The Portland daily press., 1870-08-25

| To the Editor of the Kennebec Journal:
The Portland argus froths at the mouth
on Speaker Blaine's letter of acceptance, and
after column of abuse proposes to apnih-
late that gentleman by series of conundrums
which it calls upon him to answer. The
most weishty, lengthy and serious Of them is
the following:
"How he, having been elected to Congress
when comparatively poor and paying less than
hundred dollars q year rent for his family
residence, has been able in the public service
at not over $4,000 year legitimate wages, to
'lay up from one hundred to one hundred
and fifty thousand ayear, ,(as currently report
ed and never as yet denied that we have SEEM
| and at the same time living 10 q style of opu-
lence hardly surpassed by the most wealthyY'
| In the first place Mr.. Blaine never lived in
"rented house" in Augusta at any time, for
one hundred dollars year or any other sum.
His present residence was purchased by him
more than year before he took his seat in
Congress, and his style of living, so far as his
friends and Deighbors know, is precisely the
same now that it was then. de paid the
enormous and extravagant sum of five thou
sand dollars Tor his residence we believe, and
possibly has shinGled his -b~..A-si.,@A- -~-i----
| paired his fence. II the argus or the Demo-
cratic party desire to know the particulars we
will inquire.
As to Mr.. Blaine's laying up 100000 to
$15O,O00 a year-eyerybody reads such nom
sense with contempt. 1t is too ridiculous
paper but the Argus to retail. Why not put
his annual savings at a million and be done
with it?
MIR. Blalne'S sworn income outside of official
| salary has for a series of years been from five
| to seven thousand dollars. He pays taxes in
| the city of Augusta on'a valuation of about
thirty-two thousand dollars, and is known be.
side TO have valuable property in Pennsylva-
mia which he purchased, the argus will
please observe, in 1878, when Mr.. Blaine
| edited the Portland Advertiser. The pur-
chase of coal property at that time was one in
which several capitalists in Portland and on
the Kennebec were urged by Mr.. Blaine tC
| take an interest. They all declined and Mr.
| Blaine went heavily in debt for the whole II
| is generally understood among Mr.. Blaine.
| friends that the investment proved very re-
munerative. The complaint that Mr. Blaine
owns property in Pennsylvania and spends
the income of it in Maine, is one that we can.
| rot see the precise force OF from Maine
| standpoint! We do not see what Mane has
| to complain of in the matter.
The facts thus briefly stated compose the
whole history of Mr.. Blaine's prOperty-about
| which the Democratic party have made them
! selves so restless and ridiculous during the
past two or three years.
If it will be any satisfaction, however, to
| the argus, we will give it as our opinion that
| Mr.. Blaine, ii he lives, is destined to be a
wealthy man. He is careful, prudent, indus
trious aud energetic in business affairs, enjoys
| in large degree the confidence of several OF
the leading capitalists in Maine and other
| New England States, and can at any time
command money by the trust reposed in his
sagacity and integrity by these capitalists.
| But Mr.. Blanes financial lie and his po-
| litical life are two distinct things. We per-
sonally know that at this very time he is
urged by his leading associates in business to
| give up political life entirely and accept a
| compensation which is more than double his
| official pay and which would leave him at
home nearly the entire year. But Mr.. Blame
would be strangely constituted II at his time
| OF life he should wish to retire from sphere
of public duty in which his success has been
| so gratifying.-and if he should desire it, his
Kennebec constituency would very unani
| mOusly object.
At other times the argus has made itsel
vely busy about Speaker Blaine's Washington
residence. 1t is quite true that Mr.. Blaine
has kept house in very genteel, but not ex-
travagant style, since he was Speaker. He
! purchased good residence, made partial pay
ment, and molteaged it for the remainder
and thereby made large annual saving as
compared with the usual manner of taking 9
| furnished house. 1t has always been the Gus
tom of the Speaker to keep house and give
receptions" and we are glad TO know tba
the credit OF Maine for hospitality has not suf
fered by the course pursued by Mr.. Blaine.
VIII the argus have the magnanimity tt
copy this article, and let its readers see ant
know frank statement of facts? We expec
it, of course, to accompany the publicatior
| with its usual amount of e,reo1s and bosh, bu
we again ask, will it dare to publish tho
| facts?
1t is humiliating that the course of polite:
| is dragged so low by the Democratic party
that the private affairs of public officer are
forced into newspaper discussion. But We
certainly know of no one who has less reason
to fear such scrutiny than Mr. Blaine. The
writer OF this article las long known the STATE
of his affairs, has had business connection:
and associations with him of the most init
mate and confidential character, and on pub
lie and private relations is proud to subscribe
himself A FRIEND.