Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-09-01
from the Maine Standard
LETTER FROM SPEAKER BLAINE.
AUnUSTA. 23d Aug. Isl

! AUGUSTA, 23d Aug, 1871.
| To the Editors of the Maine Standard.
During my recent absence from home yor
published an editorial holding me up as ga
millionaire, rolling in luxury, and intimatng
but not asserting, that l had procured my
enormous wealth" by reason of my connec
ton with public affairs. The only fact you
adduce to support your statement is that pay
a tax on valuation of thirty seven thousand
dollars, including my real and personal es
tate. You then assume to add without quail
fication the following;
.'This S37 200, however, does not include
large coal and land property in the States
of Pennsylvania and Virginia, nor valuable
interest in a Lake Superior copper mine, nor
his prncely residence in Washington, valued
at $4,000 or $4,000, or any otherproperty
AS this is your statement, permit me to use
the columns of the STANDARD to make mine
The public can judge which of us is the bet
ter entitled to speak in the premises.
do not own any Gland or coal property
in Virginia and never owned dollar of any
kind Of property in that State in my life
/ own some shares in a Land Company in
West Virginia for which paid two thousand
dollars six years ago. will be glad to sell
it to you at that price to-day. l own no other
property of any description in West Virginia.
do not own "a valuable interest" nor any
other interest in a "copper" mine at Lake Su-
perior,' or any other place, and never owned
directly or indirectly dollar in copper mines
or copper stock in my life. Can you give
any authority for your statement to the con-
trary?
My ''princely residence in Washington,
valued at $4,000 or $50, 900" was purchased
for S2S 900 My official position required
that l should keep house. The rent l would
hn.- lad So tta11 g
So 900 per annum. This l could not afford.
BY purchasing instead, l get my rent for
about $2,000-thus saving $4,000 per annum,
getting better house with the chance of a
fair advance in the value of the property.
do own coal and land property in Penn
sylvania, purchased near my birth place at
very low figures IN the years 1857, 1858, 1859,
and lSG1-seve:al years before my name was
even mentioned for Congress. The income
derived from this property and the advance
in its value has given me respect table compe-
tency but not great withdrawing in the
aggregate, with all / possess, but small frac-
ton OF the amount you assign to me.
/ claim to have been diligent in business,
to have exercised fair judgment, and to have
met with average good fortune. My acqui-
sitions however, have been far less during the
past fifteen years than those of many who
have not worked so hard. My gains would
have been far more, have good reason to
believe, if had been out of public life, de-
voting my whole time and energies to my pri-
vate affairs. If money were the sole, or even
the great object in life, would certainly re-
sign my seat in Congress to-day.
If you know any fact that contradicts in
the least any statement herein made, or if
you have knowledge that ever acquired
dollar improperly, ! trust you will publish it.
But if YOU have not such fact or knowledge
| rely upon your manly candor to confess it.
l address you this letter because wish to
disclaim all responsibility for the great wealth
which you attribute to me. Every man in
his community should act and give according
to his means. cannot afford to have prop
erty imputed to me which do not possess.
1t may seem untasteful Ito me it is certain
ly distasteful) thus to discourse of my private
affairs. But your singular and persistent in
trusion into them leaves me no other course,
in simple self-defense. / desire once for all
to shield myself from that uncharitable con-
clusion, which assumes every calumny to be
true, unless it is publicly deHied and re-
futed. 1t is very rarely that notice any
thing of this kind, and l assure you that l
now write more in sorrow than in anger
sorrow that partizan opposition will seek for
advantage by such needless and groundless
assertions, touching the private and personal
affairs of fellow citizen merely because he
happens to be in public life.
Other papers that have copied your article
will | doubt not, do me the justice to publish
this also.
Very Respectfully,
j. G. BLAINE.