The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-09-02
Speaker Blaine's Reply to the Maine
Standard.

- ONOoAA, aug <oJ lOt
To the Editor of the Maine Standard.
During my recent absence from home you
published an editorial, holding me up as ga
millionaire, rolling in luxury" and intimat
ing, not asserting, that l had procured my
enormous wealth. by reason of nv connec
ton with pubic affairs. The only fact you ad.
duce to support your statement is that pay 3
tax on a valuation OF thirty seven thousand
collars, including my real and personal estate
You then assume to add without qualification
the following:
"This $37, 900, however, does not include q
large coal and land property in the States Of
Pennsylvania and Virginia, nor a valuable in.
terest III Lake Superior copper mine, nor his
princely residence in Washington, valued at
$4O,0 900 or SOC, 900, or any other property"
As this is your statement permit me to use
the columns of the Standard to make mihe.-
The public can judge which OF us is the better
entitled to speak in the premises.
do not own any "land and coal property
10 Virginia and never owne a dollar of any
kind of properly in that State in nv life. I
own some shares in a Land Company in West
Virginia for which L paid two thousand dol
lars six years ago. l 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 cooper mine at Lake Su-
perior," or any other place, and never owned
directly or Indirectly dollar in copper mines
or copper stocks in my life. Can YOU give apy
My prlncely residence in Washington, val.
ued at SAC, 900 to $50,0OO" was purchased for
$4,000. My official business required that
should keep house The rent would have had
10 pay Tor suitable residence was $50OO Der
annum. This l could not afford. BY pur-
chasing instead Il get my rent for about $4,000
thus saving $4,000 per annum, and getting a
better house with chance for fair advance
III the value OF property.
do own a coal and land property in Penn
sVlVauIa DurcbasQI INV h,rt Mo
very low figures in the years 1857, 1855, 1859
and 1S6l-several years before my name was
even mentioned for Congress. The income de,
rived from this property and the advance in its
value have given me respectable competency
but not great wealfh-masiDg 10 the aggre-
gate, with all possess, but small traction of
the amount you assign to me.
l claim to have been dIligent in business, to
have exercised fair judgment, and to have met
with average good fortune. My acquisitions,
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
tar more, have good reason to believe, if
had been out of public life, devotng my whole
time and energies to my private affairs. 1t
many were the sole, or even the great object
in life, would certainly resign 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 I ever acquired a dollar
IL.
you have not such tact or knowledge RELY up
on your manly candor to confess it,
address you this letter because l wish to
disciam all responsibility for the great wealth
which you attribute to me. Every man in his
community should act and give according to
his means l cannot afford to have propertv
imputed to NE which do not possess.
1t may seem untasteful Ito me it Is certainly
dlstastefuD thus to discourse of nv private al
ialrs But your singular and persistent in
trusion into them leaves me no other course. in
simple selfdefence.I desire once for all to shield
myself from that unchartable conclusion.
whlch assumes every calumny to be true, un-
less 1t is publicly denied and refuted. 1t is
very rarely that notice anything of this kind,
and L assure you that now write more in sor-
row than in anger-sorrOw that partisan Cd.
position Will seek for advantage by such need
less and groundless assertions, touching the
private and personal affairs Ut a fellow-citizen
merely because he happens to be in public
fe
Other papers that have copied your article
VIII, doubt not, do me the justice to publish
Ihis also. Very respectfully,
I n