin
In smaller place. Strong party mel
began to name him for the highes
8 oface In the nations gift. 1t is tru
st that many Democrats were possesses
d with the idea that Thomas r. Bayar
Of Delaware should be the cand
date. Others. especially the Demo
sss Gratis. of Irish descent, were captur
0 ed by the magnetism of the Re
publican candidate, James G. Blaine
land had the singular idea tina
by reason of race-line and family tie,
&he would be especially liberal.