Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1874-12-31
BRIsTOw AND blaine.

Henry Watterson editor Louisville
Couyier-,Jomnnl, rebel democratic
concern, is in Washington writing for
his paper. The following is his perso-
nal gossip as to Bristow and Blaine,
gentlemen that he thinks are in train
ing for the Presidential nomination.
His comments are uncommonly COM
plimentary, for Bourbon Democrat.
SECRETARY BRIsTow"
"has obviously great chance to distin
guish himself He has been placed at
the head of the most important de-
partment of the Government at crit
ical moment The department has
long known little else than misman.
agement and corruption. A vicious
system has grown up within it. From
one end of it to the other there are
reeds and bricrs, and dead.falls, pre-
pared for the express purpose of in
timidating reform or ensnaring the re.
former, who cannot be frightened or
duped. Bristow, who 10 really q brave
man and an honest man, has gone to
work with directness, and yet with .
discretion, from which results may be
fairly expected. Naturally, he has al
ready encountered the difficulties
which assailed and overcome his pre-
decessors. We shall see what will
come of it. If he keeps right on. turn
ing neither to tho right or to the left
from the straight line of his daty, he
viii quit the Treasury with . reputa-
tion second to that OF no man in his
party. 1t 10 by no means sure that
success in the great work of cleaning
. system so rankly overgrown may
not give him tho Republican aomina-
ton In '76. Backed by such . success
he would certainly make o strong
nominee, and coupled with . man IKE
Phelps or Hawley, might restore his
party the confidence and respect lost
it by its Christian statesmen.
"To be sure, speculations Of this sort
are premature; the actual coming man
the real leader of the Republicans, 10
the present Speaker Of the House, i
can see that he Is preparing himself.
hardening and radicalizing himself for
the work. He will step down into the
hall, over which he has presided SO
long, the readicst Parliamentarian, not
excluding Banks, alive. He has .
style at once audacious and penetrat-
ing. His knowledge of the arts of
Congressional warfare 10 almost
cqualed by the infinite variety OF his
political information. His vitality is
amazing. Ever since I knew him
Blaine has reminded me In some sort
Of tho description left Of Fielding by
Thackeray, minus tho vices, OF which
this rongh and tumble Yankee Titan
is free. .Hc has An admirable, nAtur.
al love OF, TRUTH says the great satirist
OF the great humorist, "the kcenest In
stinctivc antipathy to hypociiay, the
happiest satirical gift Of laughing Il to
scorn. His wit is wonderfully wise
and deteGtive; It flashes upon rogue
and lightens mp . rascal like . police.
name lantern. he 10 one Of tho man.
licst and ,kindliest OF human beings"
| So much may be said OF Blaine; and,
with these gifts. and virtues, be Il
about to become by force Of circum.
stances the leader, and of necessity the
defender, of that party which--more
than any which has preceded it,
needs to have its errors forgotten.
His wit will flash to conceal, not to
expose, and his vast muscular power
Ito say nothing of his intellectual
cquipment-be thrown across the path.
way of Investigations designed to
purify the public service. 1t is hit
destiny suppose, although ON thii
point il may not be improper to OBJ
serve that he seem, altogether less ner
vous about the succession than he die
year or two ago, when the only fAnl
that could be found with his play MA
l that It was too skillful 10 win.