The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-02-07
POLITICAL MOVEMENTS AND VIEWS.
Frank Blair ON Grant and Cuba-A Free
and Easy Interview with the Missouri Sen.
ntOr.
washington Jan. 80, Correspondence Of the OH

and Easy Interview with the Mlssouri senx
nt0r.
washington Jan. 80, Correspondence Of the CHI
cago Tflbune.] .,,
PRANK BLAIR ON GRANT.
The other day l sent Q card to Frank Blair who
promptly came out Of the Senate for Frank II bold
az lion. and never evades the newspaper chal-
lenge. Frank invited friend and myself back into
the Marble Room and gave US frank and frea
Blair conversation. He expressed the opinion
that Grant was ''great man." SAID hes-"He
has an immense personality, the awful incarna.
ton OF SELL He Is running this government,
without principles on the theory OF personal sucS
cess. He must be big man, for who ever saw q
confirmed drunkard and borrower raise himself up1
late In life, unless ne mad left some strong human
elements for capital HIS government 10 not cons
PrensnsiDe not int ,asescaa only personal Ths
man Of this character than they would ne from
Aaron Burr or men OF much higher parts. Undet
Grant We approaching that period OF p0ltticaI
complacency and nainerence, as people, which,
Will make the incoming of despot quite prope9
and natural Graut cares nothing for party or
prinolple; he runs the thing for himself. anG
many OF the business interests OF the country are
situated that they better afford TO drop into tn0
line OF powerful Presidents prejudices and ambi-i
uon than TO join the mass Of the people 10 nghting
pOllIician-Of course. am talking TO you. boys, aGl
one politician to anOther-and that mistake II snak
Ing on the old aDOlitlOnstS VINO have revOluhOnlzed
the country for the sake OF certain SWISS like MOI
ton and Cameron whb never cared Tor the darkey
more IMAM Granl nllSeI."
said Frank, furthcr:-"Grant always treats me-
well, ana there are few democrats he does not{
treat we'll lie reserves Ills frOwns Tor the nde-i
pendent republicans who Will not join In with his |
usurpationsr
"No,n he continued; 'as a democrat l toll you,t
gentlemen That rrumbull, Schurz and these othef
folks command our respect They have y pollcy7
the President has none but Grant"
BLAIR ON CUBA. /,
81 propose some day or other, gentlemen said
Mr.. Blair, ITO make speech on CUBA. My prOposl-i
ton IS TO buy the island. We can whip the SPANISH
to death If we want to 60 10 war; but war Is ex-
pensive, ana II serves the purpose OF keeping the
party ana the persons temporarily In power at tho
head OF afars and when you come to sum up thel
cost OF the war 1t will amount TO more than
good purchase sum. Suppose we got into;
war with Spain-and probably Spain would
light over Cuba-we would whip her about as
promptly country was ever used up, byl
another but, with our way OF doing business underi
contracts j0obers, g0-beweens. &c, the sum WOULD
be greater than outright purchase. Spain II spend-
ing more money on the cuban problem than suits;
her. Cuba Is the mouth OF the Mississippi Rlveri
Havana IL the last American city OF mat great
Valley, and on the road to Europe. Had we cOnJ
quoted nation on material principles we should
have been, forty years ago. In the possession Of
Havana ana the Island OF Cuba. propose to make
a speech presenting these facts, opposing war with
spain, and setting forth that our country is rich
enough 10 bear the taxation or the debt which wnI
buy the island and rid US OF the OLD World on tho
margin Of our shores"