The press never disliked Grover Cleveland…but

The Beginning of Loathe

…Grover Cleveland (1837-1908), prior to, during, and after his presidency, positively loathed the “ghouls of the press” as he called them.

A very conservative Democrat, Cleveland was urged by citizens of both parties to run for Mayor of Buffalo, the second largest city in NY, full of corruption. He ran, won and did a fine job. He cleaned up a pile of political shenanigans and waste, and by 1882, was elected Governor of NY. He promptly did for the State what he had done for Buffalo, and was considered incorruptible, honest and tireless, i.e. a viable Presidential candidate in 1884.

Young Grover Cleveland

For nearly a quarter century (with the exception of Andrew Johnson’s disastrous term), Republicans had held the Presidency, despite some squeaker elections. But “almost” doesn’t count; only the bottom line counts. But 1884 saw the Democrats chances looking favorable, and GC, conservative and business-minded, seemed like a winner.

Grover Cleveland was a bachelor, and in his entire adult life, had never been linked romantically. He preferred a manly social life, playing cards with the fellows at the fire house, beer at the saloon, fishing and duck hunting. Et cetera. So it was a total shock to the country when a small local newspaper printed a story about candidate Grover Cleveland fathering an out-of-wedlock child. It had been a decade or more earlier. Other newspapers picked up the story, investigated, and the Victorian press and pulpits made hay with it.

Ma, Ma, Where’s my Pa?

Most people expected “Grover the Good” to deny such calumny, but he told his aide “tell the truth.” The truth was that he had had a casual liaison with Maria Halpin years earlier, and a child was born. Whether the child was his was undeterminable at that time, but he had acknowledged the situation.

Grover Cleveland, generally gruff and grumpy, never denied the affair, documented his financial responsibilities, and, when the mother proved “unfit,” arranged for proper foster care. That seemed to be enough for the general public. But like the current President at the time (Chester A. Arthur) who famously said, “My private life is nobody’s damn business,” Grover Cleveland was very much annoyed at the invasion of his personal life. It had nothing to do with his ability to administer high public office.

The public agreed by electing him President in 1884.

The Middle of Loathe

New bride Frances Cleveland

By the time of his election, 48-year-old Cleveland had been secretly engaged to Miss Frances Folsom, aged 20. She was the daughter of his former law partner and close friend who had died when his daughter was eleven. “Uncle Cleve” had become executor of the Folsom estate, and the legal guardian of Frances. By the time GC was inaugurated, Frances had finished her education at Wells College, and she and her mother spent a year in Europe, sightseeing and shopping for a trousseau.

GC’s new house.

Very shortly before the Folsom women returned, the press got wind of a mega story-in-situ. The POTUS had just closed on a house in Georgetown! House sales are public knowledge and the records are available. The Presidency comes with a very nice house as part of the deal – and Grover Cleveland had never owned a house before.  Aha!

Around 50 people attended the wedding.

So the chase began. Intrepid journalists (and in the 1880s, the “media” was strictly journalism) scrounged for whatever they could find about the house, the potential “bride,” any wedding plans, etc. When they determined that the bride-to-be was young and pretty, there was no stopping the so-called intrusion into the President’s privacy.

The tight-lipped Cleveland managed the entire ceremony himself, vis-à-vis planning, guests, supper and honeymoon. All Frances and her mother had to do was show up – with gowns. The press was barred from the White House wedding, and the windows were blackened. When the newlyweds left for their honeymoon, they “escaped” through a side entrance, to a train waiting a mile down on the track.

The reporters were undaunted. They chartered a separate locomotive to “follow that train!” and they camped out at the resort GC had selected for the nuptial trip. That included climbing trees, using binoculars and bribing waiters. Pretty Frances was big news, and there was nothing the POTUS could do about it – except stew. And complain bitterly about the intrusive “ghouls of the press” wherever he could. The newspaper publishers didn’t care.

The papers didn’t dislike him – but they positively adored his young bride. She sold papers.

The Final Loathe

Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms. His second term (1893-7) was less successful. The country was beset by economic woes, civil disruption and political bickering – as might be expected anytime. Even Frances, now a settled young matron and mother, was not as good copy. Nevertheless, they were enjoying a happy and contented marriage, and all seemed well enough….

Until GC discovered a rough spot in his mouth and Mrs. C. insisted he see the dentist. The dentist was alarmed and called in specialists. The alarm was real. The President had cancer of the jaw, and immediate surgery was necessary. This time the secrecy was imperative. The country was in a severe economic recession and it was vital that the POTUS maintain an “in charge” image to avoid further panic.

No one could see the prosthetic jaw.

His surgery was performed by a team of doctors and dentists on a borrowed yacht in the middle of New York’s East River, and all sworn to secrecy. Even the owner of the yacht knew nothing of the true purpose.

One reporter “guessed” too close, and appropriate steps were taken to discredit such a wild story. But the POTUS believed that the public good far outweighed a journalistic scoop.

The actual truth of Cleveland’s cancer was not made public until several years after the ex-President’s death. Of course there are some today who believe there should be no secrets from the public, but of course, that is naive.

Sources:

Algeo, Matthew – The President Is A Sick Man – Chicago Review Press, 2011

Boller, Paul Jr. – Presidential Anecdotes, Oxford University Press, 1981

Brodsky Alyn – Grover Cleveland: A Study in Character. NY, St. Martin’s Press, 2000

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Grover-Cleveland

https://www.npr.org/2011/07/06/137621988/a-yacht-a-mustache-how-a-president-hid-his-tumor